Home Forums Reloading Handgun Reloading +P 9mm loading

Anyone here load +P 9mm?

Yes, I load some self-defense and some hunting/utility ammo above standard 9mm pressure. I shoot them in guns designed for +P pressure. I use the slowest-burning powders to produce more performance, rather than just loading a fast-burning powder to higher pressure but still slower velocity than with slower burners.

Exactly what I do as well. I use a lot of Ramshot Silhouette (I like it for 45acp as well) and Longshot (my fav for 40s&w). If I didn't load 45acp I would use Longshot exclusively.

But I want performance, so I never make put-put loads.

Thanks for your input. I found some +P data with the same bullets I load on Accurate's online data using A5. Dave

Longshot, BE-86, and CFE Pistol have all worked well for me using 124gr JHP in +P loading. I've stretched hardcast bullets from 125 to 160 grains into +P territory with Longshot, and have gotten very impressive results.

I should add that earlier experiments with +P loads and heavy cast bullets using both Power Pistol and Unique worked out well.

When I started handloading 20 years ago, the first thing I did was do an overload work up in 9mm with every bullet and powder combination. This was really me repeating my greatest hits in engineering with overload explosions to find the weak point in my designs. Instead of exploding from current density, magnetic flux density, or temperature, the 9mm ammo was exploding from too much powder.

Here is an example:

A#5 9x19mm cart Overall length = 1.169", Win 115 gr. JHP=.541",RP primed
brass,
Kel-Tec P11 [except #6]

0) Minimum charge to cycle pistol........ 5.0 gr. 800 fps 12,000 psi
1) 9x19mm.................................7.7 gr. 1260 fps 34,000psi
2) 9x19mm +P............................. 8.0 gr. 1324 fps 37,400psi
3) 9x19mm +P+............................ 8.3 gr. 1353 fps 40,800psi
4) .356TSW............................... 9.1 gr. 1455 fps 49,000psi
5) Primer pierce, case bulge ............10.0 gr. 1600 fps 65,000psi
6) Stretch steel in 45-70 adapter...... 10.5 gr. [steel from 1903 Turk]
7) Case failure [hole] threshold [kaboom] 10.7 gr. 1700 fps 81,000 psi
8) Case head separation [big kaboom].....11.5 gr. wrecks extractor and
hold open


Note that the case web of 9mm ammo is 0.16" thick and typical 9mm factory barrels have 0.019" of feed ramp intrusion, leaving 0.03" of thin unsupported case wall.
This is way better support than most factory guns in 40sw, 10mm, 380, or 45acp.

Also 9mm handguns can often be fitted with higher force or multiple recoil springs that are effective with increases loads.

Just enough WSF to get 124 grain Gold Dots to 1100 fps in a S&W Shield.

I run heavy springs in several 9's and a 40. The 40's is way above factory spec springs. I do this because I don't want frame battering when shooting hot loads. Never had any issue with brass. Some of what I have run is in the +P+ range of the 9mm, just because I could.

I tried my +P load with 124gr hps and Accurate's data for the same bullet with A#5. Thanks for the replies.

16 years ago when I was hot rodding the 9mm, I compiled a list of recoil springs, their coil diameter, the wire diameter, and the relaxed length.

Note that spring index ratio is the coil diameter divided by the wire diameter.
Thick wire and small coil makes a stiff spring with a short distance between compressed and relaxed.
Thin wire and a large coil makes a wimpy spring but a long distance between compressed and relaxed.
The 1978 Seecamp patent got around some of that
https://patents.google.com/patent/US4201113A/en




1)Kel-Tek P40 inner: Right twist .250x.025x3.3" 2/5.9#
2)Kel-Tek P40 outer: Left twist .337x.034x3.6" 4.5/13#
3) Wolff #14 right .252x.031x cut 3.3/11.9#
4) Wolff #14 right .434x.045x cut 5/15.4#
5) Numerich assortment left 0/3.5#
Kel-Tek P11 outer left .329x.034x3"
Kel-Tek P11 inner right .243x.027x 2.5"
Kel-Tek P32 outer right .243x.025x2.5"
Kel-Tek P32 inner left .177x .020x2.1"
Kel-Tec P-3AT outer right .253 x .025 x 3.1
Kel-Tec P-3AT inner left .180 x .019 x 2.65
Wolff M43 24# right .350x.044x3.5"
Wolff Colt Comm 27# right .444x.049x4.7"
Wolff Glock19 24# outer right .406x.046x3.9"
Wolff Glock19 24# inner right .260x.027x2.6"
Wolff Tokarev right .391x.039x6"
Wolff CZ52 16.5# right .592x.050x5.5"
Wolff #14 right .390x.042"
Wolff #14 right .358x.046"
Wolff #14 right .315x.040" 0/9#
Wolff #14 right .277x.034" 3/13.5#
Wolff #14 right .266x.031" 4.2/11#
Wolff #14 right .266x.031" 6.5/14.7#
Wolff #14 right .239x.029" 2/10#
Wolff #14 right .224x.027"
Berretta 1934 right .294x.033"
Glock stock .420x.024"
Stock Patriot right .490x.046" 7.7/ 15.9#

Wolff 20LB P11 Left 0.324x0.035"
Wolff 20LB P11 right 0.247x0.026"
Wolff 20LB P11 right 0.150x0.023?
Kel-tec P11 guide rod .187" hole .197"
Kel-tec PF9 guide rod .188" hole .202"
Kel-Tec P11 left .350x.033
Kel-Tec PF9 left .343x.032
Kel-Tec P11 right .254x.025
Kel-Tec PF9 right .250x.024

When I make a triple recoil spring assembly, I try to have right hand twist on the inner and outer spring and left hand in between.
To capture the springs with a guide rod, I thread the end of the rod and put a round nut on it.

You are making it far too complicated..........best recipe for +P9mm= 38Super