9mm Load Data

[Fyrtwuck]

I just bought some cast lead 130 grain lead hollow point bullets from GT Bullets. The intended uses are for steel challenge and maybe some evil bowling pins if they have good performance.

They’ll be shot from either a pistol or my PCCs. The longest barrel length on the PCCs is 16” and the shortest is 7”.

I’m not finding much In the way of load data for them. Right now I’m leaning towards 4 grains of WW231. I have the usual concerns about leading the barrel.

Any other suggestions or links?

 

[swampratt]

Sounds like your 4 gr is close to the start loads of the load data I see for Berrys plated bullets at Hodgdon.
They say 3.9-4.3

I see leading if the bullets are undersized vs the bore diameter.
I like to slug my barrels.
Lube does make a difference in leading..I have some lube I can use at 2000 fps in 30-30 for cast gas checked, if I use Alox I must slow it down to 1800 ish.

Another think I noticed in pistol ammo is really hard lead can lead up a barrel because it takes time to bump up and seal the gases if it bumps up much at all.
If your bullets are hitting the target sideways they are tumbling as you know. and what makes that happen is the bullet is skidding through the bore not turning with the grooves.

I have taken my alox lubed bullets to the point where they skid and tumble just to see what the max load for each powder used would be.
That was 45acp 200gr. that bullet is as long as it is fat and what surprised me was the tumbling bullet was still accurate. Close range like 25 yards.
Get to loading and shooting.

 

[Fyrtwuck]

The size of the bullets is .356. The load data for the powder I have now is,

WW231 3.9 - 4.3 903 - 1005 FPS

Titegroup 3.5 - 3.9 895 - 1006 FPS


http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/pistol