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Greetings to all
At the risk of a serious faux paux, can anyone suggest a load to fit the title parameters?
I have fired 250 rounds of a well known factory ammo and I am very impressed and happy with that ammo and I want to “roll my own”. I have BE, Titegroup, Unique and Red Dot powders.
I just need an “experienced” place to start.
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You can get to those speeds using the powders you have on hand(according to the data charts)but you will be using max charges, which I expect you knew.
A lot depends on the individual gun you are using.
I would suggest you chronograph the loads that are working so well and see what your pistol is doing with them and not just accept the numbers on the box. Those numbers are often wrong for a particular handgun.
When you find out what the real life numbers are, load to match by working up to it using the chrono to guide you.
With a 124 grain copper jacketed bullet in 9mm the Lee Manual says 4.1 gr Titegroup at 1150 fps. BUT, as noted above, that is the Max load-- so work up carefully.
First, the terms FMJ [Full Metal Jacket] and "Combat Load", don't really mix. I wouldn't recommend using a FMJ round in a self-defense situation unless that was your only choice.
There's nothing wrong with using FMJ for target work / practice.
Moving on to 124 gr FMJ and a target velocity of 1150 fps. I don't know what pistol you are using but with a barrel of at least 4", that velocity with that bullet weight is possible.
Unique will get you there but you'll be close to, or at max, with 5.8 grains of Unique. Watch your overall cartridge length, seating bullets too deep will get you in trouble fast.
I'm not sure you can obtain 1150 fps with that bullet and Bullseye without exceeding acceptable pressures. That's a very fast powder and not the best choice when you're looking for max velocities.
I can't speak to Titegroup at all.
Red Dot is probably not going to get you even close to 1150 with that bullet weight.
If you really want 1150 fps from a 124 grain jacketed bullet, I would recommend AA#7 or VihitaVuori 3n37.
NOW, let's talk velocity.
Why do you think you need to push a 124 grain FMJ bullet to 1150fps ?
You can get that velocity out a 115 gr bullet easily OR you can get 1000 - 1050 out of a 124 grain bullet. If all you are doing is ringing steel plates or punching holes in paper - you don't need to be pushing the envelope in terms of pressure.
The 9mm Luger cartridge does its best work with bullets in the 115 - 125 grain range, so you're in the right territory there.
Velocity isn't everything. A load that will reliably cycle the action, put the bullets in a small group and shoot to the point of aim - is far more useful than one that is simply going as fast as you can possibly safely push it.
I also concur with Tazman, I wouldn't accept the velocity listed on the box of the factory loaded ammunition you're shooting as the actual velocity you are getting out of your pistol with that load.
I agree with the suggested use of Accurate #7 for full power loads. That powder was developed specifically for 9mm.
In reality, any powder in that same speed range will work - even somewhat faster, maybe HS-6 or Accurate #5.
IMO, while achievable with faster powders (Unique and faster), I think you will have a more satisfactory load with the HS-6 and slightly slower speed range.
I like Alliant Herco for PB and Blue Dot for jacketed.
My Ruger SR9, 4.1" bbl, using 6.1 gr Alliant Power Pistol powder pushing a Lee 124-2R runs approx. 1050fps IIRC, & is very accurate for"me" & that handgun, out to 25 yds.
IIRC, the MAX for those rounds would be around 1150fps or so @ somewhere around 6.3 or so grains. < Don't recall right now...
I used those for carry rounds until I bought some "factory 150gr. HPs" for SD. I still carry an extra mag with those same rounds as above, as a backup, although it is highly unlikely I will ever need them. Only reason to have them, is if there was a mag issue with the first mag, and those factory 150gr. jacketed HP are doggone pricey....
So, in short, I trust that round, at that velocity, in that firearm, with my life & my family/friends lives.
I see no reason to go any faster. Accuracy & confidence in what those rounds can do, IMO, trump any more velocity.
Meaning that the extra 100fps means little to me, as the way it is right now. I reckon if someone gets smacked with a couple of them at 1050fps, they aren't likely to care about if it was 100 fps faster at 1150fps, if hit where I aimed, they will likely persuade any bad dude(s) that I am not worth messing with at the time & they made a bad choice of victims.
YMMV of course, as we all have different opinions, but to me, faster is not necessarily "better".
;)
G'Luck!
:)