Trying A new(to me) powder

by JimT, Texas, Wednesday, February 14, 2024, 09:45 (282 days ago)

For some weird reason I have been messing with the 9mm again after staying away from them for more than 20 years. A few years back I ran across a deal on a Star BM. J&G Sales had them for less than $300 and I bought one. Turned out to be a nice gun and it worked well. I added a set of wood stocks on it and stuck it in my safe. I have taken it out and shot it now and then. In truth, I shoot my .22's more.

I call it my "NotaGlock"

Anyway, I have plenty of Bear Creek Supply's 125 gr. RN cast bullet and worked up some great fun loads with 700X and Green Dot. Also the Berry's Plated 124 gr. RN bullet with Green Dot. The loads for both are mid-range loads and work good for shooting clay pigeons and paper targets at the Range. But I wanted to work up load for carry and decided on the Hornady 115 gr. XTP bullet.
Checking the internet I found the best place to buy them was from Scheel's. They have them for $19.95 a hundred so I ordered a couple hundred. (everyplace else was charge $25 or more)

Looking around I started reading about Power Pistol powder and decided to try it out. The biggest complaint I read about it was the large muzzle flash. Now if you have seen my .357 load you know I don't mind a large muzzle flash.

Looking up loading data I found this from Hodgdon's
FROM HORNADY
115 gr. XTP -- 1.075 OAL -- 4.8 gr. Minimum -- 6.7 gr. Maximum
(4.8 = 1000 fps 6.0 = 1150 fps 6.7 = 1250 fps)

Using Winchester cases and Winchester Small Pistol primers I started with 5.8 gr. ... 6.1 gr. and 6.4 gr. ... carefully watching the overall length. The 9mm is such a small case and loading density is so high that a small deviation in the overall loaded length can make a large difference.

On the range using the Star BM and a Kahr CW9 all loads functioned well with no hangups or jams. There was a notable difference between the lightest and heavier loads, both in recoil and where they hit in relation to the Point Of Aim. The 6.4 gr. load proved the most accurate from the Star and hit about an inch above the POA at 20 yards.

The first 5 shots I somehow put 3 together in the black, then pulled 2 out. I was sitting at a table, resting my left elbow on the table and holding the gun with both hands. After I fired those 5 I had two shells left and stood up and shot them offhand, putting one in the black and one high right.

I am going with the 6.4 gr. loading. I have no desire to hotrod the 9mm. The velocity will be somewhere around 1200 fps and that's not the critical thing to me. The reliability first and the accuracy second is what I am judging by.

I found loading data for Power Pistol covering loads for .380 ACP ... .38 Special ... .44 Special ... .44 Magnum ... .45 ACP (as well as the 9mm) It seems to be more versatile in the smaller cartridges. I don't plan on using it in anything but the 9mm where it seems to work well.

--
Ele era velho.
Ele era corajoso.
Ele era feio.