9mm reloading need advice

[Rum&Powder]

I will reloading 9mm for the first time next month. I am just using it for target loads. I don't think that max speed is really important as I will never shoot these past 40 yards. My only real desire is for these to be accurate.
I have picked up powder (Silhouette)
I have primers (federal small pistol match)
I have the brass (my own once fired mixed)
I am going to use Barry's hollow point target bullets.
Should I be loading 4-5 of each different grain and see which group gives me the tightest group or am I just as well off to choose what I can find in reloading manuals as most accurate and just go with it?

 

[mtrmn]

I always went with the best grouping load. On pistol rds I usually load 10 rds each. BUT at today's prices and availability levels on components, you'll have to decide what you can afford. It's relatively easy to come up with a load that groups better than most factory hardball plinking ammo such as winchester white box.

 

[Anb618]

If you’re not shooting competitions, just find the minimum load that functions 100% of the time in every 9mm you own, increase by 0.2-0.3 grains to be sure that some variation in powder drops won’t cause any issues, and pump out a few thousand rounds. I consider myself an above average pistol shooter (easily 90% of my shooting is defensive pistol oriented) and I’ve never noticed enough of a difference in accuracy while shooting pistol offhand for legitimate load development to be worth my time.
That’s just been my experience. YMMV.

 

[Yondering]

Just a thought- you’re on the right track with keeping velocity low, and those bullets are a good match for that. (They are NOT a good match for pushing them fast.)
Unfortunately your powder choice does not match well - Silhouette is great for +P loads and the like, but not all that great for mild loads. There are at least 50 other powders that will work a little better for that if you can find them. Clays is my preference for this; it shoots just like Titegroup but without the double charge danger because it fills the case better. Lots of others will work fine too.

Silhouette will do if that’s all you can get, it’ll just be dirty and less efficient.

Also - tip from a long time bullet caster - do not crimp those rounds with the Berrys bullets (or any other plated or cast/coated bullet). You’ll flare the case prior to seating of course, and then apply just enough crimp to remove most of the flare. Don’t need to remove all of it, and you don’t want to actually crimp the case mouth; the bullet plating is fragile and the results will show up on target and in your barrel.

 

[Choid]

Just a thought- you’re on the right track with keeping velocity low, and those bullets are a good match for that. (They are NOT a good match for pushing them fast.)
Unfortunately your powder choice does not match well - Silhouette is great for +P loads and the like, but not all that great for mild loads. There are at least 50 other powders that will work a little better for that if you can find them. Clays is my preference for this; it shoots just like Titegroup but without the double charge danger because it fills the case better. Lots of others will work fine too.

Silhouette will do if that’s all you can get, it’ll just be dirty and less efficient.

Also - tip from a long time bullet caster - do not crimp those rounds with the Berrys bullets (or any other plated or cast/coated bullet). You’ll flare the case prior to seating of course, and then apply just enough crimp to remove most of the flare. Don’t need to remove all of it, and you don’t want to actually crimp the case mouth; the bullet plating is fragile and the results will show up on target and in your barrel.

Great advice on crimping here. A bad crimp can ruin everything.

I really like the new Lyman pro dies that allow you to adjust the crimp with a micrometer. It isn't the micrometer that matters, it is the ability to set the die and then just go down over and over by little bits rather than dealing with tightening and untightening, and the thread slop inherent in that. Just start with the crimp die touching the case mouth, and go in little by little just until your round chambers in your barrel, or in your case gage. Then stop. If you go much further, you'll cause problems in other dimensions. Don't measure, let your gage do the work for you.

 

[Steel head]

If you’re not shooting competitions, just find the minimum load that functions 100% of the time in every 9mm you own, increase by 0.2-0.3 grains to be sure that some variation in powder drops won’t cause any issues, and pump out a few thousand rounds. I consider myself an above average pistol shooter (easily 90% of my shooting is defensive pistol oriented) and I’ve never noticed enough of a difference in accuracy while shooting pistol offhand for legitimate load development to be worth my time.
That’s just been my experience. YMMV.

Get the speed you want with good functioning and run with it.

 

[Halfnutz]

If accuracy is your game, I would sort brass by headstamp.

