Powder is too fast? What??

[GeoffLinder]

Agreed that AA7 and HS6 are good choices. 231 will most likely cycle the gun providing that it is a fairly stout load, something near the max charge level will probably be what is needed.

If factory 9mm loads cycle the carbine, then 231 will too in the right amount. You would just need to work it up to what cycles reliably and add a touch past that for margin. Just watch for pressure sign as you work it up.

Basically, factory 9mm is loaded using medium to fast powders and if it cycles the gun, then you will have no problem with any standard powder in the right charge amount.

You should do the factory ammo testing and then try some 231 before you start buying new stuff.

[JackRydden224]

Agreed that AA7 and HS6 are good choices. 231 will most likely cycle the gun providing that it is a fairly stout load, something near the max charge level will probably be what is needed.

If factory 9mm loads cycle the carbine, then 231 will too in the right amount. You would just need to work it up to what cycles reliably and add a touch past that for margin. Just watch for pressure sign as you work it up.

Basically, factory 9mm is loaded using medium to fast powders and if it cycles the gun, then you will have no problem with any standard powder in the right charge amount.

You should do the factory ammo testing and then try some 231 before you start buying new stuff.

Yea I'll definitely be testing out different stuff before committing on large quantity of powder. I load my rounds hot, usually at 0.1 - 0.2 grains below the max load.

[UnknownShooter]

Yea I'll definitely be testing out different stuff before committing on large quantity of powder. I load my rounds hot, usually at 0.1 - 0.2 grains below the max load.

Id vote for trying wsf if you're used to 231- it meters well & shoots nice in 9mm. It might be worth haunting montana gold's website or placing a backorder @ precision delta if you're going to shoot 9mm with a slower powder out of a carbine - at a minimum, id start with plated rounds & go for jacketed if you can get them, because you're going to be right at the ragged edge of velocity for lead or plated rounds.

Theres a thread at the hi point forums where a member there was chronographing his carbine with slower powders & he was getting pretty close to 1500 fps out of a 16" barrel.

Fwiw, with a 124gr plated bullet & 4.3 grains of 231, my little bro's hi point carbine cycles fine & sounds like it has a can. We're working up some loads for jacketed rounds now, cause we were finally able to get projos @ montana gold.

[ChrisToad]

It would be fun to see what kind of velocity you could get out of some slower powders in a longer barrel but isn't necessary for function IME.

Agree! I can see here where a chronograph would be the perfect tool to investigate this. Question for sake of questions:

If for example, W231 burns too fast... would the result be a decrease in muzzle velocity when compared to fired from a handgun? In my mind, once the propellant burns out... having to travel down the remaining distance of the barrel would result in a slower velocity than when shot through a handgun. Does that seem like a sound deduction?

Inversely, would a slower burning powder that burns throughout the bullets entire path down the barrel result in HIGHER velocity when compared to the handgun? You did infer this

[JagerDog]

I've never seen a 16" barrel that won't shoot normal 9mm rounds. If someone is designing a 16" barreled rifle for 9mm then they better make sure it functions with normal 9mm ammo. Everyone can't be expected to custom load their ammo.

Of course you can custom tailor a round using a slower powder for a longer barrel but it shouldn't be required to get the rifle to function.

I've shot 9mm with much faster powder than 231 through my 16" carbine and have never had a problem.

It would be fun to see what kind of velocity you could get out of some slower powders in a longer barrel but isn't necessary for function IME.

^^^^^^this.

Slower powders will maximize velocities with longer barrels. Any proper pistol caliber carbine will function with standard ammo.

[frt96]

Hi guys,
I have a 16" 9mm carbine and while it works ok with factory ammo, It really comes alive with HS-6 and AA#7. The grouping @ 50yards really tightened up. I don't have the load data in front of me but I remeber that I loaded them pretty hot. I did not have good results with unique... It was still better than factory but not as good as the slower powders. I have not tried the 147grain yet but had very good luck with the 115 xtreme plated and the 115 and124 hornady XTP. I will post back with my load data when I find it.