Anybody Handloading for the SR9c?

[Iron Mike Golf]

I am working up some loads. I'll post my recipes tonight when I get back from the range with some test results.

I am interested in recipes for 125 gr LRN, as that's what I have on hand. Trying out Power Pistol and Titegroup tonight.

Also got some 95 gr FMJ, but think those might be too light...

 

[contender]

Uh,, it's 9mm. We load 9mm by following the loading manuels. What do your manuels suggest for loads using the powders you've selected?

 

[hornady]

I just learned of the SR9c In . Guns & Ammo. Its on the cover this month. Looks like a nice weapon. But as said. If you use your reloading manual you can not go wrong. If I am working up a new gun load. I will load 5 rounds on the low side. 5 more a grain higher. And 5 more a couple grains higher. Once you get the load. That cycles . Then you can tweak it . Don't fall into the trap. I have to have the hottest load on the range. Most times they are the least accurate. Hard on the gun ,and brass. And you are just wasting powder. A good reloading Manual is your best friend. It will not exaggerate.

 

[Iron Mike Golf]

I had already tried one load and it did not group well. Looking in the bore, I see a good bit more free bore that what I see in my Colt Govt Series 80. In my second batch of test rounds, I seated the bullets as far out as I could, just hiding the lube groove in the case.

Uh,, it's 9mm. We load 9mm by following the loading manuels.

That's not helpful. I know it's a 9mm and I do start with load manual data. If I got good groups using load manual data, my post would not be asking folks what works for them in this gun. What load are you making for this gun that is giving you acceptable groups?

Using the Lyman 49th Edition and Hornady 7th Edition, the COL for LRN range from 1.045 in to 1.110 in. My first loads were seated to 1.139 in. That leaves a scant bit of driving band exposed. Any deeper and there may not be bullet surface under the case mouth to crimp against. I got 5 inch groups at 7 yds off a bag with those. I increased the COL to 1.183 in and the groups tightened up nicely.

Anybody else seeing this?

I have yet to shoot my third set of test bullets. Hopefully today...

 

[mattsbox99]

I load 9mm 125 gr LRN with HS6 because my powder measure won't go light enough with Titegroup. Red Dot is also a good powder. Titegroup is good in the .40 S&W and is very clean, at lower pressures, its pretty dirty.

 

[revhigh]

124-125 grain LRN and 6.0 grains of Power pistol is an outstandingly accurate load. If the above recipe doesn't group in your gun. Your gun is the problem .....

REV

 

[I_Like_Pie]

124-125 grain LRN and 6.0 grains of Power pistol is an outstandingly accurate load. If the above recipe doesn't group in your gun. Your gun is the problem .....

REV

My fave is 5 grains of Unique with the same bullet. Much dirtier than Rev's load, but easy to remember and shoots good.

 

[revhigh]

124-125 grain LRN and 6.0 grains of Power pistol is an outstandingly accurate load. If the above recipe doesn't group in your gun. Your gun is the problem .....

REV

My fave is 5 grains of Unique with the same bullet. Much dirtier than Rev's load, but easy to remember and shoots good.

Geez Pie ... that's a pretty HOT load, isn't it ??? I've never used it and don't have a loading manual in front of me, but 5 grains of unique in a little 9MM case seems pretty HOT judging by my 38 special loads, which if I remember correctly, is about 3.8g of Unique. I just LOVE Power Pistol for the 9MM, and you're right, it's a VERY clean load ... good for me because I don't like cleaning guns. My buddies always say I clean my guns right before I sell them LOL.

REV

 

[Cherokee]

Lyman gives 4.5 gr Unique for Max @ almost 1200 fps for 1.115 OAL. Power Pistol is 5.4 gr Max for same velocity and OAL. Seating long will reduce pressure on both these 32,000 pressure loads but you would still be at or over max with the 5/Unique or 6/PP loads. My 2 cents.

 

[Iron Mike Golf]

Rev: I have been working with 5.0 and 5.3 gr of Power Pistol. I'll up it. I started out lower as I am looking for a wifey load first. Went down to 4.3 gr Power Pistorl, but that would not reliably cycle the slide far enough to the rear and I was getting stove pipes (about 20%).

Found a couple of softball loads that work nicely in the SR9c:

95 gr FMJ over 4.7 gr Titegroup

125 LRN over 3.8 gr Bullseye

125 gr LRN over 5.0 or 5.3 gr Power Pistol has good accuracy.

I compared seating depths with the LRN, too. I need to measure up my targets from last night and rank things, along with some heavire test loads in Power Pistol. I'll put up those results later. Gotta help my daughter and son-in-law move to a new place.

Thanks for sharing, fellas.