 

[DownhillFromHere]

OP doesn't say what pistol(s) he intends to use. Having loaded 9mm for the better part of 50 years for a bunch of handguns from Glocks to full-dress 1911s, my $0.02 would include:

• If you want accuracy, I'd be looking at decent jacketed bullets. I have no experience with plated bullets, but I've tried a variety of cast and polymer-coated ones. With my CZ TSO, shooting from a bag, I can keep pretty much all jacketed rounds on a 1/2-size IPSC at 100 yards. With polymer-coated bullets, this drops to maybe 20%. I prefer Montana Gold 115gr or 124gr JHPs for my "accurate" loads; for closeup run&gun fun I use Blue Bullets 115gr or 125gr round noses. Both of these companies have given excellent service and product in the past, but it's been at least three years since I ordered anything from them. I still have plenty from old orders.
• Brass: sort your brass by headstamp. I've never bothered with trimming it and I had lots of brass with probably 10 or more loads on it. I now run mixed-stamp range brass I hoover up on Monday mornings after the weekend warriors leave it in the pistol bays... an hour of pickup gives me enough brass for quite awhile, subject to the next point.
• Buy a Wilson case gage (their spelling). Most service pistols - Glock, Sig, S&W, etc. - will easily digest even significantly oversize brass, but other pistols have tighter chambers that won't. I learned the hard way that my now-gone full-dress 9mm 1911 and my much-loved CZ TSO had/have much tighter chambers. Jams resulting from outsized webs (the solid past of the case around the primer pocket) are gold-plated witches to clear, and no resize die short of a commercial roller sizer will resize the web. I run all my 9mm loads through the gage; the ones that don't pass go into a "Glock only" jar. Glocks (and my Sig) will eat anything. They're made to be reliable above all else... accuracy at range is secondary at best.
• Crimping is just f'ing useless as well as a royal pita IMO. Unless all your cases are exactly the same length, crimps will be horribly inconsistent and your velocity spread / accuracy will reflect it. My ancient RCBS carbide size die (for crying out loud don't waste time with a steel die which requires brass to be lubricated!!!) sizes down enough that a seated bullet visibly expands the case. Bullets in even my hottest old loads - 100gr hollow points running over 1300fps out of a 5-inch barrel - stayed put without crimping. If you're going for accuracy, you won't be chasing max-recoil loads anyway.
• I submit that paying for match primers in most 9mms is like putting racing fuel in a Honda Civic. Little if any return on the investment. Of course, if you're just getting started, finding small pistol primers of any flavor is a win.
• I can't speak to the Silhouette powder; I'm completely unfamiliar with it. I've been partial to Hodgdon Universal Clays for a long time, mainly because it also works nicely in a number of favored shotshell loads. I also load a lot of Alliant Unique - because I picked up a bunch of it really cheap. Unique works in a lot of mid-power pistol and shotshell loads, but it's nasty stuff - leaves bores really dirty. Again, at present, finding any suitable powder at all is a win. I haven't bought pistol powder in years.
• You'll want a case tumbler to clean your brass. Ninety minutes in my 1977-vintage Lyman tumbler with corncob media does a fine job on handgun and rifle brass; media lasts an long time with an occasional refresh shot of Lyman polish.

At the end of it all, if I was going to chase accuracy above all else, and wanted to stay with an autoloader platform, I'd be tweaking target loads for my full-dress .45ACP 1911 - I didn't keep my 9mm 1911 very long; it was too finicky with all but perfect ammo and accuracy wasn't worth the aggravation. With semiwadcutter bullets, ithe .45 makes big holes with clean edges. In decent revolvers, a 158gr hollow-base wadcutter with a few grains of Bullseye is very low recoil and really accurate.

Yeah, I've been down a few rabbit holes with handgun handloading... have fun.

 

[Rum&Powder]

Thanks for all of the replies.
The Silhouette was all I could find at a reasonable price. Is this dirty because it is a slower burning powder? I see that titegroup and clay are faster burning. In the future should I be looking at faster powders?

I chose the bullets just based on price...
I found them for 8.5c each. I have not actually purchased the bullets yet but planned to this weekend. If there are better for a similar price, I am very open to suggestions.
The powder was about $65 as were the primers and I am trying to keep it at 1000 rounds for under .20 each.... I can buy 9mm all day for .30 a round so using new brass is out as that would put me way over what I can buy it for.

My pistols aren't anything special. I have a Taurus G2c for carry and a H&K P30L with the wick compensator hanging off the end of it for my fun to shoot gun. I have taken part in a couple of steel challenges and been doing some move and shoot training....I don't know that I will be trying to do any real competitions with the pistols....I just want to be more accurate than 90% of the folks out at the range. I don't think either of those two guns are very picky about what you feed them....and neither are any precision instrument.

The dies I got are the 4 die Hornady set. So I think the last one is only for crimping. I will be careful to only put as much pressure as have to to keep the bullets from falling out.

