I have loaded some 9mm 124 grain coated LRN with 4 grains of Unique with CCI 500 primers. I would like some recommendations on COAL as this combo is not a published load in any manuals. I have them set at 1.125 coal now.
I have loaded some 9mm 124 grain coated LRN with 4 grains of Unique with CCI 500 primers. I would like some recommendations on COAL as this combo is not a published load in any manuals. I have them set at 1.125 coal now.
Last edited by linko; 06-15-2021 at 11:36 AM.
Might be a good idea to state the caliber. Might be obvious to some but not everyone.
Geeze ! 9mm
1.169" per Hodgdon https://www.hodgdonreloading.com/rel...c=true&type=53
If they are 124 grain no groove round nose coated that most of the commercial guys sell you will need to seat them at 1.10 or so. Make sure you do a plunk test before you make too many.
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John 15:13
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
I use the Lee 356 124-2R Tumble Lube at around 1.130" OAL, shoots well in all my 9mm pistols, revolvers, and carbines.
Not all LRN bullets are the same shape, so seating depths will depend on the individual barrel(s). For a couple guns, a Lee 356-125-2R must be seated to 1.03" or it won't chamber. Another gun likes 1.065".
Best to pick a length that passes the plunk test consistently, then do a proper load workup. If seated relatively short, starting with lower charge weights is prudent.
"There is nothing like looking, if you want to find something."
~Thorin Oakenshield
I am using this bullet:
HI-TEK SUPERCOAT 9mm RN 124gr .356 dia
https://cheycastbullets-com.3dcartst...box_p_182.html
That is from a magma mold and you will probably need to start seating it at 1.10 and plunk test it. But more than likely you will need to go a little shorter and if you do then you will need to drop your powder load down some. I sell a lot of this style Bullet and the number one complaint that I receive is about the seating depth.
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John 15:13
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
NO. OAL is gun & barrel specific. What you are quoting is SAAMI max. Few 9mm can actually load any lead bullet to SAAMI max.
To the OP, as noted, each barrel & bullet is specific. I would start @ 1.140" & work it up or down to fit your gun. Make a dummy round, see if it fits. If not, then shorten OAL 0.010" & repeat until it does. THat is your OAL for that bullet & that gun.
EVERY GOOD SHOOTER NEEDS TO BE A HANDLOADER.
NRA Cert. Inst. Met. Reloading & Basic Pistol
In working up a soft shooting load for a WWII era Walther P-38 (and two other newer 9mm lugers) with the Lee 124 gr. RN and Unique ... I didn't start getting close to reliable cycling until I got to 4.7 grs of Unique . 4.5 grs. and 4.6 grs were sketchy ... many occasional failures to function . 4.7 grs. was 98%. ... still not great
5.0 grains of Unique / 124 grain LRN = 100% functioning and is my pet P-38 / 9mm Luger load in general .
One of my newer 9mm's likes 5.2 grains of Unique with a 124 gr. boolit .
4.0 grains of Unique is going to be , in my experience , too light to reliably cycle a 9mm Luger pistol's action .
Do you have a Kinetic Bullet Puller ?
Gary
Certified Cajun
Proud Member of The Basket of Deplorables
" Let's Go Brandon !"
Thank you for that info.
I did a plunk test and the round chambers good.
And yes I do have a kinetic puller.
I will try what I have loaded in both my Browing Hi-Power and my S&W 9mm revolver and see where I am.
With safety is mind I originally asked for a recommended OAL as charge weight and seating depth affects pressure. I wanted to be sure I was in a safe zone to begin with.
appreciate the great feedback from the members.
Best COAL for any gun is what chambers, passes the plunk test, cycles, AND is not compressing the powder (there are some compressed loads out there I prefer to stay away from them)
Factory rounds generally run on the short size and have pointier/smaller nosed bullets to fit in more guns.
S&W 9mm Luger Revolver ...SWEET !
Revolvers will shoot 4.0 grains of Unique with no problems !
9mm Luger are loaded to high pressures so Unique is well suited to it .
For the Browning HP usually somewhere from 4.5 to 5.0 grains of Unique with the 124 gr. LRN will get it running smoothly ...you know the game , start low and work up slowly .
I started at 4.0 grs. myself ... don't load too many untill you find out what your gun likes .
The 9mm Luger with cast boolits can be a bit trying , don't give up .
Gary
Certified Cajun
Proud Member of The Basket of Deplorables
" Let's Go Brandon !"
The OAL & pressures is vastly over done IMO. IT depends on the powder you use & the charge wt. With slower powders, you can get 100% compression & not even be close to over pressure. With uberfast powders, as long as you are not running max, you dont see significant pressure/vel increases until you are seating 0.060" deeper. So it just depends. I find Unique pretty forgiving with modest compression.
EVERY GOOD SHOOTER NEEDS TO BE A HANDLOADER.
NRA Cert. Inst. Met. Reloading & Basic Pistol
Start with the listed COAL in your manual, then work from there. 9MM's have without a doubt the widest range of throat, chamber, and bore sizes of any caliber. Find the longest COAL that will reliably function in YOUR 9mm. I have 9-10 9MM's from all over the world, ranging from the 1940's to last year. I use short COAL numbers to ensure reliable feeding in all my guns. Unique is a fantastic 9MM powder. Only choices better are Vihtavuori and Power Pistol.
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |