Need an education on 9mm reloading

[thor447]

Lately, I've been thinking it'd be fun to start reloading some 9mm and 44mag along with my rifle cartridges I currently reload. I have a question on the 9mm part.

Just going by cost, and what I'v read on here, can someone take me to school on loading lead bullets, coated lead, etc. and what differences there are with regards to power needs and crimping vs. a FMJ type range round? I've been looking at die sets with factory crimping vs. taper crimps, and trying to learn about the powder needs between the bullet types. My Lee manual doesn't even list Titegroup as a in the FMJ section, but does list it for the lead section. There isn't a separate section for coated bullets, so I'm curious if powder, crimp, etc. data would be different for those.

Do you have any opinions regarding these bullets from X-Treme?
https://precisionbullets.com/product/9mm-115-rn/

I've only been loading since Dec. 2019, and only rifle cartridges. Pistol ammo will be new to me, and I'm trying to learn what I can before making any purchases.

Also, I know that everyone will laugh at this, but if anyone has any small pistol primers they'd be willing to sell, I'd be willing to buy them from you! Online, and at least around OKC, I've come up short finding any. I would really like to get my hands on some CCI #500's or some Federal #100's for the 9mm if anyone has a large stockpile of them and wouldn't mind selling me a little.

 

[Glock 40]

Okay I am very new to reloading also. Started end of last summer with .223 then started other rifle and finally to pistol this year. @chazroh has shot a lot of precision coated lead and recommended them to me. I am sold on them. I shoot them in multiple 9mm guns including Glocks with no issues. Dave at Precision is quick to answer emails and will send you a coupon if you order 1k or more on your first order.

I have also loaded some Precision Delta FMJ bullets also in 9mm. Personally from now on out I only plan to use Coated lead if I can find it. On a plain FMJ your going to have exposed lead on the bottom. I personally think the coated bullets smoke less than the FMJ. Montana Gold makes a CMJ or complete metal jacket so there is no exposed lead on the bottom. Then if you use JHP the exposed lead is towards the front so it doesn't matter. Cost goes up though on FMJ and CMJ.

I will say if your gonna do this. You gotta step up to a progressive. Single loading pistol isn't going to get much done in a timely fashion. I have a 550 I use for pistol. Myself or my son will load 100-200 at a time whenever we are bored or in the evening. You will be surprised how quickly you load everything just doing short little runs. I know some guys like to crank out 2 or 3k at a time. I don't like to focus that long personally.

As for dies, I have Dillon for 9mm and 38/357 that I am loading for my sons cowboy guns. I have had no issues with crimping on multiple types of coated bullets for the 38 and no issues with the Precision coated on the 9mm. I don't run hot loads and just want it to have enough power to cycle all my guns reliably.

As for primers check out ammoseek.com daily multiple times a day. I have seen pistol primers show up in 1k and 5k packs in just the last week. I made sure I am stocked up for a while that way.

 

[adamsredlines]

Yeah talk to @chazroh he is the resident expert at getting you to spend money.

Proper loads, it seems like its cheaper to shoot 147 grain as they are only $2 more per 3500 from Precision, and take quite a bit less powder.
Charlie mentioned that and I scoffed somewhat...but it equated to quite a bit more loading per pound of powder. Moreso than I realized when he mentioned it.

 

[Shadowrider]

1) Forget Titegroup with lead bullets. It'll work with Hi-Tek coated lead but will still smoke. I personally only will load it with plated or JHP bullets with a fully jacketed base. It just burns too hot but is great with fully jacketed. Some people say they've melted their fibre optic sites with it. I haven't seen anyone do that, but if taking classes with long strings or drills reholstering after can be more comfortable with basically any other powder. It will heat up your gun faster and noticeably more than any other powder I've ever used. It has some good attributes too. Cheap to buy, low charge weight, it's usually available about anywhere that sells powder, it's not position sensitive and it behaves predictably. WST, N320 and Sport Pistol are good with lead or coated lead.

2) All auto pistol cartridges require a taper crimp. They headspace on the shoulder. All you really want to do is push the lip of the brass "back down to the bullet". Crimping won't hold the bullet in place, case tension does that. If you are crimping the case to bite into the bullet you're doing it wrong. Lee factory crimp dies are the universal favorite but I have several including Hornady and Redding. A taper is a taper.

3) Plated bullets are a craps game in my experience (you usually lose). Most guns will shoot them good enough at 7 yards but if you shoot groups at 25 you will see why they are never used in Bullseye competitions. Coated lead is usually cheaper and much, much, much easier to find an accurate load with and with plated you may never get there at all. Precision Delta, Montana Gold or RMR are the places to buy CMJ JHP bullets from in bulk. If you do run a plated ALWAYS get them sized .001' (or even .002") above groove diameter and try to get the "thick plated" variety. Those will probably shoot but if I opt for thick plate it's about the same price for a real jacketed. I'm a cheapazz, so I go with coated lead most of the time.

 

[nich018]

As for primers check out ammoseek.com daily multiple times a day. I have seen pistol primers show up in 1k and 5k packs in just the last week. I made sure I am stocked up for a while that way.

Good website,didn't know they showed primers. Tulammo also sells them.

.

 

[okierider]

147 grain coated lead over 4.7 grains of long shot. I go with a light crimp with Lee dies.
I have also used W231 can't remember the charge but it worked well for accuracy.

You not really going to save any money reloading 9mm when you can find it in the stores. The deal with reloading is you will be shooting when others are scrambling to find ammo . I do tend to keep a look out for good deals on components and buy them whether I need them or not.

 

[Glock 40]

As for price per bullet. Its really not much difference. I crunched some numbers once. You have to make sure your comparing apples to apples. Lots of time the heavier bullets don't have as many in a case. Here is some Precision 9mm FP comparisons. I used Bullseye powder at the time and what I paid for it. Your powder will go farther with larger bullets but powder is the cheapest part of the equation. Your literally putting a penny of powder in a pistol round. You will be happy to see its also usually much cheaper than rifle powder.

 

[Rod Snell]

I tried all kinds of lead and plated loads in 9mm and .40, and finally decided to quit experimenting and trying to go cheap. For 9mm, I load Titegroup under 124gr jacketed, period. Utterly reliable in everything I have. Essentially ballistically duplicates the original 9mm Parabellum load. (My .40 load is Titegroup under 180gr jacketed. I ran out of patience try to get .40 plated to shoot accurately at major power.)

I have tried a "minimum recoil " heavy, coated 9mm bullet minor power load used by a Master Class shooter friend, and it is a competitor's delight for double taps. Frankly, I would switch to it if I were still doing sanctioned matches regularly, but that's not happening anymore.

 

[swampratt]

Casting, coating and sizing your own bullets can save some coin and make some bullets that actually bump up to the grooves with light loads and will be accurate.
Problem with most store bought Coated bullets is they are very hard.
Only loads in pistol that like kind of hard bullets is my 1300+ fps 357 mag 170gr loads.
1150 fps and down respond well to a softer alloy.

I added up what it cost me to make my own pistol ammo years ago it was less than 5 bucks for 100 rounds.
I also use Lee 4 die set for all my pistol ammo and use a Lee 4 hole turret press.

 

[thor447]

Okay I am very new to reloading also. Started end of last summer with .223 then started other rifle and finally to pistol this year. @chazroh has shot a lot of precision coated lead and recommended them to me. I am sold on them. I shoot them in multiple 9mm guns including Glocks with no issues. Dave at Precision is quick to answer emails and will send you a coupon if you order 1k or more on your first order.

I have also loaded some Precision Delta FMJ bullets also in 9mm. Personally from now on out I only plan to use Coated lead if I can find it. On a plain FMJ your going to have exposed lead on the bottom. I personally think the coated bullets smoke less than the FMJ. Montana Gold makes a CMJ or complete metal jacket so there is no exposed lead on the bottom. Then if you use JHP the exposed lead is towards the front so it doesn't matter. Cost goes up though on FMJ and CMJ.

I will say if your gonna do this. You gotta step up to a progressive. Single loading pistol isn't going to get much done in a timely fashion. I have a 550 I use for pistol. Myself or my son will load 100-200 at a time whenever we are bored or in the evening. You will be surprised how quickly you load everything just doing short little runs. I know some guys like to crank out 2 or 3k at a time. I don't like to focus that long personally.

As for dies, I have Dillon for 9mm and 38/357 that I am loading for my sons cowboy guns. I have had no issues with crimping on multiple types of coated bullets for the 38 and no issues with the Precision coated on the 9mm. I don't run hot loads and just want it to have enough power to cycle all my guns reliably.

As for primers check out ammoseek.com daily multiple times a day. I have seen pistol primers show up in 1k and 5k packs in just the last week. I made sure I am stocked up for a while that way.

Thanks. I have a Lee progressive that is sitting and waiting. I initially bought it for my rifles, but quickly swapped it out for Rock Chucker single stage. The RC press gave me a little more ability dial in precision adjustments, since I'm most loading for long range shooting. It's just a big hunk of metal that doesn't move, and that suits my needs for the rifle loading. The progressive is still just sitting here, and will be good towards bulk range ammo for the pistols.