Any other suggestions you guys have would be very helpful. I am trying to get as much of a plan together as possible as I do not own a press. I am going over to a buddies house to reload, but most of what he has done is black powder 45-70 so he doesn't have a lot of experience with modern pistol reloading and as he is 3 hours away I am going the 1st holiday weekend in Jan to try to get 1000 rounds loaded that weekend.

 

[Mudflap621]

I’d recommend using your actual barrel as your case gauge versus a store bought gauge. I’ve found a lot of variance in handgun chamberings and the best way to tell if it’ll pass inspection is to do the plunk test with the barrel. Ive had rounds pass a case guage and than not chamber in certain firearms.

My handgun plinking ammo I process in bulk and didn’t want a lot of different load recipes so I found my tightest chamber and made some test rounds to fit that. I made sure these functioned properly in all my handguns and once I verified went to town.

 

[n0glock]

Look at Rocky Mountain Reloading, they are selling jacked bullets for a decent price, and good quality the jacketed bullets will be more forgiving for first time reloading, the plated and coated bullets are fantastic but to get great accuracy they take a little finesse.

 

[Yondering]

The dies I got are the 4 die Hornady set. So I think the last one is only for crimping. I will be careful to only put as much pressure as have to to keep the bullets from falling out.

No, that is not how it works, and not what any of us said here about crimping.

Crimping has nothing to do with “keeping your bullets from falling out”. The case neck tension does that, and that comes from the sizing die and the powder funnel or flare die. You DO NOT need any crimp whatsoever.

Berry’s bullets, along with pretty much all other plates bullets, are close to the bottom of the barrel. Best I can say for them is that they’re cheap. Accuracy will definitely not be what you can get from a jacketed bullet or decent cast/coated bullet. But they will go bang if that’s all that matters.

Yea Silhouette will be dirty for mild loads because it’s a slower powder. Slow powder for hot loads, fast powder for mild loads.
Also to an extent, slow powder for heavy bullets, fast powder for light bullets.

 

[DownhillFromHere]

The dies I got are the 4 die Hornady set. So I think the last one is only for crimping. I will be careful to only put as much pressure as have to to keep the bullets from falling out.

Yes, the last die is a crimper. Be aware: the crimp is not the primary means of retaining the bullet; it's the resized case. The 9mm cartridge just doesn't have enough recoil to back uncrimped bullets out of the case outside of unusual scenarios, and I've read tjhe crimping plated bullets with no cannelure can crack the plating and lead to grunge and smoke (not dangerous). [shrug] Go ahead and try to crimp if you feel the need. I predict you'll get over it in a hurry.

I am going the 1st holiday weekend in Jan to try to get 1000 rounds loaded that weekend.

If it's a single-stage press like an RCBS Rock Chucker, you won't be doing much else for a day or so:

1. Place case in size die, push handle down to deprime & resize. Place a primer in the little primer holder, push it into the slot in the ram, raise handle back up to seat primer. Do this 1000 times, at maybe 10 seconds per case. Call it three hours for resizing.
2. Put the case belling die in the press. Run 1000 cases into the die. Another three hours.
3. Dispense powder charge into 1000 cases. How many loading trays available to hold charged cases? Probably 4-5 hours.
4. Put seating die in the press. Seat 1000 bullets. Three hours.
5. Now, if you still wanna do it, put in the crimp die and run your 1000 cartridges through. Three more hours.

I don't think anyone would want to sit at a press for 13-15 or so hours straight, so the actual time to complete 1k rounds will probably be more. In my early days when I loaded pistol ammo on a single stage press, 50 at a time was all I could stand. Just be aware.

I’d recommend using your actual barrel as your case gauge versus a store bought gauge. I’ve found a lot of variance in handgun chamberings and the best way to tell if it’ll pass inspection is to do the plunk test with the barrel. Ive had rounds pass a case guage and than not chamber in certain firearms.

Whose gauge "passed" a cartridge which would then not chamber?

The Wilson gages (their spelling) will show min/max SAAMI tolerances. While using a pistol barrel for a "plunk test" is better than nothing, I learned that a good gage is better in all respects and I don't have to take a gun apart.

 

[Anb618]

If you haven’t bought bullets yet, I’ll toss out a second for Rocky Mountain Reloading. Pretty much all I shoot. 115gr for 9.6 cents each if you buy 1k at a time.

