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Posted: 4/22/2011 8:00:36 AM EDT
Im sure I am jumping the gun or the order. I have orderd a reloader and manuals that should be here soon. I will be doing only 9mm for a while. My early question is how do you settle on a load work up? I know match factors and other input but for the average guy going to shoot indoor targets. I mean to start its not like your going to buy high total of compontets until you decide.  So my questions is to the seasoned loader or noobs.
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me personally i found some bullets i could readily get locally. for 9 i wanted 115 for plinking so i chose some plated ones. then i looked at all the loading manuals i could. chose a couple of powders that
would work in multiple calibers and that i could get locally if i ran out. i settled on power pistol and titegroup for powders titegroup only because it dosen't take a lot of it so it is cheap to load and it is clean and very consistant. my standard deviation with titegroup is 2-10 fps that is good in my book. so the biggest things i would consider is can you get it locally if you run out? cost and you may have to try several diff. bullets to find one your gun likes. hope this helps |
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I poke around on the forums and see what others have luck with. Also. Most of the books from the major manufacturers list popular loads. If you have a Nosler book they put an " * " by the powder combination that worked best for them and another by the charge. Tha makes for a good place to start.
Ty- |
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Since your "new" to loading...
The "easiest" way to find an initial load, would be to find a "factory load" that shoots to your expectations and then work to duplicate it. Once you gain knowledge & experience, you will be able to analyze load data and make informed hypothesize on on other load selections. So, if for example WWB 115 grain are accurate in you pistol... then check the data for velocity, usually on the box. (I am assuming you don't have a chronograph... so you have to go by the approximates of the printed data). Check your load books & component websites for a similar bullet & similar velocity from the given charge. So in this case, it would be a 115 grain FMJ. If the velocity is listed as (I'm making this up) 1000 fps... then find a powder (I use 231) that will give a similar velocity. Follow the guidelines for working up. (That is the best you can do without a chronograph to know for sure)... because the "printed velocity" in both load manuals and cartridge boxes are seldom the same for different guns. Load a few (maybe 5-10 of each) starting at the "min charge" & working up to the max. Evaluate the cartridges & accuracy as you go. When you find the most accurate load that doesn't show pressure issues, you've found the best your likely to get with that bullet & powder for your pistol. Some reloading data will provide "the most accurate probable load". That can be helpful in narrowing your component choices. Keep in mind that the most accurate in your gun may be slightly different, but you should be in the "ball park". Hope this helps. |
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Like Dawg said, look around locally, at least for powder and primers, as you're not going to be doing an online order for a carton, or two, of each.
In my experience, bullets are generally more expensive in the mom and pops, or the big box chains, so those, you can get online, same with brass, if you haven't already started saving it up. For 9mm, try some inexpensive practice bullets, from the big makers like Remington and Winchester and try to get 115s, 124s and even some bigger 147gr bullets to fiddle with. I think you can get by with a single brand of primer, whatever you can find locally, but try for 2-3 different powders and/or bullets. Brass can be from a single manufacturer. Experiment by starting at the lower end of the powder weight scale and see what your weapon prefers. It's not rocket science, but it kind of is. Chris |
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No manual yet, so study up and print some loading data off the powder makers web sites.
Top of the page, look under links. Start with Hodgdon, Alliant, Ramshot, Accurate arms. For economy in 9mm, I shoot 115 gr bullets. Cheaper than the heavier bullets and plenty accurate. Then go to local stores and see what's available for bullets, primers and powder. With the printed out data with you, you can buy components listed in the data. Match up the components and work with what is available. Begin loading with the "start" load and work up watching for pressure signs and shooting groups to see what works for you. Good luck |
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Yeah start with the bullets. In 9mm I chose 124gr with hopes of duplicating my defense load. I stuck with my favorite cheap lead bullet maker (mastercast) and got my hands on 500 to start.
then consult the manuals and internet and look for powders that appear in several sources - those are your best bet. I don't worry about speeds right away. I pick 3 powder volumes spanning the gap from "starting load" to "max load" and load maybe 10 of each volume with each powder i want to try then i head to the range my initial criteria include accuracy and (since i'm using lead bullets) barrel leading. gotta check the bore after every group to notice leading. Once i get home, i compare group size and if i'm happy i load more of my chosen load to chrony. If multiple groups are good, i go with whatever is fastest. if no groups are good, i try a different powder. if i still have no luck, i try a different bullet. handguns are a lot easier than rifle - with rifle, you also have to add in bullet jump into the equation. |
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IMHO......... I would start locally............ Ask friends where they purchase and what they like. Buy from your local store. Later, buy from the internet or in large quantities. Why? You're starting...........so, finding what you like is probably gonna take time and it'll be easier and cheaper because of shipping and haz mat costs. Example: I like lead 9mm pistol bullets. I don't like CCI primers all that much. For pistol loads I have "favorites" when speaking about powders. Aloha, Mark |
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