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Shot my first reloads today. Question about working up a load.
5/17/2012 1:31:15 AM
I'm loading 9mm on a Dillon 550B to start. I'm using 124 gn Montana Gold FMJ bullets and I started with 5.3 grains of True Blue powder. I was happy to find that my Glock17 functioned perfectly with this load. My crimps are good apparently. I checked the completed rounds with a case gauge.
I tried shooting some groups at 25 yards off sand bags, but I didn't get much good data from doing that. I only had 20 rounds made up. Also, I've never tried shooting groups that way, so I'm not sure what kind of groups I should be shooting. Where do I go from here? Should I start upping the powder charge?
Ultimately, I want this load to make minor power factor for shooting in USPSA matches, so I'll want to chronograph the rounds eventually, but buying a chronograph will have to wait until the bank account recovers a little.
I tried shooting some groups at 25 yards off sand bags, but I didn't get much good data from doing that. I only had 20 rounds made up. Also, I've never tried shooting groups that way, so I'm not sure what kind of groups I should be shooting. Where do I go from here? Should I start upping the powder charge?
Ultimately, I want this load to make minor power factor for shooting in USPSA matches, so I'll want to chronograph the rounds eventually, but buying a chronograph will have to wait until the bank account recovers a little.
5/17/2012 8:44:02 AM
Im fairly new to the reloading scene, only been doing it a year now. I try several (5-10) bullets of different powder, go to the range and shoot them and picking the best grouping for my final product. I use a gun rest to rest the barrel of the pistol on for accuracy. Hope this helps!
5/17/2012 9:20:44 AM
You can get a chrony
cheap on ebay .
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Shooting-Chrony-Chronograph-F1-Bullet-Speed-Velocity-/320907548213?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ab7949635#ht_720wt_1396
Check your primers on your fired rounds. If they are flattening out , look at a live round and see the edge is still rounded in the primer pocket, if they are squished flat so that you can't see that edge, this is the beginning of pressure problems.
5/17/2012 12:10:17 PM
ECAS... a suggeston on 9mm handloads.... try shooting for accuracy at 35yards if you have the range (you may not see the difference at 25yds)....compare your 124s to some 147 grainers....the longer bearing surface on the 147 grain bullets will typically show improved accuracy, and before you spend a lot of time developing a load, you might want to switch bullet weight...I shoot a 147 Delta Precision over Winchester Super Field at about 1000fps...out of a G34 with Briley barrel
5/17/2012 10:54:05 PM
Thanks for the replies.
I've heard that the 147 gr bullets were more accurate. I'll probably switch to them after I use up the 124's that I have.
I'm not getting flattened primers with the load I'm at now. I guess I'll load up some more rounds and do some more testing for accuracy.
I've heard that the 147 gr bullets were more accurate. I'll probably switch to them after I use up the 124's that I have.
I'm not getting flattened primers with the load I'm at now. I guess I'll load up some more rounds and do some more testing for accuracy.
5/18/2012 11:57:06 PM
Your load is below the max listed in Lyman 49. So you have a little room to work up.
True Blue is my favorite powder in 9mm.
Try shooting from a rest and at a closer range when you shoot groups.
At 15 yds you should have bullet holes touching, if not, move on and try another load.
I have found True Blue to give very accurate loads with the 115 gr HP's and FMJ's that I shoot the most.
5/19/2012 9:34:08 AM
Indoor range I use has distances marked in fives. I start at the five and work my way out.
Why ?
POA to POI changes with load. At five yards corrections are easier made. Another issue often overlooked. The shooter. I find differentiating shooter from gun/load issue impossible past 15 yards with handguns.
Why ?
POA to POI changes with load. At five yards corrections are easier made. Another issue often overlooked. The shooter. I find differentiating shooter from gun/load issue impossible past 15 yards with handguns.
