9mm plinkin' load

[sundog]

Lee TL 124 loobed with 45/45/10.

Powder is either AA#2 or AA#5.

These are the parameters - no others. What would you load?

Remember, this is a plinkin' load.

[Joe_Atlanta]

How low you can go depends on the recoil spring in your gun. With the Lee TL 124 T in my STI Ranger II 9mm with a factory spec spring I've been able to drop published starting loads as much as 30% and still get reliable function. Your mileage may vary.

[Cherokee]

Don't know about 124 Lee but 4.8 gr AA5 behind 144 TC bullet gave me 900 fps in a 6" long slide and functioned fine. Load a few at the suggested starting level and see how that goes; then work the load down if you want to.

[tazman]

I would go with the starting loads recommended by the powder manufacturer.
3.2 grains of AA2
4.7grains of AA5
Either should give you around 900fps.

[runfiverun]

the 3.2 grs of #2 is bout the same as 3.2grs of red dot I use.
remember all those 'my 9mm is leading my barrel like crazy' threads we had a year or two ago?
they were 99% using the lee t/l boolit.
keep the diameter up in the 358 area.

[bedbugbilly]

What does the powder mfg. give for loading data? Like any reloading . . wouldn't you start low on the charges and work from there to see what makes your pistol cycle the best? Every pistol is going to be different . . .

[sundog]

10-4 Bedbug, but I was just casting a line to see if there were any strong preferences out there. I've run a bunch of different powders and boolits up and down the scales for a long time, and just about all of it works in some form. Right now what I have to load and shoot is what I mentioned above. btw, I'm not an especially big fan of TL boolits, just playing around this past winter with "dippin' ala Ranchdog".

r5r. thanks for the reminder on the leading issue. We'll see what happens with this batch.

Longpoint, I've already shot a few with 5.5/AA#5 in a couple different handguns and they all went bang. Since some of the girls may be shooting some of them this summer, I don't want anything wild.

[tazman]

What does the powder mfg. give for loading data? Like any reloading . . wouldn't you start low on the charges and work from there to see what makes your pistol cycle the best? Every pistol is going to be different . . .

The loads I listed are the starting loads suggested by the powder manufacturer.

[MT Gianni]

I like 4 gr AA2 but absolutely hate that bullet in tl form.

[Bullwolf]

According to my notes in the 1990's, I loaded Accurate Arms #2 in 9mm.

My 9mm load was 3.9 grains of AA #2. I used the Lee 124 TL boolit in 9mm.

My load is still written down on a 1993 copyright date Accurate Smokeless Powders - "Complimentary Edition" counter top reloading pamphlet.

The AA powder guide shows 9mm MAXIMUM charges only for AA#2.
Reduce listed load by 10% for a START charge.

Lead
115 (L) 4.9 grains AA#2 = 1080 FPS
125 (L) 4.5 grains AA#2 = 1075 FPS

Jacketed
115 - 5.1 grains AA#2 = 1098 FPS
124 - 4.9 grains AA#2 = 1113 FPS

Gun: AT84
Barrel Length: 4.72
Primer: Win Small Pistol
Case: Federal

It also included data for 40S&W which was really scarce back then. 41 Action Express data was supposedly interchangeable with the 40S&W the cartridge, and you had fewer bullet weight options. (pretty much 180 grain only)

I never really warmed up to AA#2. It smelled weird to me. It wasn't quite like Bullseye or Unique & Alox. I know it's an odd thing to condemn a powder for, but there you go.

Don't think I ever loaded AA#2 again, as I still have the remainder of that lb.



- Bullwolf

[tazman]

Bullwolf------The maximum loads are now listed significantly lower than what you posted for 1993 although the velocities are similar.
Check out the link to their website data page.
http://www.accuratepowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/WP_LoadSpec_1-23-14.pdf

[kryogen]

the 124TL is too small and leads the hell out of my barrel.
356 molds seem useless with my 9mm pistols, I am expecting a 358 mold soon to be able to size either 357 or 358 reliably then test. 356 is fail.

[tazman]

the 124TL is too small and leads the hell out of my barrel.
356 molds seem useless with my 9mm pistols, I am expecting a 358 mold soon to be able to size either 357 or 358 reliably then test. 356 is fail.

I have the same issue. I size to .358 and have no leading problems now.

[bangerjim]

Start at 10% over min listed and play around from there. Powder coat to elimiate any chances of leading. You can up-size a 356 cast to 358 with PC. I do it all the time for my 38's and NO problems.

A lot depends on your gun!!!!!!

Works for me.

banger-j

[Bullwolf]

Bullwolf------The maximum loads are now listed significantly lower than what you posted for 1993 although the velocities are similar.
Check out the link to their website data page.
http://www.accuratepowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/WP_LoadSpec_1-23-14.pdf

Thanks for bringing that up tazman.

I had heard the load data varied a bit with AA powders over the years. Not to bash Accurate Arms powders or anything, but this was another reason why I never really became fond of using Accurate Arms powders.

The AA #2 I have is over 20 years old now. I have only worked with a more modern lot of AA #9 since, and I used current data with the modern powder. There hasn't been a whole lot of Accurate Arms powder in my cabinet. (or locally available)

It's much smarter to use current manufacturer data, with modern purchased powders. I should have mentioned this, or made some kind of disclaimer. Glad you brought it up.

As always, stay safe folks!


- Bullwolf

[rsrocket1]

For those who require .358" 9mm boolits, what gun are you shooting them in?
I have a feeling it is a European gun. Most of them seem to have wider groove diameters than American guns. The 9mm Smith and Wesson barrels I have for the M&P full size and Shield won't chamber (pass the plunk test) anything over 0.356" if any of the boolit is above the case rim. That means if you cast 0.358" boolits, you have to seat it fully under the rim which then tends to bulge the case and causes another problem if the chamber is tight and the loaded round again fails the plunk test. If I size my boolits to 0.356", I can seat them as long as the magazine will accept them and get no leading so long as I PC them.

[tazman]

I load for a Taurus PT92. I have swapped the barrel out for a Beretta 92 barrel. It slugs at .357.
It has a very loose chamber. I can drop casings loaded with .360 boolits into the barrel with no feeding issues although they don't shoot as accurately as boolits sized .358.
I normally load my boolits with about .050 of the shoulder in front of the case mouth.
I have run nearly 10,000 rounds of reloads through my gun with the only failures being brand new, factory loaded shells(go figure) and a few semi wadcutters. This one loves the NOE 358-135-FN. I get my best groups with that boolit.

[Brett Ross]

I had trouble with this boolit leading until I started using the 38SW exp plug and PC'ing the boolit to get it out to .357. I use 3.4 gr of red dot. It shoots better than I do out of my P1 Walther.
Tony