Rolling your own 9mm defense loads

[Cosmic_Charlie]

Sorry about the j word topic but we mostly all use them for carry. I have a couple hundred 124 gr. xtp bullets and new stareline brass for them. Wondered if any of you have any tried and true recipies? I have loaded my own carry rounds for years because of the ridiculous cost of premium ammo. 45 acp, 44 mag, .357 and so on. I have a very good selection of powders to choose from. Unique, HS-6, #7, VV N340 and more.

[Polymath]

I have in the past filled ordinary hollow points with blue Loctite silicone gasket sealer. To make home made FTX projectiles.

[dverna]

I am with you on this approach. I ordered 1000 XTP's $200 delivered when I found them on sale and yesterday ordered 1000 RMR "nukes" after seeing a thread here. No cast bullets for "when it matters".

I have a number of 9mm's and intend to find a good load for the carbines first, as they will be used out to about 125 yards. Hopefully what works in the carbines will also make a decent load for the pistols. No intention of having multiple recipes for different guns.

My goal is 4 MOA or better with the carbines and 3" at 25 yards with the pistols.

Like you, I have a lot of suitable powders to get there. I intend to start with Clean Shot. It meters extremely well but we shall see how it performs on paper.

[Larry Gibson]

Suggest you work up to 6.6 gr HS-6 with the 124 XTP. I seat to an OAL of 1.06". Runs 1175 fps out of my CZ75 with 4 5/8" barrel.

For PD and carry I prefer the Speer 115 GD over 7 gr Herco seated to 1.11". Runs 1300 fps out of the CZ75 at 33,800 measured psi.

Accuracy is excellent with both loads running 2-3 " at 25 yards from rest with 10 shots.

[gloob]

I have used 6.25 grains Unique under the 124 grain XTP in 9mm. IIRC, the OAL had to be a tad shorter than typical, to fit into my guns at that time. Want to say 1.050"ish. Don't remember where I found that data, though. That fills almost the entire case and compresses quite a lot.

I have seen a lot of references to this bullet, lately. It was the cheapest commonly sourced jacketed bullet I could find, at the time, many years ago. I take it it's still "cheap?" I wonder how it performs.

[BadgerShooter]

I am very happy with the Federal Illinois State Patrol load 115 grain +P+ BPLE ammo. i've killed everything up through deer with it and it works well and is very accurate. It is hot. I think my duplicate load is 5.7 of VV 3N37. 1300 in a Glock 19 and 1350 in a Glock 34. Shoots to the same point of impact as the Federal. I usually run the Nosler 115 Custom Competition bullet - now called ASP I think. I have used XTP's also. I've found it a far better killer than the 45 ACP I used for decades. Old dogs can learn new tricks!

The Federal load has been around a long time and has stacked up a solid reputation in actual use.

[armoredman]

XTP - it's available locally almost all the time. 8gr AA#7 at 1.095 COAL.

[AlaskaMike]

I have used 6.25 grains Unique under the 124 grain XTP in 9mm. IIRC, the OAL had to be a tad shorter than typical, to fit into my guns at that time. Want to say 1.050"ish. Don't remember where I found that data, though. That fills almost the entire case and compresses quite a lot.



That's a pretty hot load for Unique with a 124 grain bullet.

Alliant tops out at 5.8 grains with a 124 grain Gold Dot, and their data indicates an OAL of 1.12", which is significantly longer than your 1.05".

That's a load I would be pretty careful with.

[armoredman]

That's a pretty hot load for Unique with a 124 grain bullet.

Alliant tops out at 5.8 grains with a 124 grain Gold Dot, and their data indicates an OAL of 1.12", which is significantly longer than your 1.05".

That's a load I would be pretty careful with.
The current Western Powders data shows several loads for the 124gr XTP, and recommended COAL for all loads is 1.060.
https://ramshot.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/WesternPowdersHandloadingGuide8.0_WEB.pdf

[derek45]

I carry factory Winchester ranger 180gr 40, or 9mm HST

some 9mm XTP loads I worked up years ago. these are max loads, in some books they are +p

https://i.imgur.com/GygVT1l.jpg

[Cosmic_Charlie]

Thanks much fellas! That should get me on the right path. I'll be shooting these out of a 4.5" SW MP and a 5" 1911.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

I have no problem using cast .357 and .44 boolits for hunting/defense as I know they will work. Same with .30 cal. rifle at 1,700 fps or so.

[AlaskaMike]

The current Western Powders data shows several loads for the 124gr XTP, and recommended COAL for all loads is 1.060.
https://ramshot.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/WesternPowdersHandloadingGuide8.0_WEB.pdf

I'm not sure I understand what you mean.

My concern is not the OAL directly. My concern is that load as shown could be more than a +P load, and potentially dangerous in some guns.

The load I was responding to is more than .4 grains hotter than Alliants data. Then the OAL is cranked down .05" further raising pressures on an already +P load.

I stand by what wrote in my earlier post--this is a load to be very careful of, and is potentially dangerous.

We have to keep in mind that new handloaders view these posts all the time, so a little "peer review" of any posted loads is a very good thing.

[hades]

A good reminder to always work up your loads.

Going straight to a internet suggested load, (or even a pressure tested load for that matter), at or above max charge with a similar book listed max load, (Alliants data does not use specially the XTP), is always asking for trouble.

There's no chronograph data either, (maybe even, 'especially since there's no chronograph data either....?), a comparison is harder to make vs pressure tested load data.


(Hornady's 8th Ed. lists a max charge of unique @ 5.0gr for 1100fps with a COL of 1.060)

[gloob]

Thanks, Alaska Mike.