9mm 115 Gr. RMR Full Metal Jacket Round Nose Bullets | RMR Bullets

Introducing our very first in house produced jacketed bullet, RMR's 9mm 115 Full Metal Jacket bullets. These bullets are made by us! Here is a video of our manufacturing machine in action! Click Here To Watch The Video The more of these you buy, the sooner we will be able to get more machines to

www.rmrbullets.com

Keep an eye out and get on their email lists. They frequently offer sales on their big sellers. I stocked up and haven’t bought from them in a while, but I think they include shipping in their pricing too.

 

[DownhillFromHere]

Yea Silhouette will be dirty for mild loads because it’s a slower powder. Slow powder for hot loads, fast powder for mild loads.
Also to an extent, slow powder for heavy bullets, fast powder for light bullets.

Again, I'm not familiar with Silhouette. But, if it's a slow ball powder... well, I used to load .44 and .357 magnum with Winchester 296, which specifically warned against undercharging because dangerous pressure spikes were possible unless recipes were followed exactly.

 

[Yondering]

Yes, the last die is a crimper. Be aware: the crimp is not the primary means of retaining the bullet; it's the resized case. The 9mm cartridge just doesn't have enough recoil to back uncrimped bullets out of the case outside of unusual scenarios, and I've read tjhe crimping plated bullets with no cannelure can crack the plating and lead to grunge and smoke (not dangerous). [shrug] Go ahead and try to crimp if you feel the need. I predict you'll get over it in a hurry.


If it's a single-stage press like an RCBS Rock Chucker, you won't be doing much else for a day or so:

1. Place case in size die, push handle down to deprime & resize. Place a primer in the little primer holder, push it into the slot in the ram, raise handle back up to seat primer. Do this 1000 times, at maybe 10 seconds per case. Call it three hours for resizing.
2. Put the case belling die in the press. Run 1000 cases into the die. Another three hours.
3. Dispense powder charge into 1000 cases. How many loading trays available to hold charged cases? Probably 4-5 hours.
4. Put seating die in the press. Seat 1000 bullets. Three hours.
5. Now, if you still wanna do it, put in the crimp die and run your 1000 cartridges through. Three more hours.

I don't think anyone would want to sit at a press for 13-15 or so hours straight, so the actual time to complete 1k rounds will probably be more. In my early days when I loaded pistol ammo on a single stage press, 50 at a time was all I could stand. Just be aware.


Whose gauge "passed" a cartridge which would then not chamber?

The Wilson gages (their spelling) will show min/max SAAMI tolerances. While using a pistol barrel for a "plunk test," I learned that a good gage is better in all respects and I don't have to take a gun apart.

I’ve seen a lot of cases that wouldn’t pass the gauge but were just fine in the gun. That’s just a waste of time using the gauge at that point. I use the barrel now for match loads, and don’t need to use a gauge at all for the rest of it.

OP if in doubt just pick up a Lee factory crimp die for the 4th stage; you’d use that instead of the 4th Hornady die. It doesn’t need to apply any crimp, but the sizing ring will ensure your ammo fits all but the tightest chambers without gauging everything.

 

[Yondering]

Again, I'm not familiar with Silhouette. But, if it's a slow ball powder... well, I used to load .44 and .357 magnum with Winchester 296, which specifically warned against undercharging because dangerous pressure spikes were possible unless recipes were followed exactly.

It’s not that slow. Slow for 9mm is the Blue Dot range, and Silhouette is right about Therese a little faster depending on the load.

Those warnings for magnum powders don’t apply to Silhouette or most anything else you can fit in a 9mm case.

 

[Mudflap621]

Yes, the last die is a crimper. Be aware: the crimp is not the primary means of retaining the bullet; it's the resized case. The 9mm cartridge just doesn't have enough recoil to back uncrimped bullets out of the case outside of unusual scenarios, and I've read tjhe crimping plated bullets with no cannelure can crack the plating and lead to grunge and smoke (not dangerous). [shrug] Go ahead and try to crimp if you feel the need. I predict you'll get over it in a hurry.


If it's a single-stage press like an RCBS Rock Chucker, you won't be doing much else for a day or so:

1. Place case in size die, push handle down to deprime & resize. Place a primer in the little primer holder, push it into the slot in the ram, raise handle back up to seat primer. Do this 1000 times, at maybe 10 seconds per case. Call it three hours for resizing.
2. Put the case belling die in the press. Run 1000 cases into the die. Another three hours.
3. Dispense powder charge into 1000 cases. How many loading trays available to hold charged cases? Probably 4-5 hours.
4. Put seating die in the press. Seat 1000 bullets. Three hours.
5. Now, if you still wanna do it, put in the crimp die and run your 1000 cartridges through. Three more hours.

