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View Full Version : Lee 124 grain tl TC and winchester 231 in 9mm?



exile
11-02-2014, 07:54 PM
Hello. I was wondering if anyone shoots the Lee 124 grain tl TC boolit with Winchester 231? There is data for the Hornady 124 grain XTP using Unique, but not for Win. 231. (I use this data as a guideline since seating depth is the same for the Hornady bullet as for the Lee boolit, at least in my pistols.)

I could use the Lee RN boolit with Win. 231, plenty of data there, but I like the TC boolit better.

I loaded up the Hornady 115 grain XTP with Win. 231 and found that the recoil and report was much less than with Unique, but when I increased the powder charge I got malfunctions (failure to eject.) I have no plans to shoot a lot of the XTP bullet, but would like to shoot the Lee TC boolit a lot.

In checking a couple of manuals, I find lots of data for Win. 231 and the 115 grain XTP, but none for the 124 grain bullet, so maybe this combination is just not a good idea? Seems strange though.

As an afterthought, does anyone shoot the Smith and Wesson M & P CORE model in 9mm? I have the Shield, but was thinking about getting the larger gun since it can be used with a red-dot type optic. From watching some You-tube videos by Jerry Miculek, it appears that they are going to change the rifling twist on M & P's to better shoot the 147 grain bullets? Since all I shoot are 115 and 124 grain boolits, I was wondering if this would cause me problems?

The closest I can seem to get with published data is the Lyman Cast boolit manual, listing the Lyman 358093 boolit with a range of 3.2 - 4.2 grains of Winchester 231 (125 grain boolit) and a seating depth of 1.115. I seat the Lee TC boolit to 1.075, but again, this is as close as I seem to get to what I want.

Anyway, thanks in advance for your thoughts and consideration.

Exile

tazman
11-02-2014, 09:38 PM
The Hodgdon data site lists a load for 231 with a 125 lead conical nose at 4.4 grains max with a 3.9 grain starting load.
Velocities run from 1009 to 1086 fps. The OAL listed is 1.125 which is a bit longer than yours.
I would back down t0 4.2 grains and try that as my max. Remember, you can use data for a heavier boolit with a lighter one safely unless there is some really strange circumstance going on.
The 1 grain difference between 124 and 125 grain boolits is less than what you get during a casting run.

Glad you were able to get some 231. It is a good powder but has been unavailable here for over a year.

exile
11-02-2014, 10:15 PM
Thanks, I will check that out. I felt very fortunate to find some 231 when I did. Have a good day.

Exile

tomme boy
11-03-2014, 09:18 AM
What do you mean the Alliant plant is not in operation??

tazman
11-03-2014, 02:29 PM
Alliant is having the same troubles supplying demand that all the other powder manufacturers are, but not because of a fire, I think. Bass Pro received a major shipment of Alliant powders about 2 weeks ago. Lots of pistol powder including Unique, 2400, and Bullseye. Many of the people here on the site took advantage of it, myself included. Bass Pro still had some of the pistol powder almost a week later.
If there was a problem, they seem to have worked it out.