9mm Bullet/Powder Recommendation?

In preparation of a new 9mm auto (probably a Range Officer unless something better is suggested) I need to purchase some bullets.  Any recommendations?  I have Bullseye, Titegroup, Unique, AutoComp and Power Pistol powders.  Which one would be best suited for 9mm?

Unigue doesn't meter well, Bullseye is very dirty (but accurate), Titegroup doesn't. Go with 6.4 gr of PP behind a 115g Hornady HAP bullet. That's my .02.

Len    The best powder?  SR 4756. try finding some.

I think it might depend on your barrel twist rate.  The AMU uses ammo produced by Atlanta Arms one load is a 115gr Sierra FMJ bullet that groups at 1.5" at 50yds and the other uses the Hornady 115gr XTP with a group at 1.25".

Accuracy test requirement for AMU is 5 ten-shot groups at 50 yards, with an average group size not to exceed 1.50 for the FMJ or 1.25 inches for the XTP.

When researching the recipe for these loads the best 50YD accuracy was (115gr XTP with OAL 1.090) 5.0 gr VV330 and tied for 2nd was 4.8 VV320 or 5.4 WSF.

New Starline brass, Federal Gold Metal Match primers (some are using WSP).

These loads were for a 1-32 twist barrel all loads were running about 1100fps.

- Dave

Dave,

  You probably already know this but others might not. The Hornady XTP and their HAP are the same bullet except they got rid of the fragmentation grooves. I can't believe there would be any measureable difference in accuracy but the HAP's ( Hornady Action Pistol ) are a lot less expensive. They are designed from the git go as a target rather then a self defense/hunting bullet.

OldMaster64 wrote:Dave,

  You probably already know this but others might not. The Hornady XTP and their HAP are the same bullet except they got rid of the fragmentation grooves. I can't believe there would be any measureable difference in accuracy but the HAP's ( Hornady Action Pistol ) are a lot less expensive. They are designed from the git go as a target rather then a self defense/hunting bullet.

SHHHHHHHHHH !!!!!!!!!!

I tried a lot of powders accuracy testing @ 50 yards with 9mms. Power Pistol usually always does best followed by WSF. Those two have beat everything else I tried. FWIW.

I have had great luck with 5.0 gn of Autocomp ,Zero 115  #135 and Remington brass. KKM barrel will shot under 1.5" groups at 50 yards.

Tom

9146gt,
What twist kkm barrel?
Jon

1 in 32. I think that is all KKM offers in 9mm 1911 barrels. Kevin Angstead has used them for many years in Bianchi Cup (9x23).

Tom

KKM also offers a 1-16 for the 9mm as well.  You have to ask what twist rate you're looking for.

I have never seen great accuracy out of a 9x19, but:
Power Pistol is far and away the best grouping powder I have found. I have found any powder faster than AA5 to not perform well (where all I am looking for is <2" at 25 yards). Silhouette is second best.
For bullets, the best I have found is the Zero .38 Super 121gn JHP, though 115gn L-SWCs come close.
In general, I have found 0.356-0.357" jacketed bullets to be more accurate than 0.355" bullets, even in 0.355" groove-diameter barrels.
I would say that the rules for 9x19 will change in the next 5 years (bullet weight/powder/twist rate/etc.) as the round is used in Bullseye—but I think that I will still be shooting .45 in the years to come.

Less than 2" at 25 yds is not great accuracy. I've gotten 2 7/8 " at 50 yds (10 shots) with a Dave Salyer Beretta. Load was 4.8gr Titegroup w/Sierra 125gr FMJ (for service pistol). Kind of snappy, though.

noylj wrote:I have never seen great accuracy out of a 9x19, but:
Power Pistol is far and away the best grouping powder I have found. I have found any powder faster than AA5 to not perform well (where all I am looking for is <2" at 25 yards). Silhouette is second best.
For bullets, the best I have found is the Zero .38 Super 121gn JHP, though 115gn L-SWCs come close.
In general, I have found 0.356-0.357" jacketed bullets to be more accurate than 0.355" bullets, even in 0.355" groove-diameter barrels.
I would say that the rules for 9x19 will change in the next 5 years (bullet weight/powder/twist rate/etc.) as the round is used in Bullseye—but I think that I will still be shooting .45 in the years to come.

That's interesting. My experience is much different than yours. I've gotten great accuracy out of a Kidd Beretta. The top shooters on the military teams don't have any trouble shooting scores in the high 280's with their accurized Berettas. I once shot a match with David Glenn from Illinois, who shot a Springfield Armory custom shop 1911, chambered in 9mm. Since I was scoring him, I couldn't help noticing how accurately he was able to shoot that pistol. When I was trying for my Distinguished Pistol Badge, I was shooting factory ball ammo in .45 ACP. I never could get my gun to group that well with the various brands I tried. My groups usually ran 4" at 50 yards from a Ransom Rest. That same pistol will group well under 3" with wadcutters. After I got my distinguished badge, I bought a Kidd Beretta to shoot EIC matches for fun. It shot very well with Atlanta Arms 115 gr. ammo and my loads out of the Ransom Rest, but my scores really didn't take a huge jump.

davekp wrote:Less than 2" at 25 yds is not great accuracy. I've gotten 2 7/8 " at 50 yds (10 shots) with a Dave Salyer Beretta. Load was 4.8gr Titegroup w/Sierra 125gr FMJ (for service pistol). Kind of snappy, though.

Well, I'm pretty sure he was talking specifically about 9x19 when he wrote "all I am looking for"

On the other hand, a linear cone of dispersion puts your Beretta grouping at 1-7/16" at 25 yards. Guess those other 9/16" at 25 yards are what makes the huge difference, eh?  Seriously, for me that 9/16" there IS all the difference between good/okay and happily achieving BE accuracy standards.

There are 9MM 1911's and Beretta's out there shooting sub 1.5" groups at 50 yards, you don't buy them "off the shelf".

Dave

GrumpyOldMan wrote:

davekp wrote:Less than 2" at 25 yds is not great accuracy. I've gotten 2 7/8 " at 50 yds (10 shots) with a Dave Salyer Beretta. Load was 4.8gr Titegroup w/Sierra 125gr FMJ (for service pistol). Kind of snappy, though.

Well, I'm pretty sure he was talking specifically about 9x19 when he wrote "all I am looking for"

On the other hand, a linear cone of dispersion puts your Beretta grouping at 1-7/16" at 25 yards. Guess those other 9/16" at 25 yards are what makes the huge difference, eh?  Seriously, for me that 9/16" there IS all the difference between good/okay and happily achieving BE accuracy standards.

But it ain't linear!

davekp wrote:

But it ain't linear!

That would be way too easy!!  Everyone knows that most pistol bullets fly straight and true for 49 1/2 yards when all hell breaks loose!  LOL

- Dave

dronning wrote:

davekp wrote:

But it ain't linear!

That would be way too easy!!  Everyone knows that most pistol bullets fly straight and true for 49 1/2 yards when all hell breaks loose!  LOL

- Dave

I did say "IF"!!!!!

BTW, you're wrong. It goes to heck at 48 yards.