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Posted: 3/18/2011 6:06:04 AM EDT
| I'm looking at picking up a kel-tec carbine and would like to make the most of it. Does anybody have any pet loads for a 16" 9mm? I'd like to try something with a slower burning powder that would take full advantage of the long barrel. I'm a reloading novice so I haven't tried to develop my own loads before. I don't have a chronograph so I need a good place to start. I want to use 147gr bullets. From digging around it looks like a lot of people have used Blue Dot but, the data is pretty weak. |
| I am also interested in this. I have PCCs in 9mm and .40, and just started reloading. I read a post somewhere a long time ago about this topic (I seem to recall the guy using blue dot in 9mm and getting .357mag performance) , but I can't find it now that it would actually be useful. |
| I shoot 124 grain bullets in mine. From what I've read and in my tests you only get about 175-250 fps more velocity in the 16" barrel compared to a standard 4" pistol no matter what powder speed you use. You may gain a few fps more with slower recommended powders for 9MM but I find it convenient to use the same loads in my pistol and carbine. |
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I think Blue Dot is a good suggestion.
I don't have a PCC but I want one, and have researched this very topic out of interest before. It seems if you try to use a powder out of the 9mm burn range (like W296 or 2400) you just can't fit enough of it in the case to make it work. However, with the slower powders that DO with with 9mm (like Blue Dot), it's apparent that you can get some good results. I have loaded some 115gr. JHPs with 6.8 grains of Blue Dot and it was apparent they were pretty hot. They also happened to make a big fireball - lots of unburnt powder. That load was no where near max (over 8 grains) and would have done much better in a carbine. I would look at Blue Dot and AA #9. ETA: It also seems that there are better gains, percentage wise, with lighter bullets rather than heavy ones. You may stick with 115gr. instead of 147gr. Possibly just because there is more room for these slow burning powders. Here's a guy loading 115s to 1700 FPS...albiet with large ES...Blue Dot. NOT over manual's max load. |
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Quoted: I'm looking at picking up a kel-tec carbine and would like to make the most of it. Does anybody have any pet loads for a 16" 9mm? I'd like to try something with a slower burning powder that would take full advantage of the long barrel. I'm a reloading novice so I haven't tried to develop my own loads before. I don't have a chronograph so I need a good place to start. I want to use 147gr bullets. From digging around it looks like a lot of people have used Blue Dot but, the data is pretty weak. with a carbine you might try experimenting with some +P rounds. Just stick with jacketed bullets and follow the reloading data and work up loads |
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Lyman's latest 49th Reloading Manual has data for rifle and pistol 9MM loads. They use a Ruger Carbine with a 16 1/4" barrel and a 4" universal receiver for pistol.
Just to compare slower powders versus normal speed powders: with 147 gr. Speer TMJ bullets Carbine––––-Blue Dot––––Start 5.9––––1071fps––––––––-maximum––––6.6––––-1132fps Pistol––––––––Blue Dot––––Start 5.3––––864fps––––––––––-max––––––––-6.6––––-1052fps ______________________________________________________________________ Carbine––––––Titegroup––start-3.2––-919fps––––––––––––max––––––––3.6––––––1028fps Pistol––––––––-Titegroup––start-3.2––-914fps––––––––––––maximum––3.6––––––983fps __________________________________________________________________ Carbine––––––-Unique––-start––4.0––––914fps––––––––––––max––––––-4.5––––––––1050fps Pistol––––––––––Unique––-start––3.7––––873––––––––––––––––max––––––-4.5––––––––1039fps ________________________________________________________________ Carbine––––Power Pistol––-start––4.5––1048fps––––––––––max––––––5.0––––––-1121fps Pistol––––––-Power Pistol––-start––4.5––-960fps––––––––––max––––––5.0––––––––1043fps ________________________________________________________________- Carbine––––AA#7––––––––––start––-6.4––1000fps––––-maximum––––-7.2––––––-1119fps Pistol––––––-AA#7––––––––––start––6.0––852fps––––––––––––max––––––7.2––––––-1014fps ______________ I think this will show what you can expect between Carbine and Pistol with 147 grain bullets. Titegroup being the fastest powder tested, Unique a medium, and AA#7 and Blue Dot being slow powders recommended for 9MM Luger. You'll get a little more velocity spread with lighter bullets. All the above with Speer TMJ 147 grain bullets, CCI 500 primers in Federal cases and overall length at 1.115". From Lyman's 49th. Use at your own risk. I've read that Accurate Arms Manual #2 also has data for 9mm rifle and pistol?? Both good manuals and highly recommended to compare data and for safety. |
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This is my favorite all around plinking load. Note that I'm using a 125 grain cast lead bullet not a jacketed 147.
Still peppy velocity and cycles everything with a low ES. Caliber: 9mm Gun: Coharie MP5 clone, 8.89" barrel Load: Ballisticast 125 LRN with 6.0 VV 3N37 powder & SP primer FPS: 1298, 1293, 1290, 1297, 1300 |
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Accurate #7 mirrors Blue Dot for charge weights, but fits inside the case better than Blue Dot, thus you can seat a bullet..
1338 from 10 1/4 Uzi pipe with RCBS 124gr RNL with gas check at 8 or 8 1/2gr..... been a long time ago.. Still sitting on some 7+ lb of #7 here. |
When a owned a 9mm Carbine I worked up some "kinda hot" loads for it and then ditched the idea cause I was afraid somehow they would get mixed up and ruin one of my pistols or me
I found my load of AA#2 with a 115 grain bullet would get approxiametely 125 fps per second over my pistols when fired in a carbine. Good Luck and Be Safe! |
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