What is the cartridge oal of the 9mm 124 grn and 147 grn loading of the HST?
I have some HST bullets I'm handloading. These bullets have a cannelure and I am wondering if I should seat them just to the top of the cannelure or maybe just a bit deeper. All three of my 9s chambers accept them when seating them to the longer oal.

"These bullets have a cannelure "

Then use the "can".......... that should put you at factory lengths.............
what ever that is.

Good loading.

No 147's on hand but just calipered some 124 HST I got yesterday. Of the six I measured, they ranged from 1.1 to 1.104" OAL. I didn't average them though.
I also didn't see a cannelure.

I can't think of a traditional 9mm bullet that uses a cannelure unless the mnfg wants it to upset the jacket for maximum wound capability ala the 5.56 rounds.
With a taper crimp you have no use for the cannelure.

Live and learn I guess!!
The HST's are not bonded; so to eliminate core separation there is a cannelure to help hold the core to the jacket. From the one pic I looked at the cannelure is low towards the base of the bullet and if you tried to load at that point the OAL would probably be too long.

9mm HSTs have no cannelure.

Auto pistol cartridges have no need for bullet cannelures. They are only needed for revolvers.

Are you sure those are HSTs? Possibly .38 Spl. Hydra-Shoks?

__________________
USAF, 69-92
Vietnam, 72-73

I know auto pistol cartridge have no use for the cannelure.
I lightly taper crimp these just as do the loads that I use XTP bullet.
The bullets mic at .355.
These came from Rocky Mtn Reloading advertised as pulled HST bullets.

Okay, here's the OAL for the 124+P: 1.101". I don't have any 147s.

If you had mentioned in the OP these bullets were "PULLED" you wouldn't have gotten the speculation. What's likely happened is RMR got these bullets through their ATK/Speer/Federal contacts in Lewiston. They are almost certainly known by the technical term "MISTAKES." Which is why they were pulled. They never should have received cannelures in the first place. At some point some eagle-eye caught the problem, the bullets got pulled and sold to RMR, and on to you.

I'd totally ignore the cannelure as no telling how it got to be located where it is. Just use the OAL of 1.101" and the taper crimp.

Added: Of course it is remotely possible that somebody at Federal got the idea to make a run of 9mm HST with cannelures and crimps specially for those few 9mm revolvers out there, like the Ruger LCR. Not a bad idea! But then someone changed his mind.

__________________
USAF, 69-92
Vietnam, 72-73

I just measured ten rounds of 147 HSTs. Product code P9HST2.

Six of the ten measured 1.125 or 1.126.
The shortest was 1.123,
The longest was 1.128.

I would use 1.125" as a benchmark.

Moxie, thanks for your input. When I see "pulled" bullets for sale from RMR, I automatically think that the batch of ammo they came from was probably either overcharged or undercharged with powder; perhaps wrong powder; and it got caught in quality inspect. I didn't even think the the bullets would be the problem. When I seat the 147 to 1.125, the cannelure is plainly seen; but when the 124 is seated to 1.101 it is hidden by the case. Thanks for the input from all of you that posted replies.

You might save some $$$ and drama by using cast lead. I've been using the Missouri Bullet 124 RNL "Small Ball." I love them. See:

Missouri Bullet Company

They also now have the new coated bullets if you don't like lubed.

__________________
USAF, 69-92
Vietnam, 72-73

I wish everyone that has been on this thread would go to the Federal web site!
Look up HST bullets - they have several calibers including 2 in 9mm.
As I said earlier the cannelure is there to prevent the separation of the lead core from the exterior jacket.

As a note;

the 147gr HST out of my 3.5" C9 does 962fps........
and my box of ammo had a OAL of 1.13"..........
and I did not see a stinking cannelure........
and I'm not going to take one apart.