 

[WESHOOT2]

124-125 grain LRN and 6.0 grains of Power pistol is an outstandingly accurate load. If the above recipe doesn't group in your gun. Your gun is the problem .....

REV

6.0g Power Pistol with the 121g Hornady (a Bullseye competition favorite). And a 131g LRN, and a 124g Rainier TCJ-RN, and numerous other bullets.
One accurate combo.

 

[I_Like_Pie]

Geez Pie ... that's a pretty HOT load, isn't it ??? I've never used it and don't have a loading manual in front of me, but 5 grains of unique in a little 9MM case seems pretty HOT judging by my 38 special loads, which if I remember correctly, is about 3.8g of Unique. I just LOVE Power Pistol for the 9MM, and you're right, it's a VERY clean load ... good for me because I don't like cleaning guns. My buddies always say I clean my guns right before I sell them LOL.

REV

Actually 5.8 is the amount quoted in two of my books for Unique and the 124 bullets. The website says the same

5.0 was the lowest I could go and still have reliable cycling on my Beretta

 

[Hammerdown77]

I used 5.2 grns of Unique with a 125 grn lead bullet in my Beretta, and it seemed pretty hot (didn't have a chrono at the time). I know of the 5.8 grn load you're referencing, it's on Alliant's site. That just can't be right for lead bullets. Keep in mind, that 5.8 is for a Gold Dot bullet.

At 5.0 grns, Unique pretty much filled the case.

I had many people with Lyman reloading manuals tell me that 5.0 grns was near max in their manual, and I should start at closer to 4.0 grns of Unique instead. That load cycled my Beretta 92 just fine, and was accurate.

 

[contender]

I was not trying to be a smart@##. I was suggesting you follow the manuels,, and try SEVERAL different loads until you find the one that works for YOU in YOUR gun. Reloading isn't rocket science,, but the folks who put out these manuels put out things that are safe to load. However,, due to the differences in guns, chambers, barrels, shooters, etc,, there are MANY variables. That's why there are several manuels, and powder & bullet combos.
All reloaders will try SEVERAL different loads until they find what works in their guns.
You tried ONE load and it didn't work very well. Yo9u asked a question. My comment was MEANT to be to guide you to trying SEVERAL loads before you think something is wrong with the gun.
You mention "freebore" in the barrel. Remember,, the 9mm headspaces on the mouth of the case,, so, you can study the seating depth issue a bit,, but since you mentioned you are using lead bullets,, it MIGHT be any one of a couple of things. Wrong sized bullet, use a different lube, bullet hardness vs velocity, all come to mind.
Have you tried any factory ammo to set a test standard to load to?

I guess what I'm trying to say is you need to look at a lot of things to figure out what load will work in your gun. That's where loading manuels can help. Different powders, primers, bullets, various combos of these, jacketed, plated, etc. Lots of variables.
Quite often,, a favorite bullet in several of my guns just will not shoot in a certain gun. I have found it takes a lot of experimenting to get an accurate load.

I am also of the mind to not give out exact recipies of loading data due to liability issues. What works for me may not work for you. (Even though all my loads stay within the guidelines of the manuels.)
So,, if I came across a bit harsh,, it wasn't meant that way. I was just responding to your limited info.

 

[idunno]

I used 5.2 grns of Unique with a 125 grn lead bullet in my Beretta, and it seemed pretty hot (didn't have a chrono at the time). I know of the 5.8 grn load you're referencing, it's on Alliant's site. That just can't be right for lead bullets. Keep in mind, that 5.8 is for a Gold Dot bullet.

At 5.0 grns, Unique pretty much filled the case.

I had many people with Lyman reloading manuals tell me that 5.0 grns was near max in their manual, and I should start at closer to 4.0 grns of Unique instead. That load cycled my Beretta 92 just fine, and was accurate.

This is why these forums are valuable. Even with all the books out there, rarely do you find the precise combo you're looking for.

I ran into the same thing with some 124 grain Berry's plated bullets I had. I wanted to use some Unique powder I had on hand, but I could not find a load listed for it anywhere. Mid range loads were called for on Berry's site, but those seemed hotter than I wanted to go as well.

If I used the data for the 125 jacketed bullet in the Lee Modern Reloading manual along with the formula for calculating a reduced load for cast bullets based on a desired velocity of 1060 fps, I still got what I considered to be a rather hot load (even hotter than the 5 grain load). I eventually settled on a load that was about 15% less than that calculated load, which is still quite a bit above the 4 grain load you say cycles your Beretta 92.

Have you chrono'd that 4 grain load? I think I'm going to make a batch of those and see how they function in my Beretta and P95. Good information.