Good powders for 9mm w/ 10" barrel

[jLorenzo]

Title says it. Used to buy my practice 9mm but 40c a round is killing me now. What powders should I keep my eye on for a do all 115/124gr practice round out of regular pistols and a 10" pistol? Cleaner burning would be nice but beggars cant be choosers.

 

[aviumvenator]

I’m still burning through some Clays but when it’s gone I plan to switch to VV 320 as it is supposed to be cleaner.

 

[jLorenzo]

I should also note I don't usually have a ton of choices, slim pickings are the norm. Eyeing Auto comp, Accurate #5, Silhouette and CFE pistol. Also possibly HP38 or HS6.

 

[Molon]

I should also note I don't usually have a ton of choices, slim pickings are the norm. Eyeing Auto comp, Accurate #5, Silhouette and CFE pistol. Also possibly HP38 or HS6.

Of the powders you've listed, Silhouette would be an excellent starting point. It's nearly identical to Winchester Action Pistol. I've used WAP with every bullet weight I shoot from 9mm handguns and 9mm AR-15s and have been substituting Silhouette grain for grain for my WAP loads. The 10-shot groups pictured below were fired from my 9mm AR-15s, all using WAP powder.

10-shot group of 115 grain HAP at 25 yards. Extreme spread = 0.62".

10-shot group of 121 grain HAP at 25 yards. Extreme spread = 0.499"

10-shot group of 125 grain HAP at 25. Extreme spread = 0.413"

10-shot group of 125 grain HAP at 50 yards. Extreme spread = 0.849".

....

 

[jLorenzo]

Of the powders you've listed, Silhouette would be an excellent starting point. It's nearly identical to Winchester Action Pistol. I've used WAP with every bullet weight I shoot from 9mm handguns and 9mm AR-15s and have been substituting Silhouette grain for grain for my WAP loads. The 10-shot groups pictured below were fired from my 9mm AR-15s, all using WAP powder.

10-shot group of 115 grain HAP at 25 yards. Extreme spread = 0.62".

10-shot group of 121 grain HAP at 25 yards. Extreme spread = 0.499"

10-shot group of 125 grain HAP at 25. Extreme spread = 0.413"

10-shot group of 125 grain HAP at 50 yards. Extreme spread = 0.849".

....

Thanks for the reply. Your posts like this are top notch. I will be trying some silhouette first then.

 

[jLorenzo]

Of the powders you've listed, Silhouette would be an excellent starting point. It's nearly identical to Winchester Action Pistol. I've used WAP with every bullet weight I shoot from 9mm handguns and 9mm AR-15s and have been substituting Silhouette grain for grain for my WAP loads. The 10-shot groups pictured below were fired from my 9mm AR-15s, all using WAP powder.

10-shot group of 115 grain HAP at 25 yards. Extreme spread = 0.62".

10-shot group of 121 grain HAP at 25 yards. Extreme spread = 0.499"

10-shot group of 125 grain HAP at 25. Extreme spread = 0.413"

10-shot group of 125 grain HAP at 50 yards. Extreme spread = 0.849".

....

Also could you speak to the Hornady HAP bullets? Looking at those also, trying to decide to go with those or just regular 115/124gr FMJ. This will be target/practice loads.

 

[Kadams1563]

VV N320 is the way

 

[n2ishun]

*If* you can find some Unique powder....grab it.
It's also nice because you use very little....like 4-6 grains per shell.

Alliant Powder - Reloader's Guide

www.alliantpowder.com

 

[Yondering]

I use a lot of Silhouette too but it's at it's best for full power or +P loads. If you're looking for mild target loads, AA5 is more economical, or a host of other faster burning powders.

 

[savagemann]

I really like BE86 for full power 9mm loads.
It's supposedly like Power Pistol, but with flash suppressant in it.
Gets good case fill.
Haven't tried it in long barrels yet.
But I use it to replicate 124gr gold dot loads.

 

[M4orturnate]

Imr target is great for blasting loads, titegroup, cfe pistol, aa#5.

 

[Molon]

Also could you speak to the Hornady HAP bullets? Looking at those also, trying to decide to go with those or just regular 115/124gr FMJ. This will be target/practice loads.

The 125 grain HAP is the most accurate 9mm bullet that I've tested in semi-automatic firearms. The 115 grain HAP is very close and tends to be more economical. The typical open base 115/124 grain FMJ bullets have never done as well from my guns. If you can find any, the Hornady 124 grain FMJ flat-point encapsulated bullet is also a good choice.

.....

 

[Hog Hunters]

I like titegroup, seems to shoot nicely out of 9mm singlestack, and glock34, great in my 6" .40cal gun also.

 

[jLorenzo]

Do

The 125 grain HAP is the most accurate 9mm bullet that I've tested in semi-automatic firearms. The 115 grain HAP is very close and tends to be more economical. The typical open base 115/124 grain FMJ bullets have never done as well from my guns. If you can find any, the Hornady 124 grain FMJ flat-point encapsulated bullet is also a good choice.

.....

What do you think about the 115 HAP vs. the 125 HAP for an AR pistol and secondary use in smaller handguns?

 

[semperfireloading]

If you want a combination of power and accuracy, I don't think you can do better than WAC, BE86 or Silhouette using a Hornady HAP bullet, or a Precision Delta 124 HP bullet, which is basically a XTP clone. Out of those, I would chose Silhouette because its less flashy and available easily. If you are going suppressed, I would not use any of these, and move toward N320.

 

[supercorndogs]

I have a seemingly endless 8lb jug of 700x that has loaded thousands of 40S&W and now 2k 9mm. Best budget for a progressive if you don't have one. Single stage handgun ammo loading sucks balls.

 

[MadDuner]

I use TiteGroup for all my 9mm fun.
It works great for all my 115gr and 124gr handgun loads - as well as my 147gr subsonic loads that I want running at 1025fps.

I need to work up a load for 165gr subsonic rounds that I want to push to 1025fps also, but the TiteGroup is too fast. I cannot get anywhere close to that speed without it being over pressured.

Does anybody have any powder experience or suggestions while we are talking about 9mm loads?

 

[greentick]

The RMR in-house 9mm stuff is nice. Jacketed, not plated. Not sure how it compares price-wise.

I have a titegroup pistol load with 115s that is super mild and accurate, but don't know how well it'd play with a 10" bbl.

I also have a "never ending jug" but of Longshot that I got for overloaded 10mike-mike but have used for 9 and 40 too.

 

[jLorenzo]

Well I have some CFE pistol on the way. This will be my first time reloading pistol rounds (fairly experienced with rifle). I still remember the days of 8$ boxes of Federal 9mm at Wal Mart.