9mm Chronograph Data

[spence]

The origin of this rabbit hole started when I observed via YouTube some of the differences in general chronograph data. Namely Buffman RANGE's data. He does a really nice job of putting info out, but the periodic changes in barrel lengths drove me bonkers, and it always seemed there was a big gap here or there in barrel lengths. Then, add on that the M9A3's 5.1" barrel always came in with lower velocities than the shorter barrels.

So I asked Santa for a chronograph for Christmas, and guess was showed up? I wanted to chronograph a wide variety of 9mm ammo that's typical to me and what I might shoot, plus a few others I could get my mitts on. I shot over two days, the first a month ago, and then today. Had to wait to try and get similar weather when I was home to do it. It was colder today than I planned, and fairly windy, but the results are similar enough, I believe. I did shoot a couple of loads from a month ago again just for the curious party to compare against each other. Ironically enough, even though it was a tad cooler out, the reshoots today clocked in a bit faster.

Test barrels included
3" - KelTec PF9
3.3" - PX4 Storm Compact
4" - XD9
4.3" - 92 Compact
4.9" - M9

I posted the first iteration of data elsewhere, and someone pointed out that Glock barrels tend to clock the fastest due to the polygonal rifling. I don't know how HS cuts the XD barrels, but I was a bit surprised that it typically clocked velocities the same as the M9's. I have a gen 3 G22 that I was ordering a 9mm barrel for around the same time, and I got a threaded Wolf barrel, totally spacing out that they're significantly longer. Had I gotten a non threaded, I might have used it in the mix, however I'm glad I didn't. At some point in the future I'll bust it out again to compare different barrels of similar length. I've got an XD40 with a Storm Lake 9mm barrel in that I'll stack against the factory 9mm barrel, maybe test the stainless LTT Centurion barrel against the standard compact barrel, and the standard M9 and/or threaded 92 barrel against the Wolf 5" Glock barrel.

It's all relatively useless information, but that's the kind of crap that I find interesting. I tend to get hung up on minutia sometimes.

 

[spence]

And the last one added separately since the forum only lets you attach 8 photos at a time. Yay for screen shots.

 

[dennishoddy]

That's some serious data acquisition! Some interesting results there as well comparing the 3" vs the 5" barrels with the same ammo.

 

[spence]

That's some serious data acquisition! Some interesting results there as well comparing the 3" vs the 5" barrels with the same ammo.

In my "most perfect" world, I would have had, say, an M&P compact to get a 3.6" barrel, and around a 4.6/4.7" in a Sig 320 or the full size LTT. Probably would have bounced up to the 5" Glock barrel or 5.1" threaded 92 barrel at that point, but that would have been 7 barrels to shoot through, and that would have been a lot. After the first iteration of this adventure, firing, IIRC, 775 rounds in a couple hours, I decided 6 rounds per barrel length/load was more than sufficient for the task at hand, and it was a much more manageable day even with the less conducive weather.

Another thing I found interesting is there was only two rounds that came in over their advertised velocities. Magtech and Federal Champion. For that matter, the Champion came in hotter than American Eagle, at least when shot the same day. AE came in a little higher today. I'm almost tempted to get some more of it since Academy sells the stuff and see if it was a fluke box. Same thing with the Magtech.

I was sorely disappointed by the numbers turned by Fiocchi, as it's one of my favorite practice rounds when the price is right, and Geco 115 gr. I don't typically buy Lawman, but the numbers it put out were less than amazing, as well. In relative terms the Winchester NATO still doesn't come terrible close to the advertised, but for a 124, it's certainly still on the hot end.

What impressed me the most was the steel cased Tula. Some of the best numbers of the bunch, and complete garbage for ammo. However, I shot a 25 yard slowfire with the stuff after I was finished with everything else, and all things considered, the stuff isn't inaccurate, either.

The takeaway for me is that I may tend to err towards one load over another a little more than I have. Not by much, just if all things are otherwise equal, some may be less apt to find their way into my ammo closet. I also want to get all the random stuff I have managed to accumulate shot up because I like to keep it down to just a couple flavors of 9mm around. It's nice to have a couple options that are relatively affordable at a brick and mortar, like the Browning load at Academy for 16.7 cents a round, but it's not the first thing I want to shoot. Rebates getting brass cased ammo to under 14 cents a round are nice, too, but it throws a bit of a kink in my system. I'm weird like that.

 

[dennishoddy]

Wait until you get i

In my "most perfect" world, I would have had, say, an M&P compact to get a 3.6" barrel, and around a 4.6/4.7" in a Sig 320 or the full size LTT. Probably would have bounced up to the 5" Glock barrel or 5.1" threaded 92 barrel at that point, but that would have been 7 barrels to shoot through, and that would have been a lot. After the first iteration of this adventure, firing, IIRC, 775 rounds in a couple hours, I decided 6 rounds per barrel length/load was more than sufficient for the task at hand, and it was a much more manageable day even with the less conducive weather.

Another thing I found interesting is there was only two rounds that came in over their advertised velocities. Magtech and Federal Champion. For that matter, the Champion came in hotter than American Eagle, at least when shot the same day. AE came in a little higher today. I'm almost tempted to get some more of it since Academy sells the stuff and see if it was a fluke box. Same thing with the Magtech.

