9mm load advice

[mzvarner]

I played with seating depths and powder charges with the HAP and cfe pistol and it did not change anything. I came across some 147gr round nose Berry's Bullets. I loaded them over cfe pistol and titegroup, set case length to 1.15 and they both shot like crap. ( groups the size of my hand high and left) I do not know what I am doing wrong at this point. Berry's are pretty popular in all platforms. It looks like until I can get my hands on some different powders I am stuck running factory ammo. Any suggestions? I had a hard time finding COL data for the berrys, so I just measured some similar factory ammo at home. Could my barrel be an issue?

I am shooting a stock Glock 19. In the past I had great success with 115gr HAP, 124gr Hornady SWC with HS-6. I am loading these to plink and shoot in USPSA and 3 gun matches. So knocking down steel and punching holes in paper.

 

[Briggs]

I think the issue is that you are shooting plated bullets from the Glock barrel. You just arent going to get the accurracy. Try putting as little crimp as possible. That may help but it may also cause chambering issues. They still arent going to do as well as fmj. You can practice with them up close but if you want accuracy or to shoot distance, stay with fmj. You can get an aftermarket barrel and you should see better results but you still have to go easy on crimp.

 

[Sig Marine]

I think the issue is that you are shooting plated bullets from the Glock barrel. You just arent going to get the accurracy.

Agree. Since Glocks have polygonal rifling, shooting lead has shown to have accuracy problems. Here's a article with some information regarding polygonal rifling.

Link: Polygonal rifling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If you decide to go with FMJ, give Precision Delta a look: Precision Delta Home page

 

[rdinak]

I shoot a lot of Xtreme 147's in my Glocks. The key to accuracy is not over crimping the plated bullet. I challenge you to get a bullet puller and pull one of your loaded rounds. If you see and ring around the bullet you are crimping way to much.

There are lots of folks getting great accuracy out of factory glock barrels with plated bullets. Litmus test use the same load and crimp and switch to a known FMJ such as Hornady, Zero etc. If your accuracy dramatically changes...read the links below. As with everything else in life...YMMV

Is this too much crimp? - 9mm/38 Caliber - Brian Enos's Forums... Maku mozo!



http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh34/gregshin/2014-08-18094915_zpsfca6ffe7.jpg

 

[mzvarner]

I shoot a lot of Xtreme 147's in my Glocks. The key to accuracy is not over crimping the plated bullet. I challenge you to get a bullet puller and pull one of your loaded rounds. If you see and ring around the bullet you are crimping way to much.

There are lots of folks getting great accuracy out of factory glock barrels with plated bullets. Litmus test use the same load and crimp and switch to a know FMJ such as Hornady, Zero etc. If your accuracy dramatically changes...read the links below. As with everything else in life...YMMV

Is this too much crimp? - 9mm/38 Caliber - Brian Enos's Forums... Maku mozo!



http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh34/gregshin/2014-08-18094915_zpsfca6ffe7.jpg

Well this may be my problem. I have my Lee FCD set at 1 turn to apply a heavy crimp. That was recommended by some other reloaders. I will drop the crimping process or at least drastically reduce it. I have only used plated bullets and had great accuracy until I started using the crimp die.

 

[427Cobra]

I would also recommend you load longer, I do 1.130 for both 9 and 40, feeding and accuracy are great with 124s and 180 Berries in my Glock.

 

[ZombieMonkey]

As Rdinak has already alluded to, you are most likely over-crimping. Two issues come to rise with plated bullets: Need to keep speeds down as you would with lead, which is a non-issue with 147gr bullets in 9mm; and plated bullets are sensitive to over-crimping whereas FMJs are much less sensitive.

In regards to the above comments about plated bullets in Glocks with the polygonal rifling, shoot your plated bullets with confidence. It is a non-issue when dealing with plated bullets and even lead in polygonal rifling is safe if monitored very closely (though I would not recommend it nor will Glock). I've shot thousands of Berry's through my personal and issued Glocks all with no issues. I also load them for training ammo for my brother and other officers with no issues to report.

While not 9mm, here is a target with with 50 rounds of plated berry's 180gr bullets fired in a Glock 22. I am far from a good pistol shooter, but here it is with 10 rounds @ 25 yards and the other 40 rounds@ 15 yards done under time with draws, reloads, etc as I do for a qual (only difference is I kept the distance out there at 15 instead of brining it into 7 yards).

 

[codemancode]

I would also recommend you load longer, I do 1.130 for both 9 and 40, feeding and accuracy are great with 124s and 180 Berries in my Glock.

This!

Seating at 1.130 with titegroup was my ticket with 9mm Glock.

 

[918v]

When I did my load development with 147's and CFE I quickly realized that any load approaching max would print horrible groups. In my case 3.7grs was the limit. 4.1 would scatter like a shotgun. I was shooting them out of a 17L.

 

[dauntedfuture]

I have had some luck with extreme bullets. Not much luck with the other plated bullets in 9mm. A little too much crimp, like has already been said and things don't go well. In 115g and 124g you can push them a little fast. Some guys claim that G19s don't work well with 147g bullets but I have had no issues with them in m9 G17, 19 or 26. Tightgroup is a hot, as in it heats the barrel up more then some others. If you can find it and want to experiment Solo 1000 works very well with 147g bullets in 9mm. Cheers.

 

[PopSmoke]

As others hace said, too much crimp is part of it. I have fired cast wheel weight lead through my Glock 19 Exo barrel with no accuracy issues. I forgot to swap to the LWD barrel that day for the range.

The crimp cannot be too light or it creates a ridge that catches in the Glock chamber and can result in the bullet getting stuck in the barrel if you find the need to eject that round. Especially if the bullet you are using is .01 over. Have you slugged it yet? The folks over at Cast Boolits saved me on this issue.

I can tell you my Gen 3 does not appreciate heavier bullets as much as it does the 112-130's I am shooting through it. I have 2 boxes of HAP. If I find that mine are lighter you are welcome to PM me an address and I will send you a sample if you would send a sample of the heavier HAPs back my way.

In my LWD barrel it likes these in handloads...
112 cast hollow point - converted new design Lee
124 cast round nose RCBS
124 cast conical flat nose RCBS
124 round nose 9mm/38 Super from an old Cramer trio
125 Hornady jacketed HP
125 Berry's FMJ
125 Hornady FMJ