I don't think anyone would want to sit at a press for 13-15 or so hours straight, so the actual time to complete 1k rounds will probably be more. In my early days when I loaded pistol ammo on a single stage press, 50 at a time was all I could stand. Just be aware.


Whose gauge "passed" a cartridge which would then not chamber?

The Wilson gages (their spelling) will show min/max SAAMI tolerances. While using a pistol barrel for a "plunk test" is better than nothing, I learned that a good gage is better in all respects and I don't have to take a gun apart.

Dillon 9mm guage and a match barrel on a DW PM9. Theres a million ways to skin a cat but I’d rather check it to my barrel and it’s free.

I know we’re not talking match grade precision rounds but would you use a LE Wilson guage for your long range ammo?

 

[Choid]

Silhouette is the old WAP, right? It’s not ideal for 9mm, but I used to shoot it in 9x23 until I found 3n37. There are many better 9mm powders unless you are trying to get max velocity.

 

[Yondering]

Silhouette is the old WAP, right? It’s not ideal for 9mm, but I used to shoot it in 9x23 until I found 3n37. There are many better 9mm powders unless you are trying to get max velocity.

Yes it’s the old WAP. Not sure how you’d conclude it’s not ideal for 9mm though; it was WAP for a reason and it is primarily a 9mm powder. It IS ideal for the right loads, just not mild loads. I use it for a 90gr Lehigh @ 1525 for example, and a 100gr cast @ 1450 fps both from a G19, and it’s a perfect powder for that.

Some people seem to get stuck thinking of 9mm as just one thing, but there’s a huge wide range of loads and performance that it can be used for.

 

[Halfnutz]

Yes it’s the old WAP. Not sure how you’d conclude it’s not ideal for 9mm though; it was WAP for a reason and it is primarily a 9mm powder. It IS ideal for the right loads, just not mild loads. I use it for a 90gr Lehigh @ 1525 for example, and a 100gr cast @ 1450 fps both from a G19, and it’s a perfect powder for that.

Some people seem to get stuck thinking of 9mm as just one thing, but there’s a huge wide range of loads and performance that it can be used for.

On that 100gr cast....
Gas checked?
Leading if not?
Barrel/rifling?

Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[Choid]

Yes it’s the old WAP. Not sure how you’d conclude it’s not ideal for 9mm though; it was WAP for a reason and it is primarily a 9mm powder. It IS ideal for the right loads, just not mild loads. I use it for a 90gr Lehigh @ 1525 for example, and a 100gr cast @ 1450 fps both from a G19, and it’s a perfect powder for that.

Some people seem to get stuck thinking of 9mm as just one thing, but there’s a huge wide range of loads and performance that it can be used for.

It was primarily a 38 super powder, and when that became less popular, Winchester discontinued it. I am glad you have found a use for it in 9mm, though.

 

[Rum&Powder]

No, that is not how it works, and not what any of us said here about crimping.

Crimping has nothing to do with “keeping your bullets from falling out”. The case neck tension does that, and that comes from the sizing die and the powder funnel or flare die. You DO NOT need any crimp whatsoever.

Wait, you are saying to skip the final die all together? Just use the decapping/resizing, then flare, then seat and don't bother with the final one?

I will grab the fmj bullets from RMR tonight. I greatly appreciate the heads up. I honestly did not realize the Berry's were plated rather than jacketed. I assumed anything copper on the outside was all jacketed.

I will keep my eye out for some faster powder in the next couple weeks too.

 

[Anb618]

Hit up your state’s local trades thread in the PX. Almost every state has one. Might be able to find someone willing to trade for something different if you have decided not to use what you have.

 

[Molon]

Silhouette is the old WAP, right? It’s not ideal for 9mm,

9mm Parabellum, 10-shot group of 115 grain HAP at 25 yards using WAP.

9mm Parabellum, 10-shot group of 121 grain HAP at 25 yards using WAP.

9mm Parabellum, 10-shot group of 125 grain HAP at 25 yards using WAP.

9mm Parabellum, 10-shot group of 125 grain HAP at 50 yards using WAP.

….

 

[Choid]

9mm Parabellum, 10-shot group of 115 grain HAP at 25 yards using WAP.

9mm Parabellum, 10-shot group of 121 grain HAP at 25 yards using WAP.

9mm Parabellum, 10-shot group of 125 grain HAP at 25 yards using WAP.

9mm Parabellum, 10-shot group of 125 grain HAP at 50 yards using WAP.

….

