Okay, I came across a box of Winchester Silver Tip Hollow Points (STHP) in 147 grain. It's a cold, snowy weekend and I want to make a seriously hot SD load for my S&W 5906TSW.

...According to information I found, the Silver Tip is identical to the Winchester Jacketed Hollow Point except for the nickel plating of the brass jacket.

The best data I find indicates using a CCI 500 and a 4.5 Gr charge of Unique yields 1039 fps using an XTP bullet of this mass. I know, different projectile....

Here are the provisions in the cupboard. Given these limitations, has anyone a better formula than the one I found?

Brass - Range brass. I prefer to use the stash of Spear once-fired nickel.
Primers - CCI 500, CCI 550, Winchester WSP
Powder - Titegroup, Unique, 2400, 231.

So go ahead - pimp my Parabellum!

Google HERCO and OLD SPEER DATA and 9mm.

They had some seriously over-pressure load data that was published and therefore thought of as "safe."

The bottom line is that there is very little in the way of a free lunch when it comes to hot loads. Pressure is pressure, and it's very small factors that establish one powder or load over another in any one application.

My experiments with super-hot 9mm X 147gr loads involved AA#7. It worked, but I was under no illusions that these were uber-hot loads. I was distorting the nose of the bullet in the seating die by trying to crush those 147s down onto a case-full of ball powder... Can't get much better/worse than that. They flew around 1100fps, but I finally gave up on them when I got smarter. Let the bullet do the work, not the powder. Your gun, brass, and you will be happier.

That all said, if you really want to pimp your 9mm with 147s, I'd try:

WSF
AA#7
VV3N37
Herco (be very, VERY careful)
Power Pistol
WAP (Sold by Ramshot these days as Silhouette)

There's probably a couple more powders, but that list will get you there, and the differences will be minimal.

Mine is a full helping of AA#7!

FWIW

I can shoot a 147 gr. Gold Dot out of the 2" barrel of my Model 940 at 1080 FPS using Power Pistol. Cases do not stick in the chambers and any increase in powder charge gives no gain in velocity, which leads me to believe that I have reached the ideal combination of bullet and powder charge which can burn in my 2" barrel.

Keep in mind that the 940 is a revolver with offset cylinder stop notches and I do not have to worry about things like unsupported chambers. My load might not be safe in your 5906. But it is a good indication of just what can be done with Power Pistol in the 9mm.

Dave Sinko

I have loaded the 147XTP with Vihtavuori 3N38. This is the highest LISTED velocity I have seen and performed fine in my 1911 9mm.

start load 6.3 for 1171 fps, max load 6.9 for 1207 fps in a 4" barrel. I used 6.7 gr, did not chrony my loads but probably still ~1200 fps from my 5" bbl. Brass look fine. I do not shoot these in high volume but enough to feel comfortable in my 1911 for SD. Have not tried these in my other 9mms.

If you are a believer in paper specs, this load should have more ft-pounds energy than a typical 45acp 230 gr load. This is paper #s and do not get into usual discussions on merits of calibers and diameter of bullet, stopping power, etc.

This is listed Vihtavuori load so assumed it is SAAMI spec and not +P.

If you don’t mind the HUGE fireballs, (calling it muzzle “flash” is just laughable) Blue Dot or Power pistol will get you over 1000 f.p.s. safely.

VihtaVuori N350 and 3N37 will also get you there, without the flame thrower effect.

For me, I just load WSF to around 950 f.p.s. for my SHTF/Zombie ammo. Low flash signiture and that’s where the bullets were designed to perform at anyway.

Jeff

Of what you have on hand, I'd suggest Unique or 231, but if you really want power, consider WSF. I shoot bowling pins with WSF & 147s, and they never fail me. I'm getting a little over 950 fps from my XD Tactical.

Bullet box insert from an old box of 147 Gold-Dots indicate Max loads as follows.
Seated 1.115" OAL.
W-W cases, CCI 500 primers
Beretta 92 4.9" barrel.

Reduce 10% for starting load.
AA #7 - 6.9 = 997 FPS
Blue Dot - 6.5 = 1,010
HS-6 - 5.7 = 957
AA #5 - 4.9 = 979
Herco - 4.9 = 950
Unique - 4.5 = 967
473AA - 4.3 = 910
WW231 - 4.1 = 932
452AA - 4.1 = 918
HP38 - 4.0 = 918
Bullseye - 3.9 = 922
700-X - 3.6 = 931
Red Dot - 3.5 = 891

This is some info I nabbed when I ran across it posted elsewhere some years ago.

4.5grs of Unique..................

I loaded the 147gr TMJ from Speer with a 1.165" OAL with
4.5 grs of Unique and it was a COMPRESED load.

Speer calls for a 1.13" OAL with the HP design so it all depends
on how any powder fits into the case and if the seated bullet will
get to that oal.

Might be why some manuals list just 4.3 grs of Unique..........

good loading.

Note;
The OAL of 1.165" would not work in a Kahr 9mm magazine with the FN bullet shape.
You may need to drop down to 1.14" or the Speer data of 1.13" OAL.

IF you really want to speed the 147 jhp along....the one powder that list data over 1200 fps is VV 3n38. That's right factory load data for a 9mm 147 at 1200 fps. Nothing else comes close.

9 mm Luger - Handgun reloading - Reloading Data - Vihtavuori

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