S&W 929 9mm Mouse Load part 2 - for revolvers only

[revkab]

OK, I'm still on the lookout for the lowest recoil possible in my 9mm S&W revolver.

I now am casting boolits from the Lee 356-95 95 grain boolit. I'm trying some loads with 231, but with a nice low power load (2.8 gr 231), am leaving a lot of unburned powder all around the cylinder. Has anyone had success creating mouseloads for this boolit?

Again, this is for the REVOLVER ONLY. Not for autos. Your help is appreciated.

Any other very low recoil loads/boolits would be welcomed...

[35remington]

I would sorta expect that with the light bullet. If seating the bullet deeper, within reason, does not clean things up a bit a heavier bullet may be needed with that powder. A slow 115-124 grain bullet will still recoil lightly.

[dverna]

I suspect you are not getting much pressure as there is no crimp.

My thoughts are to go to a heavier bullet to achieve more pressure and keep velocity as low as possible. Try a 147 gr bullet and 2.5 gr of 231. This is not a load I have ever used or seen but you get the concept.

[Outpost75]

2.5 grains of Bullseye, TiteGroup, 452AA or WST with 147 LFN at 1.15" OAL, mimmicks .38 S&W factory 146 LRN or .38 Special wadcutter velocity and recoil with clean burn.

[44MAG#1]

I am confused. Why would you want a load that low powered. Not meaning anything mean or anything just wondering.
Injury maybe??

[dverna]

I am confused. Why would you want a load that low powered. Not meaning anything mean or anything just wondering.
Injury maybe??

I use light loads for training and fun plinking. Especially useful for ladies and young shooters getting into shooting. During the .22 shortage I was shooting 9mm and .38's for less than the cost of .22's, if you could find them....so I sold about 15k rounds of .22's at $45-50/brick and shot .38's in my rifles and pistols. My cost for 500 rounds of .38's comes in at about $25.

[revkab]

I shoot in a steel plate competition that currently does not have a minimum power factor, in which numerous other players also shoot very low recoil, low power loads. Not sure what you are referring to in regards to regarding injury.

[44MAG#1]

I shoot in a steel plate competition that currently does not have a minimum power factor, in which numerous other players also shoot very low recoil, low power loads. Not sure what you are referring to in regards to regarding injury.

Maybe a hand or wrist injury that would need a load like that. If shooting loads that low powered is what you like I understand. To each his/her own.

[revkab]

Again, I am asking for specific help here.

95 grain (9mm) powder coated cast lead boolit
Shooting from a revolver
Wanting a low power, light recoil load

[revkab]

It's all good. For other games, I also shoot heavy 44 mag or full power 45 acp. To me, part of the "game" is matching my firearm and load to the situation.

[Larry Gibson]

Again, I am asking for specific help here.

95 grain (9mm) powder coated cast lead boolit
Shooting from a revolver
Wanting a low power, light recoil load

I would suggest using Bullseye powder as it ignites and burns a bit better in real cat's sneeze loads. The problem with revolvers and such is at a certain point the barrel/cylinder gap will vent enough of the psi that the bullet will stick in the barrel. Obviously you don't want that. Thus, when testing, a good rod to push out a stuck bullet should be at hand. Also, with such loads, the grit from the primers can build up after several shots and cause a stuck bullet. You also don't want that so a test of at least 2 full cylinder full of cartridges should be done with any selected load to ensure a bullet doesn't stick.

I suggest starting at 1.8 gr Bullseye under than bullet and see if all bullets clear the barrel. If so then working +/- will get you a usable load. Around 1.8 - 2.5 gr under a 90 - 100 gr cast bullet in the 32 S&WL is a very comfortable and pleasant load so something similar with the 95 gr bullet in your 9mm revolver should also work as well.

[LouB]

Very interested in your findings. I'm an old revolver shooter who has switched mostly to autos. But I miss shooting revolvers,and have been getting more recoil sensitive.So I bought an S&W 986 9mm ( 7 rd, 2.5" bbl, solid stainless) as a companion gun to my auto 9's. Assuming with the weight, recoil would be LESS than my auto's. Well I was mistaken, not appreciating how much recoil is soaked up by the actions. So I am quite interested in your findings. Been Just sharing my auto loads, but it's time to reload 9's just for the 986. My plan is to use a different head-stamp (I only load WIN brass) for the 986 (will use FED brass only). This will help insure the two loads don't accidentally get used in the wrong weapon.

[contender1]

A lot of SASS shooters use TrailBoss powder for case fill AND low power.

[Larry Gibson]

FYI for comparison; A lee 105 SWC over 2.5 gr of Bullseye in the 38 S&W case runs 14,300 psi or less (as tested with Oehler M43 PBL). Runs 600 fps out of 3.5" H&R revolver. Your 95 gr bullet over 2 - 2.5 gr Bullseye should work well for your needs.

[tazman]

I use 38 short colt data in 9mm brass for light loads. The cases are nearly identical in length and the starting loads should easily exit the barrel.
The ones I tried shot well in my 929.
With the porting on the 929 barrel, there is little recoil with such a light load, although I doubt the porting has much effect with such low chamber pressures.
I mostly shoot full power loads now since I have a large supply loaded up.

[revkab]

OK, I've experimented a bit. 3.0 gr 231 works OK, tried reducing to 2.8 and it left all sorts of unburnt powder everywhere.

I tried 2.5 and 2.2 gr Bullseye, and both worked well. I really like the 2.2 gr load. I haven't chrono'ed yet, but will do so in the future. I may also try 2.0 gr and see what happens.

[tazman]

Glad to hear you are getting some results.