Loading 9mm so many different recipes....Help

[Bill1957]

I am wanting to load some 9mm rounds. I have Unique powder, Sierra 115 gr. FMJ bullet and Winchester small pistol primers. I use Lee's Loadmaster press. My problem is I'm finding so many recipes i'm unsure where to start. Some books say 4.5 gr of powder where others go up to 6.3 gr. I'm just making loads for paper targets. Can someone lead me to a good recipe?

[J-cat]

The 4.5gr start load is for short OAL's necessary for some short chambered firearms, i.e. CZ. My go to load with Unique was 5.7grs under a 125gr JSP @ 1.125" OAL.

[Bill1957]

I'll be using these rounds in a Ruger P95 and a Ruger SR9C.


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[J-cat]

Find your OAL first. I like 2/3 of the bullet shank in the case. That puts the 115 JHC at about 1.100" OAL. I would start at 5grs and go up to 6.

[mike.h]

My suggestion would be to pick up a couple different reloading manuals and start reading. This may not be the instant fix that you are looking for but it could be safer.

[GeoffLinder]

Use an OAL in the 1.125 to 1.130 range. Do not load below 1.120" OAL until you know what you are doing.

Start with 4.7-4.8 grain range and work it up over a chronograph. When you are in the 1150fps range with 115gr and 1075fps range with 124gr you are just about where you want to be with 9mm for plinking use.

Loading without a chrono is like predicting the weather with your thumb in the wind.

BTW, if you do not have a loading manual with load data to follow, get one now!

Just duplicating data from internet posts is like wearing other folks dirty underwear, not advised.

[Bill1957]

I have several load manuals and they all give different info. That's why I'm asking for help. I appreciate all the help.


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[skosh69]

It would help to know what powder you are planning on using. Each manufacturer will call for different amounts!

I just started to load 9mm myself and here's my recipe, I loaded 200 so far.

WSP primers
W231 powder - 4.7 gr
Xtreme 115 gr rn
Coal 1.156 ( Taken from Speer's #14 manual )
Crimp .378

They cycled fine through my M&P Shield!

[Bill1957]

It would help to know what powder you are planning on using. Each manufacturer will call for different amounts!

I just started to load 9mm myself and here's my recipe, I loaded 200 so far.

WSP primers
W231 powder - 4.7 gr
Xtreme 115 gr rn
Coal 1.156 ( Taken from Speer's #14 manual )
Crimp .378

They cycled fine through my M&P Shield!

I stated I am using Unique.


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[Bill Steele]

I haven't loaded Unique for quite a while. I don't favor Unique as it meters poorly and is pretty dirty when loaded light.

I went back and checked my records for Unique in 9mm, at 1.125" OAL using 115gr Montana Gold FMJ, as low as 4.5grs would cycle all my 9's, but was pretty dirty. 5.4gr seemed to be the best combination of nice target power and yet started running cleaner.

Good luck, have fun.

[Clownpuncher]

I have several load manuals and they all give different info. That's why I'm asking for help. I appreciate all the help.


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Check the type of gun they are using in the manual.

I typically use plated bullets. Using 115gr Xtreme plated I have gone 5.0-5.6 of Unique with a OAL of 1.110. 5.6 being my favorite and most accurate out of my Ruger SR-9.

The Sierra manual says use 4.9-6.6 with an OAL of 1.100 using a Hi Point C9 with a 4" barrel for a test gun. Here are their loads:

4.9 = 1000fps
5.2 = 1050fps
5.6 = 1100fps
5.9 = 1150fps
6.3 = 1200fps
6.6 = 1250fps MAX LOAD LISTED

I'd say you will definately be safe starting at about a 5.2 and working your way up. You probably don't want to or need to get up to max load. Work about 10 of each up and give them a whirl.

When reloading, think of it like a recipe book. Try to find a test weapon and round as close to what you have as you can, start on the low end and work up. Nothing ruins a meal like putting too much salt in it, likewise, nothing ruins a gun like putting too much powder in.

[johnny1290]

This isn't rocket science. How conservative do you want to be?
The conservative route would be back off 10% from the published load(4.5 in your case) so start at 4 grains, make 5 or 10 rounds, then increase the powder and make another 5 or 10 rounds, and continue as far as you want.

The conservative route would be to shoot the rounds, discounting the ones that are too weak to cycle the gun(unless you really want that for some reason), and work your way up to the ones that cycle reliably. Then you're done.

You can go for higher velocities if that's your thing, checking cases for overpressure, etc.

I'm just plinking, so low power ammo is more fun for me to shoot and I'm more accurate.

[macman9]

Unique 4.9 grains 1.15 oal light crimp .378 extreme plated bullet. It all I shoot in 9mm. It's very low recoil.
Unique meters horrible but not to bad. +-.1 grain. And it impossible to double charge a case and seat a bullet.

[Ewcmr2]

I haven't played with Unique much for 9mm. Mostly just using up the last bit of powder after loading 12g.

My notes say the following cycles my M9 reliably.

5.3g Unique
115g Berry plated
1.16" OAL
WSP primer

[stilly]

I do not get what the heck a crimp .378 extreme plated bullet is...

Do you have one of those fancy dillon dies that tells you how tight of a crimp you are putting on?

I see things like that from time to time and I never get why folks put in numbers for diameter crimp...