That's good shooting, and clearly a good load, but it doesn't mean much about the general suitability of a powder on the fringes of the spectrum for a cartridge. It is more like 3n37 and 3n38 than it is Power Pistol or some other classic 9mm powder. Does that mean you can't shoot it? Of course not, but it means that for somebody starting out loading 9mm it isn't an ideal choice, especially when he is talking about wanting minimal velocity. You can shoot good groups with it in 45 too, but hardly anybody would consider it an ideal 45 powder. It is an ideal 38 super, 9x23, etc powder.

 

[Yondering]

That's good shooting, and clearly a good load, but it doesn't mean much about the general suitability of a powder on the fringes of the spectrum for a cartridge. It is more like 3n37 and 3n38 than it is Power Pistol or some other classic 9mm powder. Does that mean you can't shoot it? Of course not, but it means that for somebody starting out loading 9mm it isn't an ideal choice, especially when he is talking about wanting minimal velocity. You can shoot good groups with it in 45 too, but hardly anybody would consider it an ideal 45 powder. It is an ideal 38 super, 9x23, etc powder.

No. It's very close to Power Pistol in performance, but without the flash.
Not sure why you're hung up on this, but you're wrong. Silhouette is an excellent 9mm powder, for the right application as with all powders.

 

[Yondering]

Wait, you are saying to skip the final die all together? Just use the decapping/resizing, then flare, then seat and don't bother with the final one?

I will grab the fmj bullets from RMR tonight. I greatly appreciate the heads up. I honestly did not realize the Berry's were plated rather than jacketed. I assumed anything copper on the outside was all jacketed.

I will keep my eye out for some faster powder in the next couple weeks too.

No you can use the crimp die, just only enough to mostly remove the flare. no need for any more than that, and it DOES NOT hold the bullet in the case.

 

[Yondering]

On that 100gr cast....
Gas checked?
Leading if not?
Barrel/rifling?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Cast & powder coated, no gas check. It's the Lee 95gr RF with lube gooves removed, as well as a different but similar weight 100gr hollow point that I use. Slightly different powder charges for each but similar performance.

No leading whatsoever, and great accuracy. This is not "Hi Tek" coating though, that stuff won't hold up to something like this. Actual polyester powder coat is the way to go. I push the same bullets over 1800 fps from the 357 Sig G22 also with good results and no leading.

The Lee 95 RF:

Lehigh copper and 100gr HP coated (green, unfired). The white things are pieces punched out of 1/4" aluminum plate by each bullet. The Lehighs cut a square hole.

 

[Choid]

No. It's very close to Power Pistol in performance, but without the flash.
Not sure why you're hung up on this, but you're wrong. Silhouette is an excellent 9mm powder, for the right application as with all powders.

I'm hardly hung up on it, and I don't know what I have said that has you in such a tizzy.

 

[Yondering]

I'm hardly hung up on it, and I don't know what I have said that has you in such a tizzy.

I'm not "in a tizzy", don't act like a petulant little dick. Take a little ownership of your own statements and maybe learn to admit when you're wrong?

You keep insisting Silhouette isn't an ideal 9mm powder. By your same standard, neither are Clays or Titegroup, because they're better for mild loads and not great for hotter loads. Same for at least 30-40 other powders out there that are also excellent 9mm powders. Basically, your claim is meaningless, because ALL powders are best in their appropriate applications, but 9mm is one of the very good applications of Silhouette. Just not for what the OP needs.

 

[Halfnutz]

9mm Parabellum, 10-shot group of 115 grain HAP at 25 yards using WAP.

9mm Parabellum, 10-shot group of 121 grain HAP at 25 yards using WAP.

9mm Parabellum, 10-shot group of 125 grain HAP at 25 yards using WAP.

9mm Parabellum, 10-shot group of 125 grain HAP at 50 yards using WAP.

….

And these are G19 factory barrel?
Ransom rest, I assume.
Hardness?

 

[Choid]

I'm not "in a tizzy", don't act like a petulant little dick. Take a little ownership of your own statements and maybe learn to admit when you're wrong?

You keep insisting Silhouette isn't an ideal 9mm powder. By your same standard, neither are Clays or Titegroup, because they're better for mild loads and not great for hotter loads. Same for at least 30-40 other powders out there that are also excellent 9mm powders. Basically, your claim is meaningless, because ALL powders are best in their appropriate applications, but 9mm is one of the very good applications of Silhouette. Just not for what the OP needs.

Clays is not an ideal 9mm powder either. Not sure how hard it is to understand the difference between ideal, and a powder that can be useful in certain situations. I never said it was a bad powder for 9mm, or that you can't use it to good effect, just that it is not an ideal powder for 9mm. Lyman, which doesn't list it for any 9mm use, seems to agree. They list it in every 38 Super load. It's called a clue.

