9MM Herco Load Data

[Prowlerp]

I have acquired 1 pound of Herco smokeless heavy shotshell and handgun powder for the wonderful price of "FREE". Now my problem is, I can't find loading data for 9mm 120 grain RN lead bullets using this powder. Can anyone help me out?

[pworley1]

I hope someone can help you, but I have never used Herco for anything except magnum level loads in larger calibers.

[tazman]

I have a manual from Alliant in 2001 that has Herco loads for 9mm.
It lists 6.2 grains as max for a 125grain lead boolit. Velocity is listed as 1165fps with a pressure of 28.5K psi OAL of 1.15 from a 4 inch barrel.
The manual as well as others is available for download from castpics.
The Lyman 44th handbook lists a start load of 4.6 grains with a max of 6.2 grains with about the same velocity.

[Prowlerp]

Thanks for replying.

[rintinglen]

Herco can be used with Unique data and will generally yield slightly lower velocity and pressure at a given charge, being about 10% slower. IME, it sits between Unique and Bluedot, jusr about where HS-6 does. It never saw wide use in the 9 mm due to its large flakes not metering well, and the consequent variance in pressures and velocities.
I inherited a pound or so from a retired shotgun shooter about 20 years ago and shot it up in 38 special 158 grain loads. IIRC, it shot ok, but not as well as Bullseye or WW231.

[Prowlerp]

Thanks for the info tazman. I will download that manual. I'm new at reloading and all of the data I have seen skips over 120 grain lead boolits.

[MT Gianni]

Check seating depth religiously. I used the starting loads in Lee #1 and chrono'd them at 1250 fps. I did get an accurate load but don't recall what it was but 6 gr was close with the 358242 and 356402.

[lotech]

As already mentioned, Herco doesn't flow perfectly through a measure, but it's worth trying in the 9mm. Haven't used it in this cartridge in a long time, but best accuracy was with the lighter bullets (125 grains and under).

[gutpile]

memory serves i used to use 6.2 grains of herco under a 124gr XTP in a pin gun years ago..............
it was a pretty hot load 1175-1225 FPS worked Great in a compensated cz-75 cleared pins well

[LAGS]

I use to use Herco in my 9mm with "J " bullets
I got the info from an old Speer #11 manual.
That will tell you how long ago that was.
But it was similar in performance to the same loads for Unique.
125 J bullet was 5.5 to 6.2 of Herco compared to 5.5 to 5.9 of Unique
The same manual lists the 125 Lead bullet with 4.1 to 4.5 of Unique at 911 to 1007 FPS

[Le Loup Solitaire]

I once used Herco and the data listed for Unique in my 9mm loadings, but reduced charges to around the 900 fps to minimize the pressure a bit as well. It worked just fine in my Luger and a Baretta. LLS