Low Recoil CLEAN load for 9mm LRN

[mr.steve]

That's what I'm looking for. I tried 5.2gr of HS-6 with a 120gr LRN, oal is 1.096. This was a smooth shooter but I had issues with accuracy after 60-70 rounds. It's also fouling pretty bad. I figure the accuracy is partly due to lack of good obturation resulting in leading the barrel. The bullet is sized .357 and the 3" LWD barrel is .3565. I have Unique, 700x, h-110, HS-6 and some Titegroup as available powders. Any thoughts on this?

 

[billybob44]

I had the same problems..

Yep, been there done that..

For what I found when loading 120gr. and 125gr. lead cast, was that my load was too slow.

If under 1000fps., I would get excessive lead, with Missouri Bullet Co. LRN, and my Lee cast (sized also to .357"), and less than normal accuracy.

I bumped up my charge to get 1025-1050fps. out of these loads + all is good.

I think you should try a handful of your cast 120gr. with 6.0gr. of HS-6 and see what you come out with??..Bill.

 

[gun_nut]

I just worked up some loads for 124 gr. Xtreme plated 124 gr. RN. I started at 5.4 HS-6 -- worked fine in my Smith 5906 but would not cycle (stovepipe) in my wife's M&P compact 9. I finally got things to work at 5.7 gr. HS-6 (using load data from the Hornady book for their 124 gr FMJ 5.9 HS-6 is max load). I have not run these through a chrono but they function well and have good accuracy. YMMV

GN

 

[hammer24]

I've had decent results with 4.6 gr. Unique under a 124 lrn. I've used the same charge with 124 Montana golds with good results. Low recoil, but I wouldn't call it CLEAN per se.

 

[gutpile]

depends on the alloy ? i would size @ .358 or .359 and see if it will drop in the chamber what lube are you using on the boolits? i used to use 4.2 grains of 231
and some hotter loads with unique and herco and aa#5 and in a polygonal rifled barrel but proper sizing and lube make it all work

 

[IndyGlockMan]

do you have another bullet you can try?
I've always found 115-120 grain bullets to be snappy.
Try 147 grain bullet with TiteGroup and see what you think.
That's the softest shooting recipe I've found yet.

 

[sgtonory]

Make sure you case is not swageing down your boolit. Pull a loaded round and see if it is smaller now. If it is use a lyman M die for 38 special. As in when you seat the boolit the case is tapered and is sizeing your boolit smaller.

 

[8th SPS USAF]

My sub sonic loads are 3 grns TG with 125/147 grn bullet. Reg loads 3.6 TG 125 LRN bullet. Works great in anything from Shield to an XDM 5.25

 

[mr.steve]

"If under 1000fps., I would get excessive lead, with Missouri Bullet Co. LRN, and my Lee cast (sized also to .357"), and less than normal accuracy.
I bumped up my charge to get 1025-1050fps. out of these loads + all is good.
I think you should try a handful of your cast 120gr. with 6.0gr. of HS-6 and see what you come out with?"

billybob, I hadn't chrono'd this load yet, with the three inch barrel and reduced load I'm sure to be under 1000 fps. I put a heavier crimp on these along with a shortened OAL for chambering so I thought a small load of 5.2 would give something around 900 fps. I'm thinking if I get up to 1000 fps or more the pistol will be snappy. my aim is to lessen the muzzle rise and get back on target quickly.

"depends on the alloy ? i would size @ .358 or .359 and see if it will drop in the chamber what lube are you using on the boolits? i used to use 4.2 grains of 231
and some hotter loads with unique and herco and aa#5 and in a polygonal rifled barrel but proper sizing and lube make it all work"

"Make sure you case is not swageing down your boolit. Pull a loaded round and see if it is smaller now. If it is use a lyman M die for 38 special. As in when you seat the boolit the case is tapered and is sizeing your boolit smaller."

gutpile, sgtonory, I screwed up and had a little too much tin in my alloy, that's why they weighed light at 120gr. I decided to cast them 'cause they looked so shiney . I use a 70-20-10 of paraffin, JPW and Alox for lube. I've tried sizing to .358 (my preference) but as sgtonory stated my Lee FCD swages them down too much. I wonder if my Lee FCD for 38 special would help out.

SO, When weather permits I'll chrono what I have, check on a different crimping die and mold for 147~158gr. thank you all for your help!

 

[billybob44]

You need a hot enough load for a gas seal..

"billybob, I hadn't chrono'd this load yet, with the three inch barrel and reduced load I'm sure to be under 1000 fps. I put a heavier crimp on these along with a shortened OAL for chambering so I thought a small load of 5.2 would give something around 900 fps. I'm thinking if I get up to 1000 fps or more the pistol will be snappy. my aim is to lessen the muzzle rise and get back on target quickly. "

^^^Here's the thing, Steve==You are going to need to drive these projectiles hard enough to "Swell" the base of the bullet for a good gas seal, or you're going to get a lot of leading, and substandard accuracy.--If you want to stay with "Powder Puff" loads, it seems that you should go to a plated bullet???

My Glocks+CZ's shoot my 125RN lead well, without TOO much snap..Good luck..Bill.

 

[draftyranger]

"billybob, I hadn't chrono'd this load yet, with the three inch barrel and reduced load I'm sure to be under 1000 fps. I put a heavier crimp on these along with a shortened OAL for chambering so I thought a small load of 5.2 would give something around 900 fps. I'm thinking if I get up to 1000 fps or more the pistol will be snappy. my aim is to lessen the muzzle rise and get back on target quickly. "

^^^Here's the thing, Steve==You are going to need to drive these projectiles hard enough to "Swell" the base of the bullet for a good gas seal, or you're going to get a lot of leading, and substandard accuracy.--If you want to stay with "Powder Puff" loads, it seems that you should go to a plated bullet???

My Glocks+CZ's shoot my 125RN lead well, without TOO much snap..Good luck..Bill.

I second what billybob44 is saying. I tried running cast 125gn LRN to slow and had leading like crazy. Sped them up to 1000+fps, and the leading eased up a lot and accuracy improved. I shot these through S&W 5906, 5904, EAA Witness, CZ75B, Taurus PT92, and they shot well with little leading. I haven't noticed them being any snappier then any other load I have ever shot, but these are full sized, metal framed handguns and they really tame the recoil with any 9mm load!

 

[noylj]

1) Bullet slightly too small. You really need 0.358" lead bullets for that barrel. Check out some .38 cast bullets.
2) Bullet almost certainly too hard. You can go to Penn Bullets or mastercastbullets.com and get softer bullets. 10BHN is all you need for any 9x19 round.
3) Apply a LIGHT coat of Lee Liquid Alox or White Lab Xlox to bullets to eliminate almost all leading.
4) For a light load, move to a faster powder

 

[mr.steve]

The weekend is supposed to be nice so I'll break out the chrony and try my other two powders- Unique and Titegroup. It's catch as catch can finding powders these days. I wish I could find some Clays, that worked good for my bullets and barrel. I cast a .358 125gr LFN but my dies hang up on these and swage the bullet down. I wonder about trying the die for 38 Special to see if that helps. When the weather is warmer I can mix a different alloy, my Bhn is 14~15 now. Busy, busy.