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  #1  
Old 10-18-2014, 04:41 PM
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Default Inconsistent OAL

Loading some 9mm winchester FMJRN. I got a recipe from Hoddgdon for CFE pistol for 115 grain bullet 5.3 grains starting with a coal of 1.1245. Because of the variation in bullet (cheap Bullets) my COAL varied from 1.185 to 1.125. Anyone see a problem?
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Old 10-18-2014, 05:21 PM
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I have shot the 115 FMH RN plated with a OAL of 1.12"

Went as low as 4.9grs of CFE to the maximum and settled for a
load that was a little above middle of the road.....
but this was out of a little 3" barrel.

A longer barrel has to work better with this powder.

Good loading.
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Old 10-18-2014, 06:22 PM
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Correction! 1.1185 to 1.1245
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Old 10-18-2014, 06:32 PM
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Good thing you corrected the length range, I was about to suggest you look into shoulder surgery due to obviously short stroking your press. With that revised data your total variance is only 0.006 inch and that is within the normal variation I've seen with my own handloads and commercial ammunition like Speer's Gold Dots. I do not see any reason to be concerned about a variation this minor, it's likely due to variation in the clearance stack up in the various pins in the toggle links on your press.
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Old 10-18-2014, 06:54 PM
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Default min and max

Min and max 9mm is 1.000" to 1.169" so you are too long with some cases. Was your load anywhere near maximum for the powder you are using? The biggest problem is that having a bullet seated too deeply that will raise the pressure. That's a pretty wild variation you've got. As a very general rule with 9mm I let about 1/32" of the shank protrude past the mouth of the case. I wouldn't think that a 115 grain bullet wouldn't be seated to deeply if seated to about that position. I wouldn't look for great shot-to-shot consistency, though.

The cartridges longer than 1.169" might not feed, but at least you shouldn't have pressure problems.
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Old 10-18-2014, 07:16 PM
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Originally Posted by rwsmith View Post
Min and max 9mm is 1.000" to 1.169" so you are too long with some cases. Was your load anywhere near maximum for the powder you are using? The biggest problem is that having a bullet seated too deeply that will raise the pressure. That's a pretty wild variation you've got. As a very general rule with 9mm I let about 1/32" of the shank protrude past the mouth of the case. I wouldn't think that a 115 grain bullet wouldn't be seated to deeply if seated to about that position. I wouldn't look for great shot-to-shot consistency, though.

The cartridges longer than 1.169" might not feed, but at least you shouldn't have pressure problems.
I correct my post, numbers were wrong 1.118 to 1.125
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Old 10-18-2014, 07:38 PM
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1.118 to 1.125 is a very good variation to have with the Win 115 fmj. Are they the hollow or flat base? Would just be careful about seating them too short, they have a long ogee and you might want to ensure you're not crimping on a reduced dia portion of the bullet.
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Old 10-18-2014, 07:52 PM
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Quote:
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1.118 to 1.125 is a very good variation to have with the Win 115 fmj. Are they the hollow or flat base? Would just be careful about seating them too short, they have a long ogee and you might want to ensure you're not crimping on a reduced dia portion of the bullet.
Hollow base
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Old 10-18-2014, 08:56 PM
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I correct my post, numbers were wrong 1.118 to 1.125
OK. Gotcha. You had me going for a bit, there!
I must have been working on the response when you posted the correction.
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Last edited by rwsmith; 10-18-2014 at 11:20 PM.
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Old 10-18-2014, 10:02 PM
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Oal is important, especially with max loAds, but 0.007", not even a Sheet of paper thickness.
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Last edited by fredj338; 10-20-2014 at 02:11 PM.
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Old 10-19-2014, 12:15 PM
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Most likely your seating stem is seating on the ogilvy of the bullet, while you are measuring from the tip of the bullet. There is often a pretty good variation in bullet length.
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Old 10-20-2014, 01:30 PM
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Here is a target with plated bullets and CFE pistol powder that I tested a ways back.
This powder did not do well with minimum loads at 83% with either weight bullet.

Accuracy started at 90% of the maximum load for my lowest loads in my pistol.
This powder seems to work like Unique, in that it needs medium energy or more to burn and shot better.

The best load here was a 90% load ( top left ) for this outing.

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Old 10-20-2014, 02:14 PM
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What distance? Accuracy is relevant to the distance. Far too many guys are posting pics of targets w/o that little bit of important info???
Yes, CFE, like all medium burners, likes to be above midrange for best results. The slower the powder the closer to the top end you need to be. Looks like your 90% load is the one, not unlike Unique or WSF in the 9mm.
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