 

[Barelstroker]

To the Op.
Besides ensuring your powder type & charge are correct, be sure to test some of your reloaded cartridges in your chamber if you decide to crimp. Be sure to push the loaded round into the chamber with your thumb to ensure that the lip of the case contacts the lip of the chamber without being forced in under the headspace lip.
I've seen this happen a few times where guys have over crimped & the case can no longer headspace properly.
It's one of those things that's seldom mentioned & easily overlooked by the newbie.

 

[welditforyou]

Yes, the last die is a crimper. Be aware: the crimp is not the primary means of retaining the bullet; it's the resized case. The 9mm cartridge just doesn't have enough recoil to back uncrimped bullets out of the case outside of unusual scenarios, and I've read tjhe crimping plated bullets with no cannelure can crack the plating and lead to grunge and smoke (not dangerous). [shrug] Go ahead and try to crimp if you feel the need. I predict you'll get over it in a hurry.


If it's a single-stage press like an RCBS Rock Chucker, you won't be doing much else for a day or so:

1. Place case in size die, push handle down to deprime & resize. Place a primer in the little primer holder, push it into the slot in the ram, raise handle back up to seat primer. Do this 1000 times, at maybe 10 seconds per case. Call it three hours for resizing.
2. Put the case belling die in the press. Run 1000 cases into the die. Another three hours.
3. Dispense powder charge into 1000 cases. How many loading trays available to hold charged cases? Probably 4-5 hours.
4. Put seating die in the press. Seat 1000 bullets. Three hours.
5. Now, if you still wanna do it, put in the crimp die and run your 1000 cartridges through. Three more hours.

I don't think anyone would want to sit at a press for 13-15 or so hours straight, so the actual time to complete 1k rounds will probably be more. In my early days when I loaded pistol ammo on a single stage press, 50 at a time was all I could stand. Just be aware.


Whose gauge "passed" a cartridge which would then not chamber?

The Wilson gages (their spelling) will show min/max SAAMI tolerances. While using a pistol barrel for a "plunk test" is better than nothing, I learned that a good gage is better in all respects and I don't have to take a gun apart.

Please tell me about the "plunk test"!

 

[OkieMike]

I'm not an accomplished pistol loader... But VV 3n37 has worked well for me in 9mm/124 gr.

It's also available.

Mike

 

[spife7980]

While using a pistol barrel for a "plunk test" is better than nothing

Please tell me about the "plunk test"!

What more explanation is needed? You take your pistols barrel and plunk the round on in there.

 

[Molon]

Please tell me about the "plunk test"!

Besides "plunking" the round into the chamber of the barrel (dropping it into the chamber while the barrel is perpendicular to the floor), you should also give it the "spin test." A cartridge can pass the plunk test, but fail the spin test.

.....

 

[Pbgt]

To the OP, I think your "goal" of 1k rounds out of the gate much to optimistic and probably a good way to have the rush mindset, and potential safety issues. I promote a step by step approach to reloading, lets explore each part of the process, making sure you understand the pro's and con's along the way. A simple example, having some cleaned casings with media stuck inside, charge these with powder and BOOM... I would have a goal of maybe 20 rounds, ready for testing(shooting) ....try those, check fired brass from end to end, chrono as well, and accuracy results. I had a dipstick load 10k 9mm rounds right out of the gate...he tried to give me a box...oh, hell no. Have fun, quality first, quantity later.

 

[semperfireloading]

I think, for the money, Hornady HAP is about as good and accurate as you can get. I also think VV N340 or N330 is the 2 best choices for 9MM. Very versatile, accuracy and velocity is good. Virtually no flash signature either. These 2 powders are elite in this category. Everything is arguable, this is my opinion.

 

[tomme boy]

All the new plated bullets are double thick and will not crack. What you need is a taper crimp die. It is made just for cartridges that head space on the mouth. It works better than the old answer of just removing the bell.

Never used the powder you have. Shot a few 8lb jugs of hp38/231. It is a ball powder and meters exactly the same every time like most ball powders do. My new favorite is Shooters World Auto pistol. Performs the same as 231 at half the cost. Well was half the cost. I have enough to last me my lifetime and half of someone else's. I found a guy that had a reloading business and he sold me it for $11.99/lb. I brought all my empty 8lb jugs to him and he filled them up. Got 3 jugs of tactical rifle for the same price too. But this was before the bat bug hit

 

[Yondering]

All the new plated bullets are double thick and will not crack. What you need is a taper crimp die. It is made just for cartridges that head space on the mouth. It works better than the old answer of just removing the bell.