I was sorely disappointed by the numbers turned by Fiocchi, as it's one of my favorite practice rounds when the price is right, and Geco 115 gr. I don't typically buy Lawman, but the numbers it put out were less than amazing, as well. In relative terms the Winchester NATO still doesn't come terrible close to the advertised, but for a 124, it's certainly still on the hot end.

What impressed me the most was the steel cased Tula. Some of the best numbers of the bunch, and complete garbage for ammo. However, I shot a 25 yard slowfire with the stuff after I was finished with everything else, and all things considered, the stuff isn't inaccurate, either.

The takeaway for me is that I may tend to err towards one load over another a little more than I have. Not by much, just if all things are otherwise equal, some may be less apt to find their way into my ammo closet. I also want to get all the random stuff I have managed to accumulate shot up because I like to keep it down to just a couple flavors of 9mm around. It's nice to have a couple options that are relatively affordable at a brick and mortar, like the Browning load at Academy for 16.7 cents a round, but it's not the first thing I want to shoot. Rebates getting brass cased ammo to under 14 cents a round are nice, too, but it throws a bit of a kink in my system. I'm weird like that.

Wait until you get that chronograph into centerfire rifle stuff. You will see the incredible differences in velocities that make huge differences downrange at longer ranges.
I have solved so many BS stories about "my load will do blah, blah, blah" because I used this powder, this bullet, and this primer by inviting them to shoot across it and then put that miracle load on some paper.
Have two chronographs now, but want to get the Magneto Speed because that looks to be the most consistent to me as well as it's the only chrono that I'm aware of that will measure shotgun loads accurately.

 

[spence]

Wait until you get i

Wait until you get that chronograph into centerfire rifle stuff. You will see the incredible differences in velocities that make huge differences downrange at longer ranges.
I have solved so many BS stories about "my load will do blah, blah, blah" because I used this powder, this bullet, and this primer by inviting them to shoot across it and then put that miracle load on some paper.
Have two chronographs now, but want to get the Magneto Speed because that looks to be the most consistent to me as well as it's the only chrono that I'm aware of that will measure shotgun loads accurately.

Ugh. I don't even want to think about that. I've been shooting around 1500 rounds a month of 9mm. I haven't shot my AR or CZ527 since last fall. They're itching to stretch their legs. Just for my own sake, I do want to chrono the loads I shoot in the AR, though the thing is zeroed pretty much as we would have M4's, put sight center mass from 0-300 and squeeze the trigger. You'll hit him somewhere.

The CZ varmint rifle, on the other hand. I couldn't find one with the 24" barrel, the absolute only one I could find when I bought it last spring was the 25.6". That's a lot for .223, IMO. Thus far I'm shooting Fiocchi factory loads, and it has averaged right at 1 MOA at 300 yards with the 50 or 55 gr poly tip and 55 gr FMJ. It was surprising to see it shoot generic ball that well, and if I bought a little more high end ammo, it would probably keep all groups under 3" instead of having those ones that stretch out to ~4.5". Having good chrono numbers for it may help, especially when I can get it out further than 300. I'm still figuring out how to deal with cross wind with such a light bullet. I'm still a little disbelieving of owning a rifle that, at least when it's calm, will break clays with almost boring regularity at the 315 yard berm. The breeze kills me, though. On a coyote, it probably wouldn't be as much of a deal, but on a prairie dog or something smaller like that, it makes a huge difference.

 

[Moparman485]

Here are some of my results with 9mm chrono testing. (Use my load data at your own risk, they are safe in MY firearms)

 

[Rustygun]

Moparman & Spence,

if you had to pick a powder/bullet combination for your 9mm can you point to one and why? What would your measurements be? Accuracy, Recoil, repeatable velocity?

I am using a old 550 and loading 9mm with 115gr FMJ RN from Precision delta With HS-6 and have had real good results. Seems to work great in all my 9mms. As accurate as I allow them to be, low recoil impulse, clean burning, no smoke. I wonder what criteria other people use to determine a favorite load.

I tried unique and bullseye and maybe I did not have them loaded hot enough but my guns were filthy after every range session.. like using flammable dirt for powder. I tend to load on the lower to mid range of the published power charge.

I need to get a chrono and collect data like you guys have done to make a fair comparison but at this point I am satisfied with the results.

 

[NikatKimber]

I’d like to work up a good subsonic. I found a load for a 160gr coated lrn. I developed it some for my gun, and it was reliable, but dirty.

 

[Cowcatcher]

Moparman & Spence,

if you had to pick a powder/bullet combination for your 9mm can you point to one and why? What would your measurements be? Accuracy, Recoil, repeatable velocity?

I am using a old 550 and loading 9mm with 115gr FMJ RN from Precision delta With HS-6 and have had real good results. Seems to work great in all my 9mms. As accurate as I allow them to be, low recoil impulse, clean burning, no smoke. I wonder what criteria other people use to determine a favorite load.

I tried unique and bullseye and maybe I did not have them loaded hot enough but my guns were filthy after every range session.. like using flammable dirt for powder. I tend to load on the lower to mid range of the published power charge.

I need to get a chrono and collect data like you guys have done to make a fair comparison but at this point I am satisfied with the results.

I’ve been able to clean a load up by crimping more with Lee Factory crimp die.