Reloading for 1911 in 9mm

[mls204]

My usual favorite 9mm load is 4.0gr of Titegroup under a 124gr Berry's FP at an OAL of 1.070". It sucks coming out of my Springfield 1911 Loaded. I have FTF problems (probably due to the FP and OAL) and it feels like I can feel the bullet leave the barrel. (I don't know how else to describe it.) I case gage check all my cartridges as well as seat and crimp in separate stations so it's not a crimp issue.

Any thoughts on what's up? Should I go with 115gr bullet? A different bullet shape? Maybe more velocity? I've loaded up the following combinations and will try them as soon as I can:

1. 4.2gr of Titegroup under a 124gr Berry's FP at an OAL of 1.070"
2. 4.0gr of Titegroup under a 124gr Montana Gold FMJ at an OAL of 1.160".
3. 4.2gr of Titegroup under a 124gr Montana Gold FMJ at an OAL of 1.160".

My guess is #2 & #3 will shoot the best. I've read that others have not had any problems shooting a Flat Point bullet out of their 1911's but I seem to have feeding issues.

I should add that my 9mm 1911 is brand new with less that 200 rounds through it, so it could be a case of breaking it in first before I try to load for it.

I'm also going to try those loads out of my Beretta 92fs since I need to find a decent load for that gun too. My only guess is that the longer barrel of these two guns is the reason my "favorite load" described at the top isn't so great.

[noylj]

I am a snob and prefer real jacketed bullets for the same money, and have only had bad results with plated back when they were cheaper.
Regarding the 1911: The feeding problem could be the short COL or it could be a rough feed ramp or, almost the single MOST likely cause, bad lips on the magazine.
Buy REAL Colt or Wilson magazines and see how things go.
Are you other complaints due to inaccuracy, not feeling the same level of recoil as your "other" 9x19, or what?
The FP is NOT the problem, except again from a too short COL.
I have run COL=1.080" for 124-125gn L-TC in 9x19. It was shorter than I usually load, but it worked perfectly in my CZ-75s, 1911s, and a Sig P226. The P226 was the only gun that was ever accurate with TiteGroup and that was with 4.0gn titegroup and a COL of 1.160".
Almost any powder is better in all my guns for accuracy than TiteGroup.
I tried a 125gn 0.357" wide-flat meplat L-RNFP in 9x19 and had to go down to a COL of 1.040" due to bullet shape. Excellent accuracy.
I prefer 0.356" jacketed and 0.357" lead bullets in all my 9x19s--better accuracy.

[Waldog]

Family has two Springfield 9mm 1911's. I've been loading MG 124gr HP with 4.3gr of HP-38. I use the exact same powder charge with LEAD 124gr LRN or TFP bullets. Very accurate and completely reliable. Also, loaded same bullets with Power Pistol. Don't remember the charge though.

I suspect your fininshed rounds may be too short. Lengthen the OAL and try again. Also, you need about 500-800 rounds through the gun to "break-it-in". Could also be your magazines. I have had good luck with Metalform and Wilson ETM magazines.

[mls204]

Yeah, I agree with you guys that the OAL with the Flat Points are probably too short for this gun. I'll try a batch with a longer OAL and see how it goes. I should have mentioned that the Montana Gold's I have are FMJ RN's.

My other complaints about the gun are that it seems to hit low (at 7 yards) and the slide movement just seems slow. Like, I'm shooting in slow motion or something. Sorry if that doesn't make any sense. My other 9mm's are a M&P, G26, and 92FS. I'm not used to the 92FS yet either. I'm a decent shot with the polymers, but maybe these stainless guns are just unfamiliar in my hands. And I probably just need to put a few hundred more rounds through it before trying to come up w/ a load. It's just that I'm cheap and don't like paying $0.25 per cartridge when I can load them for $0.11 each.

As for magazines I'm using the ones that came with the gun. I'm not thrilled about them, but they seem to have gotten smoother the more I've used them. I do not like how the cartridge can tilt while in there. I was having problems loading the flat points as they would get stuck sometimes. Are the followers on the Wilson Combat ETM's better? I thought the mags that Springfield boxes w/ their 9mms are by Metalform. I love my Kim-Pro Tac mags and wish they made them in 9mm.

