9mm: 125 grain vs 135 grain

[wacki]

I know 147 is subsonic but what are the pros and cons of 125 & 135 grain 9mm bullets?

Thanks for the help, group buy going on right now and I don't know what option to pick.

[FergusonTO35]

Unless your pistol has sights with adjustable elevation I would go with the 125. Every 9mm I have ever owned was pretty much dead on with 120-125 grain slugs. Not to say 135 wouldn't work but it might be a bit off.

[tazman]

I'll be better able to answer that question later this week after my NOE 135 gets here

[runfiverun]

well I forgot to weigh my HM-2 9m boolits I just seated them like I do every other pistols boolits and shot them.
I bumped the load a click or two and shot them some more.
then I made a bunch of them and filled an ammo can and I keep on shooting them.
they might weigh 120 or 135 grs I dunno, all I know is stuff is easy to hit with them at 25 yds.

[Boolseye]

you'll love your NOE. Best shooting 9mm boolit I own...shot this group not long after I got the mold, 128 gr. HPs with 3.5 gr. BE, 50 feet.

[Screwbolts]

I also Have the NOE 358-135RF RG 4 cav mold. with my alloy it drops 130 HP or 135 w/ FP pins in. all 3 of my 9mms shot to sights with either boolit. 3.5 gr of BE also. Big is better!

Laus Deo,

Ken

[Shiloh]

What diameter do your boolits drop at??

Shiloh

[runfiverun]

358+ or I won't bother to make more than 20 of them and will get rid of the mold.

[Boolseye]

They drop around .3585 from my NOE 358-135.

[TMenezes]

My Ruger P89 shoots 115 significantly low, and 124 a little low. So 135 might be about perfect. Always meant to try 147 and see what the POI was but I rarely shoot 9mm as I much prefer my S&W 45 Colt...

[tazman]

I was working with boolits from my NOE 358 135rf today at the range. I got the best accuracy of any boolit I have put through this 9mm to date. My 120tc shoots well but this one shoots significantly better.
I get roughly 2 inch groups from the 120tc and about 1.5 inch groups with the 135rf.
For some reason there is much lower felt recoil with this boolit.
It also shot to point of aim, only slightly higher than the 120tc. Maybe 1/2 inch difference in height at 10 yards.

[Keith429421]

I was working with boolits from my NOE 358 135rf today at the range. I got the best accuracy of any boolit I have put through this 9mm to date. My 120tc shoots well but this one shoots significantly better.
I get roughly 2 inch groups from the 120tc and about 1.5 inch groups with the 135rf.
For some reason there is much lower felt recoil with this boolit.
It also shot to point of aim, only slightly higher than the 120tc. Maybe 1/2 inch difference in height at 10 yards.

What was your load data on these sir?
Thanks!

[tazman]

What was your load data on these sir?
Thanks!

Good heavens man, don't sir me, I'm not used to it.
I was using Winchester Super Handicap. I loaded to a COAL of 1.068. Taper crimped after seating in a separate operation( I get flawless feeding this way).
There is less than .250 of the boolit inside the case so you have a larger capacity for powder and hence less pressure than with some boolits.
Sized to .357(my barrel measures .3553 grove diameter).
Lubed with either tac1 or LLA. Doesn't matter to my pistol which lube I use.
Used Winchester small pistol primers(have since used CCI small pistol since with same result).
I tested loads from 3.8 grains to 4.5 grains with the best accuracy coming at 4.2 grains in my pistol.
The heavier charges started to open up the groups.
In the last 2 weeks I have fired about 400 of this load through my pistol with consistently great results.
Please understand that these loads are tested for my pistol only. Used at your own risk.
I am beginning to work on loads with this boolit powder coated. It is showing some promise but I don't have all the bugs worked out yet.

[Keith429421]

Thank you for the info!

I've never used Winchester Super Handicap!

I just received my mold in the mail the other day and am in the process of working up a load for my Glock 19 and Lone Wolf barrel.

The sir just comes natural for me. Haha!

I'll post my results when I get them loaded and shot.

Thanks again!

[tazman]

WSH falls between Bullseye and Win231 on the burn rate chart.
I purchased a bottle of it when I could find nothing else suitable.
I am now using it in both 9mm and 38/357 although I haven't loaded any hot 357 loads yet.
I works exceedingly well for me in target 38 special and with 158 grain 38 special loads.
It has become my go to powder for the 9mm.
Not dirty at all except for the light 38 special loads. Even then just a few flakes left in the barrel. The 9mm and heavier 38 loads burn clean.

[Keith429421]

I'll have to look for WSH. Sounds like a good match the 9mm!

[tazman]

To answer the OP's question.
I have good accuracy and function with all the boolits I shoot in my 9mm or I don't continue to use them.
The 95 rf functions well, groups average, and shoots 1.5 inches low at 10 yards.
The 105 swc groups average and shoots 1 inch low at 10 yards.
The 120 tc from Lee is an excellent choice and shoots dead on for me.
The 125 rn also works well and shoots to the same point of aim.
The 135 fn is superb. Great function and tight groups also to point of aim.
I also have a discontinued Lee 356-153 rn mold that is a bit of an oddball for weight in a 9mm. I just tried it out yesterday and the group size matched the 135 gr grouping. It did however, shoot about about 1.5 inches high at 10 yards. Function was perfect.

[kenn]

A couple of you have posted 3.5ish grains of Bullseye with the 135 NOE FN boolit. I've been pouring over data and I figured a good, safe starting point would be about 3.0 to 3.2. I've only got 21 to load after tearing up a few making dummies. I'm thinking maybe 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3. Or perhaps 3.2 and 3.4. Suggestions?

I'm going to order my new mold tonight but I'd like to use the gift of samples from Tazman to work up a charge...

OAL will be about 1.065 or so when complete.

Thanks!

[tazman]

My Lyman manual lists 3.5 grains as a safe max for a 147 grain boolit. Anything there or slightly less should be quite safe with the 135fn for a starting load. Especially since the 135 has significantly less lead inside the case and a longer OAL than the 147(356637)

[kenn]

My Lyman manual lists 3.5 grains as a safe max for a 147 grain boolit. Anything there or slightly less should be quite safe with the 135fn for a starting load. Especially since the 135 has significantly less lead inside the case and a longer OAL than the 147(356637)

Thanks, Taz. I think I'm going to try 3.3, 3.4, and 3.5. I'll have a mold in a week or so and cast more but I'm trying to get a head start. :razz:

[srd]

tazman...what weight boolits are you getting from that Lee 356-153 rn mold. I have 2 9 mm's that prefer the heavy weights. 147 grain and up with Solo 1000. Thank you

[tazman]

tazman...what weight boolits are you getting from that Lee 356-153 rn mold. I have 2 9 mm's that prefer the heavy weights. 147 grain and up with Solo 1000. Thank you

I am getting boolits that weigh 155gr using indoor range scrap. I can seat this boolit with an oal of 1.155 and it feeds well. I have been using AA7 and herco with it and having good luck.
The only problem I know of is the mold has been discontinued. I picked it up off eBay just to try and found it worked well.
I would like to find another one just like it.

[srd]

tazman ....thank you for the information. I have been trying to find it also. To bad Lee won't make a run of those molds again.