16" barrel 9mm loads

[Cheezle56]

I'm building a 16" 9mm carbine as I was wondering if anyone has any advice on working up a load to make the most of the 16" barrel? I've worked up a pretty good load for my pistols using 124 grain and WSF, but I was wondering if anyone has tailor made carbine only loads? I was thinking of looking the burn rate chart and using a fast rifle/slow pistol powder. I understand WSF is already on the slow end for 9mm, but I was wondering if anybody can point me towards any resources? I figure a 124gr HP loaded to as long as the magazine can allow while working up the powder and keeping an eye for signs of excess pressure would be a good way to proceed? I remember hearing something like 1500-1600 FPS is the max possible with a 9mm out of a 16" barrel? I remember an old article where they took a 16" barrel and incrementally chopped it inch by inch and with factory loads, the velocity maxed out around 10-12" I'm still debating chopping the barrel and using an extended muzzle device versus keeping it at 16". Also, I'm looking to keep it with 124gr FMJ and HP projectiles if possible.

[ptmn]

Blue Dot and Longshot are about the slowest burning powders that can be used in the 9mm. They should be able to utilize the most of your long barrel, but I can't verify that. You would need to do some testing with a chronograph to verify. I can do it one of these days when I have some time off.

I have not used Longshot for 9mm, but there is plenty of data. I have used Blue Dot and I have a couple loads that are safe in my guns, but I can't guarantee safety in you guns. You would need to start at minimum and work up. I use them in my Olympic Arms 9mm AR conversion and my Sig P228.

Berrys 115gr Plated round nose, 7.2 gr Blue Dot, Win or CCI Small Pistol Primer, seated to 1.135"

Berrys 124gr Plated round nose, 6.6gr Blue Dot, Win or CCI Small Pistol Primer, seated to 1.135"

Berrys 124gr Plated round nose, 6.8gr Blue Dot, Win or CCI Small Pistol Primer, seated to 1.135"

There is a lot of conflicting data on Blue Dot Min/Max. I went with the most conservative data to develop my loads. If you go with Alliant/Hercules Data, it is much higher than the Lyman Data that I used.

Good luck and make sure you post your results so the rest of us can check out your load data.

[Mot Mi]

For my blue dot loads I use 124 xtreme rn bullets with 7.5 gr of blue dot seated to 1.3

[J-cat]

Stay away from shotgun powders. They don't do well in a rifle barrel. Go with powders developed for the 9mm NATO SMG rounds: Ramshot Silhouette, Alliant Power Pistol, Accurate No.7, etc.

[ThatFishGuy]

Ive used Longshot and Power pistol in my 16" carbine. The longshot burns cleaner for me, but ymmv

[rg1]

Expect only about 250 fps more velocity out of your 16" barrel even with slower for 9MM powders or medium speed 9MM powders. Those getting 1500-1600 fps are using light 88-90 grain bullets and pushing them hard. It's much easier just to use your regular pistol loads and not having to separate ammo. My loads using Unique powder with jacketed 124 grain bullets gets around 1250 fps in a 16" barrel versus 1050 in a 4.1" barreled pistol. It's possible to reach 1300 fps with 124 grain bullets. Try your already loaded 9MM loads. The accuracy improvement with the longer barrel and carbine stock will surprise you.
http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/9luger.html Note the "124 gr. Short Barrel " loads and how well the velocity holds up compared to standard loads.

[J-cat]

You can easily get 1500 FPS with 124's in a 16" barrel. Easily. With book loads. But you have to use the right powder.

[joelogic]

I hate to inventory severals loads for a particular caliber, especially 9mm.

I use 3.8gr of 700x and get 1200fps out of a 16". Runs and shoots great.

[Cheezle56]

separate inventory is a small matter for me since I have somewhat large stockpiles of match and plinking .308, +P+HD and plinking 9mm. To me, it's more about proper labeling, and marking the cartridges than anything, and marking "SMG" loads with a sharpie on the bullet tip is no big deal in my opinion. I'm also wondering theoretically, how hot can a 9mm be loaded to? I've heard stories about the L7A1 round, and something like that would be equivalent to .357 velocities from a 9mm and a 16" barrel...

[sargenv]

I think hot rodding the 9 with slow burning pistol powder will do what you want.. Blue Dot, Accurate #7, Herco, HS6, and any of the powders that people use for 9 major would likely get you what you are looking for velocity wise. I think if I were doing something for a carbine, I'd look to the competition forum and ask some of the 9 major guys what they are using.. especially since they are making 1300 fps+ with a 5" ported barrel.. put that into a 16" barrel and they should easily make 1600 fps.. They are generally using Small rifle primers to support the higher pressures of the 9 major and they usually do not load the case more than a few times..

[UnknownShooter]

Just farting around with various powders & bullet weights, I've actually found wsf with 124gr montana golds to be the most accurate out of my 9mm hi point.. and accuracy seemed to fall off as I went up the scale.. blue dot seemed to shoot fire out the barrel & sounded kinda mean anywhere in the safe range. Aa #5 & unique both produced nice tight groups, but i only had a pound of each to work with & several pounds of wsf, so wsf has become my go-to 9mm powder, even if the most accurate load with wsf is a bunny-fart. There are so many possible combinations, I think you just have to make a few of each & figure out what works in your gun.

[frt96]

I think hot rodding the 9 with slow burning pistol powder will do what you want.. Blue Dot, Accurate #7, Herco, HS6, and any of the powders that people use for 9 major would likely get you what you are looking for velocity wise. I think if I were doing something for a carbine, I'd look to the competition forum and ask some of the 9 major guys what they are using.. especially since they are making 1300 fps+ with a 5" ported barrel.. put that into a 16" barrel and they should easily make 1600 fps.. They are generally using Small rifle primers to support the higher pressures of the 9 major and they usually do not load the case more than a few times..

This is how I went about it with my JR carbine. I use HS-6 with xtreme 115's and 124's. Very accurate. AA#7 is ok too but my best luck was HS-06.