Is this kid going to blow up his gun?

[Idaho45guy]

Neighbor asked me to come inspect some rounds that his 18yr old son loaded for his Glock 19.

He said the kid is on some Facebook reloading group and that the answers are all over the place. Some say he is way over pressure and some say he is fine.

I can't find a specific load online that matches what this kid is doing. I had his dad take some pictures of the load data and pictures of the primers and loaded ammo.

I told them that I was pretty inexperienced with reloading, and never pushed my loads, so not real familiar with the signs of over pressure. But, told them I was on a gun forum with likely the most experienced reloaders in the world, so would post the pics and load data to get professional opinions.

Still waiting on the pics, but I do recall the kid is using Hornady XTP J-words in 90 grain. Kid is obsessed with small and fast loads. Powder is Alliant Bullseye and max load he's using is 6.3 grains of powder.

Alliant only shows loads for 115gr bullets and above and the max load for 115gr is 4.7gr and pushing it to 1144 fps out of a 4" barrel. Kid is also using a 4" barrel and is getting just under 1500 fps. Other loads are 5.8gr and 4.7gr.

Primers look a little flat, but not sure. He's definitely crimping too much.

I'll update with pics as soon as I get them downloaded. But what do you guys think based on the numbers?

[Davy Sprocket]

Hornady's manual has 4.4-5.5 for 9mm. They have 5.8-7.3 for 357 sig for that bullet. 9mm major is common in competitions where they over pressure 9mm to its max. Those kind of loads are made for custom 2011 pistols.

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[DougGuy]

Just googling I found a couple of hits for the 90gr XTP, this is mostly used in 380 not 9mm.

Midway's 9MM LoadMap indicates you could go up to 4.6-4.7 grains of Bullseye with the 90gr HP bullet with no problems. They listed overall length with HornadyXTP at1.080", Nosler HP at 1.050" Sierra JHP at 1.010", and Speer Gold Dot 90gr at 1.050" in their tests using RP cases and Win SP primers. I have no experience with 90gr bullets but just passing along info.
Horn. 90 XTP-4.7gr Bullseye--1289fps--30100psi
Nosler 90gr HP--4.7--1273fps--29200psi
Sierra 90JHP--4.7--1304fps--32400psi
Speer Gold Dot 90gr.--4.7--1269fps--31100psi

What pistol? Mind you, 90 grain bullets are usually for the .380 ACP. The lightest 9mm bullet I have data for or have seen data for is a 95 grain bullet. Alliant says 5.5 grains of Bullseye is max for them. Starting loads are 10% less. That about 4.9 grains.
If you don't have a manual, you need one.

Offhand I'd say not *IF* he will blow up the gun but when.

[Idaho45guy]

Found the pics...

I think the primers look fine, and he said the fastest he's gotten is 1521 fps. He said he got the load data from Hornady and knows he went over the max.

Attachment 294272

Attachment 294273

[Idaho45guy]

This bulging is due to over crimping, correct? Attachment 294274

[hoodat]

If you're talking 9mm Luger, I went to the old Speer #8 book which is crazy hot on a lot of things, and max with Bulls Eye was 5.3 gr with 90 gr Bullets. Sooooo I'd say he's right up in the stupid zone.

That old book was with Hercules powder, so I checked my newest Lyman book and it listed 5.2 gr with Alliant powder. Soooo, I'd still say that he's up in that zone.

Maybe he's using that weapon for bear defense, or has been told that his nine will do anything a 357 can. jd

[DDriller]

Quick load estimates the pressure on that load at 40,350 psi. 6k over the max for 9mm and right at failure pressure for the primers.

[Tar Heel]

Run

[megasupermagnum]

Quickloads at 1.065" OAL with a Hornady 90gr XTP and 6.3gr Bullseye predicts 37,632 psi and 1551 fps from a 4.5" barrel.

Lyman pistol and revolver handbook says max for a 90gr JHP at 1.010" OAL is 5.2gr Bullseye. It also says for 38 super, 1.125" OAL, max 6.8 gr Bullseye.

So is he going to blow up? Probably not. Is it kind of dumb? Yes. Try some Accurate #7 if you want a lazer fast load with ball powder.

[txbirdman]

If I had fired primers looking like that I’d be pulling bullets right after I got through saying a prayer of thanksgiving. Looks like he’s seating bullets cattywampus too.

[Idaho45guy]

Excellent! Thank you for the feedback!

[Idaho45guy]

What's the max he should be running with that powder? 5.3 grains? I think the least he ran was 5.5 grains.

[megasupermagnum]

What's the max he should be running with that powder? 5.3 grains? I think the least he ran was 5.5 grains.

I had to search a bit, but found in the 2000 Alliant manual, they list a 95gr FMJ with 5.5 gr bullseye. So somewhere in that 5.2 to 5.5 range is the max for Bullseye in 9mm luger at normal pressures. I don't know much about Glocks, but I don't see why the 19 couldn't be used in competitions. I don't know anything about pistol competions, It looks like with a 90gr bullet, 1390 fps gets a 125 power factor, which appears to get you into any class a 9mm should be in. It doesn't appear that until you reach 165 that you can reach major in USPSA or customer defensive pistol in IDPA. IPSC open requires 160, and 170 for standard. Point being he could probably reach 1390 fps with standard pressure, and he is NOWHERE CLOSE to coming up on the next level.

[dverna]

My buddy has a word he uses with his foolish nephew....*******. It may be why his dad approached you for advice...his dad know what he is.

There is no excuse for his carelessness.

I hope he listens to you, but I bet he doesn’t. Do not shoot with him.

[JimB..]

If he’s after light and fast, suggest that he consider VV 3n37 under a 65gr solid.

I wouldn’t suggest that he continue with his current approach.

[725]

Tell him to grow up. Testing the limit because "he's special" is stupid. When he hurts himself or others it will be too late.

[alamogunr]

When I was 18, I knew everything. Luckily, I wasn't into guns and reloading back then. Didn't have enough money to shoot anything but .22's.

Now I'm 79 and own at least a dozen load manuals and check 2 or 3 for every load/powder. Now my biggest problem is remembering to double check everything.

When I was 25 years younger, an older friend told me that "memory is the 2nd thing to go". I don't remember what the 1st was.

[Winger Ed.]

I wish ya the best with trying to save a fool from their self.

In my observations: People that start with max. loads and work up-
usually learn the error of their ways only after they've blown up one or two guns.

[megasupermagnum]

Ok, I think we can stop with the doom and gloom now. That load is not going to blow up a gun. I can promise you one thing. If you confront him and tell him he is being stupid, best case scenario is he tells you "Lets go Idaho". Just hand the dad the ammo, tell him he is about 1 grain over max, and that's all you should do. Why the dad is involved at all is perplexing, but I'm a believer we should all just watch our own bobber.

[Idaho45guy]

O Why the dad is involved at all is perplexing, but I'm a believer we should all just watch our own bobber.

I guess because the kid is, well, a kid. The dad knew I reloaded and assumed because of my advanced age, that I would know if a load was dangerous. The kid posted on a Facebook reloading group the loads he was shooting and got mixed advice. He told his dad about it and the dad asked me.