Lastly, I have had great success in accuracy with Titegroup, out of both 9mm and 45acp. I have about a # left but I'm out of 231. I have a # each of AA#5, Unique, and Bullseye which I've yet to use in any reloading. I also have Universal Clay's and 296 but I load 38/357 with those.

[Trickpony]

My usual favorite 9mm load is 4.0gr of Titegroup under a 124gr Berry's FP at an OAL of 1.070". It sucks coming out of my Springfield 1911 Loaded. I have FTF problems (probably due to the FP and OAL) and it feels like I can feel the bullet leave the barrel. (I don't know how else to describe it.) I case gage check all my cartridges as well as seat and crimp in separate stations so it's not a crimp issue.

Any thoughts on what's up? Should I go with 115gr bullet? A different bullet shape? Maybe more velocity?

Where does the firing pin impact the primer on a spent cartridge? Your FTF issue could be due to a sloppy breach face. I had the same issue with my 9mm SA 1911 and after several repair attempts by Springfield and a couple other well known gunsmiths found a no name guy that knew what he was doing.

[Bill Steele]

My usual favorite 9mm load is 4.0gr of Titegroup under a 124gr Berry's FP at an OAL of 1.070". It sucks coming out of my Springfield 1911 Loaded. I have FTF problems (probably due to the FP and OAL) and it feels like I can feel the bullet leave the barrel. (I don't know how else to describe it.) I case gage check all my cartridges as well as seat and crimp in separate stations so it's not a crimp issue.

Any thoughts on what's up? Should I go with 115gr bullet? A different bullet shape? Maybe more velocity? I've loaded up the following combinations and will try them as soon as I can:

1. 4.2gr of Titegroup under a 124gr Berry's FP at an OAL of 1.070"
2. 4.0gr of Titegroup under a 124gr Montana Gold FMJ at an OAL of 1.160".
3. 4.2gr of Titegroup under a 124gr Montana Gold FMJ at an OAL of 1.160".

My guess is #2 & #3 will shoot the best. I've read that others have not had any problems shooting a Flat Point bullet out of their 1911's but I seem to have feeding issues.

I should add that my 9mm 1911 is brand new with less that 200 rounds through it, so it could be a case of breaking it in first before I try to load for it.

I'm also going to try those loads out of my Beretta 92fs since I need to find a decent load for that gun too. My only guess is that the longer barrel of these two guns is the reason my "favorite load" described at the top isn't so great.

On the feed issues, what is the symptom? I can't remember if the 9mm SA 1911 has a separate feed ramp and barrel mouth (like the .45's) or if it has an integrated feed ramp as part of the barrel, like an EMP.

Is the FTF a diving round that never gets up the feed ramp or is the round hanging up on the break of the mouth/throat (part way into the chamber)?

I have had feed issues when carbon builds up on the feed ramp and the nose of the round will start sticking on the ramp and dive instead of load up into the chamber. Using cleaner burning powder sometimes addresses this issue; also polishing the feed ramp and entry to the throat can help (do this only lightly, just polish to a high luster). As posted earler, magazines make a difference, although to be frank, all my Springfield mags work pretty well.

If you are having problems with the round not feeding completely into the chamber (kind of stuck between the lower part of the throat entrance and the upper part of the chamber farther in), changing OAL might fix the problem. When you talk about the speed of the slide, does it seem stiff/dragging when you are racking the slide? If not, it might be the recoil spring. You might call SA and ask them if they use a different spring for the 9mm than the .45, maybe you got a .45 recoil spring by mistake.

If OAL doesn't fix it and it is not a dragging slide or heavy spring issue, another thing you can do (again sparingly) is take some of the edge off the lower portion of the break between the mouth and the chamber. It doesn't take much off this edge to make chambering issues go away. Again, go easy if you decide to do this as you just want to take the sharp edge off, not change the shape of anything.

As far as the feel of the gun when shooting 9mm, it is probably just the weight of the gun (if the dragging slide or heavy spring concerns have been addressed in the negative). 9mm out of Government sized steel frames feel like mouse farts. If in doubt, buy a pound of VV-3N37 and load 6.5grs under those 124gr Berry's and you will know what max ME feels like.

Good luck, have fun.