Not sure where you got your info, but plenty of modern plated bullets will crack with too much crimp. That's easy to prove if you recover your fired bullets.

As for the taper crimp and removing the bell - almost all modern 9x19 seating dies use a taper crimp unless they specifically list a roll crimp for revolvers; there's no reason to think the OP doesn't have a taper crimp die. A taper crimp is what's used for removing the belled case mouth, and with plated or cast bullets in a semi auto 9mm pistol there's no reason to give the rounds any more crimp than just removing the bell. A heavy taper crimp is not desirable and too much will crack the plating of a lot of plated bullets, whether they're listed as "double thick" or not.

 

[tomme boy]

Not sure where you got your info, but plenty of modern plated bullets will crack with too much crimp. That's easy to prove if you recover your fired bullets.

As for the taper crimp and removing the bell - almost all modern 9x19 seating dies use a taper crimp unless they specifically list a roll crimp for revolvers; there's no reason to think the OP doesn't have a taper crimp die. A taper crimp is what's used for removing the belled case mouth, and with plated or cast bullets in a semi auto 9mm pistol there's no reason to give the rounds any more crimp than just removing the bell. A heavy taper crimp is not desirable and too much will crack the plating of a lot of plated bullets, whether they're listed as "double thick" or not.

You must not have been doing this for very long. Most die sets come with a modified roll crimp not a True taper crimp. Get a real taper crimp die and see for yourself. I use mainly Redding dies. And you would really have to have your dies set up really wrong to CRACK the plating. You don't actually crimp the bullet. Thats where people get into trouble.

I have used almost all of the different makers of plated bullets and have never seen one yet that was cracked. Like I said they are double plated extra thick now to prevent this. it was a problem at first when these were first on the market. I had to pull about 50 bullets one time and none were cracked. And these were RMR's first run of bullets that were not double plated.

 

[Yondering]

You must not have been doing this for very long. Most die sets come with a modified roll crimp not a True taper crimp. Get a real taper crimp die and see for yourself. I use mainly Redding dies. And you would really have to have your dies set up really wrong to CRACK the plating. You don't actually crimp the bullet. Thats where people get into trouble.

I have used almost all of the different makers of plated bullets and have never seen one yet that was cracked. Like I said they are double plated extra thick now to prevent this. it was a problem at first when these were first on the market. I had to pull about 50 bullets one time and none were cracked. And these were RMR's first run of bullets that were not double plated.

So your big suggestion here is to not actually crimp the bullet? In other words, the exact same thing the rest of us have already suggested - just removing the case mouth bell. If you're not crimping the bullet, that's all you're doing. Duh, if that's what you're doing, of course you won't crack the plating, and it doesn't matter who's brand of taper crimp you use.

So what the heck are you arguing about? Your assertion about taper crimps in other dies is silly, and easily disproven if you just look inside a clean die at the crimp section - the taper crimps are actual tapers and not a modified roll crimp, whatever that is. Sounds like you swallowed someone's marketing instead of learning for yourself. Same for this "double extra thick" plating too; have you even used more than one brand of plated bullets? And wow, you pulled 50 bullets one time? So much experience!

Honestly, you sound like someone who's been loading for just a few years and thinks you know everything better than the rest of us.

 

[tomme boy]

I guess,,,,,, you are right......... now get off daddy's laptop and go give your cousin a reach around out there in lib land

 

[Clifford46]

I will reloading 9mm for the first time next month. I am just using it for target loads. I don't think that max speed is really important as I will never shoot these past 40 yards. My only real desire is for these to be accurate.
I have picked up powder (Silhouette)
I have primers (federal small pistol match)
I have the brass (my own once fired mixed)
I am going to use Barry's hollow point target bullets.
Should I be loading 4-5 of each different grain and see which group gives me the tightest group or am I just as well off to choose what I can find in reloading manuals as most accurate and just go with it?

Great to hear you're starting to reload 9mm! As skilled F class shooter Mohsin Nawas suggests, practice and consistency lead to accuracy. It's recommended to load several rounds of each grain and test for the tightest group, as reloading manuals might not always provide the best load for your specific firearm. Accuracy comes from careful measurements, correct bullet seating, and consistent crimping. Enjoy your reloading and shooting journey!

 

[Molon]

VV 3n37 has worked well for me in 9mm/124 gr.

3N37 also works well with 147 grain bullets.

....