I just dug through the gun safe and found some of these ammo trays. I was wrong.

I found 115 grain Zero jacketed hp's with 6.25 grains of Unique.

I found a tray of 124 grain XTP's. They're labeled 6.0 grains Unique and 1.073" OAL.

That's still 0.2gr over, and a smidge shorter OAL compared to Alliant's Gold Dot max load. Sorry for posting bad info.

[saleen322]

In 9mm it is hard to beat a 147 HP. They don't have to go that fast, 1000 fps or even a little less works fine. The FBI test protocol is still the most common test for the key feature, penetration. The standard is 12" minimum through the common barriers and it is preferred not to exceed 18". We had a Winchester rep years ago bring gel for testing and provided the ammo as they wanted us to purchase their ammo. He said 147 is hard to beat and +P and +P+ is more about selling ammo than performance. Here is a chart that includes one 357 Sig load for comparison. YMMV

https://live.staticflickr.com/4444/37860974642_5410cd4e82_o.jpg

[armoredman]

I'm not sure I understand what you mean.

My concern is not the OAL directly. My concern is that load as shown could be more than a +P load, and potentially dangerous in some guns.

The load I was responding to is more than .4 grains hotter than Alliants data. Then the OAL is cranked down .05" further raising pressures on an already +P load.

I stand by what wrote in my earlier post--this is a load to be very careful of, and is potentially dangerous.

We have to keep in mind that new handloaders view these posts all the time, so a little "peer review" of any posted loads is a very good thing.

Always start low and work up, this is no game, to be sure, and safety is always number one. I was pointing out that other load data showed a preferred COAL of 1.060 with the 124gr XTP, which is listed by name in the data, rather than . I usually load my XTPs to 1.095, myself. 1.12 is safer, but in some guns, that load might not even chamber with that sharp angle on the ogive, CZ pistols with the notorious "short chamber" for one.

[dverna]

https://www.luckygunner.com/9mm-luger-hornady-xtp-124-grain-jhp-25#geltest

The link above is why I selected the 124 gr XTP's initially. If you go to the Luckygunner site, you will see many other bullets (as well as calibers) test results.

Where I live, there is a chance for black bear encounters and I leaned a bit more towards penetration as a desirable attribute while still having decent expansion. Also, during part of the year, any two-legged threats will be more heavily clothed. If I lived in FL I would have selected something with less penetration and more expansion.

With many of the available bullet offerings we can split hairs. IMO +/- 1" of penetration, +/- .05" of expansion or +/- 25 fps are not game changers. Hitting were you need to hit is the game changer.

I am not set up to do terminal ballistic testing. The data on Luckygunner offers a consistent reference to compare different bullets and loads. Unlike many YouTube tests, where one or two bullets are tested, Luckygunner tests 5 bullets for each load and that offers a better evaluation of repeatability.

I used to buy into "carry commercial loads" mantra. But it is expensive to put 200 rounds of factory SD ammunition through every gun we could be carrying to evaluate reliability. That is why I decided to reload SD ammunition. By using once fired cases of one headstamp, and American made primers, I expect as high a degree of quality as commercial ammunition.

[Larry Gibson]

Only the first column and, perhaps, the second in the chart (bare gelatin & heavy clothing) in post #16 is relevant to civilian use for civilian/PD. The other criteria for what LE/military needs are isn't relevant. As a civilian in a PD shooting, you shouldn't be shooting through steel, wallboard, plywood or glass.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

I got very good accuracy with 6.5 grains of HS-6 and that 124 gr. Hornady XTP. Sorry, no velocity data but it should be over 1,100 fps.

[rintinglen]

With the 124 grain XTP, I load 6.2 grains of Power Pistol for a measured 1138 FPS from a Browning High Power. My COAL is 1.10.

[Stacts]

I'll add support for XTPs. I've used them in .380 and .45 (not 9x19 yet). They're easy to find and accurate out of my handguns. Can't speak to load data (don't own a 9x19, sorry) from personal knowledge, but my Hornady 11th ed has them from 90 grains through 147 and COLs from 1.060 through 1.100 so there's an abundance of data.

[Texas by God]

6.6 grs of Power Pistol with the 115gr Speer Gold Dot. Unless I have the Hornady 115gr Critical Defense ammo handy.


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[Charlie Horse]

Not a 9mm but I've begun work on a 380 carry load. I don't see how people can afford proper reliability testing in the 380 using factory ammo.
That said, I just purchased 1000 of Berry's 100 grain plated RN boolits. It's not the best profile for a SD load but IMHO reliability rules. These will be used in a Glock 42 which seems to be able to better handle stout loads than the smaller 380's.
I've already worked up to a very heavy load of Bullseye with no signs of pressure. I found one source that went to an even higher charge than I'm loading. Might try that.
In using the round nose boolit I feel I'm adhering to design intent. The 380, like the 45 acp, was designed around RN ammo.

[popper]

I just use 135gr cast with WST in my compacts. Not going to be shooting long range. Did get a box of Hornady C.D. 134gr, haven't used them yet.

[dla]

If the goal is self-defense, then I suggest you stick with low flash powders. That eliminates Power Pistol and HS6.
I like Ramshot Silhouette (cheap, easy to find). Western Load Data is excellent and Hodgdon has done a good job if incorporating it into their online load data.
One thing about the XTP, you really should start with a long COL, and pkunk test it until you find where your chamber clears it. I would start at 1.15", Plunk, seat a little deeper if it doesn't drop and spin free, and repeat until you know you have a COL that works in your pistol. Sometimes well meaning forum advice forgets that published COL is just a reference.