Home Forums Reloading Reloading Software Simple 9mm reloadin question not so simple

I bought 2000 Remington .356 fmj 130 gr bullets for my 9mm. they probably were intended to 38 super or other, but will work in 9mm. It is not so simple because I can't find any info for loading this size bullet. Alter looking everywhere I can, have decided on a starting load of 5 gr Unique, and max of 5.4 gr. I put this out there for your consideration. If anyone has any safety thoughts about this load please let me know. I do want to stick with Unique because I have a good supply of it. Wallacem in Ga

Wow, I would have thought this site had a good number of reloaders, and usually, reloaders are always willing to help a fellow reloader with a real safety question about a load. I seem to be wrong. Wallacem in Ga

I'd say you are in the ballpark, and it sounds reasonable.

I've seen standard pressure data that uses 5.0 Unique max with a 130 gr, and I've also seen 5.6 max, but anytime you change a component it puts you in unknown territory.

If it were me I'd do what I always do and start at 4.5 and work up using my chrono to quickly find out where I am at with a particular bullet and can of powder...maybe 10 rounds to figure it out.

1000-1050 seems like a good safe target velocity to hit with Unique at standard pressure. +p is higher.

I've played around quite a bit and never blown a 9mm case, but I still test loads near the top with the mag out.

You posted this in the software section so maybe a reloading question isn't expected here, and you may get more input from the Handgun forum.

Wallacem,

I think I'd start lower than 5.0, as Boogaloo said 4.5 would be good. But I've become more cautious in my old age.

Hodgdon lists data for 130 gr in 9mm, but of course Unique is'nt there. Universal and Unequal would be very close.

OK. thank you for the two replies. I did make up some test loads. 20 with 5.0 gr, and 20 with 5.4 Gr. the 5.0 loads shot good but, maybe, mild. the 5.4 gr loads puckered the primers just a tad, not bad. I settled on a load of 5.2 gr. loaded 20 of them, shot great. Have started loading 2000 of them. Thanks, Wallace

Might have received more exposure thus more replies if you had posted in the reloading section rather than the software section.

Moron.

smh & lmao

The problem is there is no handgun reloading forum.

Big Game
Varmint
Shot Shells
Bullet Casting
Reloading Software

It would be nice to have a handgun reloading forum.
_________________________

Yes, it seems obvious to me, we NEED a handgun reloading forum!!

I'll go along with that.

Maybe a sub forum under Handguns.

Yeah, I'll second that. Never can figure whether to post handgun load stuff in 'Handguns' or 'Big Game Rifles'.

See what the reloading manual(s) list as loads for 124 grain bullets and back off at least .5 grains from the low end of the 124 grain bullet loads as a starting point.

When I started handloading ~17 years ago I worked up overloads with every 9mm bullet and powder.
I have many 9mm handguns. The typical unsupported case wall over the feed ramp is 0.19".
The case webs are 0.16".
The net thin unsupported case wall in 0.030". The case wall is ~0.15" thick that bridges the abyss.
This situation or better is found in almost all 9mm pistols. I cannot get enough Unique to fit in the case with any bullet to make a case bulge.
Unique lacks the speed * density product to make pressure trouble. There can still be too much recoil, cases fly too far, and the slide hammers the frame, but no pressure problems.

Pressure problems are easy to achieve with AA#5, 3N37, and HS-6. They have the speed* density product.
Pressure problems are easy to achieve in barrels where someone put a Cratex abrasive tool in a Dremel and polished the feed ramp down to where the case support is compromised.

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

Using Universal Hodgdon says to start at 3.8 grains with a max of 4.2 grains. Universal is very close to Unique so be sure to use all the safety protocols when working up a new load.

Hope you find that sweet spot.