Federal 9BPLE +P+ 115 grain in 2nd/3rd gen

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imarangemaster

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I have an opportunity to buy some excellent Federal +P+ 115 grain 9BPLE ammo at a screaming price. Anyone use it in their 2nd or 3rd gen 9mms? IIRC, it is similar to the old ISP load from Winchester, 1300 fps from a 4" (chronied from a 4" Sigma), that ISP used in their 39s.

I currently use Speer Gold Dot 124 +P in both my 59 and 669. We were issued the Gold dot +P at the SO and I have carried it ever since. Before that we were issued Federal Hydro-Shock 124 +P+. On the SO we qualified with the duty ammo twice a year. Now, neither of these rounds I use for general shooting, just for about one magazine a year.

Since I have had my Gold Dot for about 15 years now, its time to cycle it out. 95% of the shooting will be with standard 115s or reloads. I realized that a steady diet would be hard on them, but as I said, just a magazine a year to feel the snap.

Thanks in advance.
 
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I'd be reluctant to use 9BPLE in a Kel-Tec P11 or the Taurus Millennium I traded towards the 669. I really think the 669 will be fine, especially since I got a Wolff 17 pound recoil spring. I have fired LOTS of Federal 124 +P+ and Gold dot from the 469 that I had until about 2000. Never had a problem.
 
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imarangemaster said:
IIRC, it is similar to the old ISP load from Winchester, 1300 fps from a 4" (chronied from a 4" Sigma), that ISP used in their 39s.
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Actually we carried the BPLE in our 439s. We carried the BP in our 39s until the BPLE was developed. By then we had gone to the 439. We carried the BPLE for several years until W-W developed the JHP+P+.
Never had any problems with the BPLE. It worked very well.
 
The 9BPLE in my experience has been a wonderful round to shoot in my 659/5906/915/6906. They're powerful, easy to shoot and most of all accurate.

The round, although dated is still one of the "top dawgs' in the 9mm. It's good "felon repellent" and has made many evil men permanently good.

I think the DeKalb County, GA Sheriff still use it. The ISP used it to good effect for years, as well as many others.

I would think it would be an exceptional round for use in a sub-gun. Its bullet profile and power level would make it a decent and reliable round with lots of stopping power against human targets. The bullet usually fragments and sheds its jacket, which translates to nasty wound channels.

Without it being bonded, I can't imagine that barrier penetration is as good as the GDHP or HSTs.

I have about 150 rounds. On Ammo to go and other outlets its normally $22 per 50. Not a bad price for decent ammo. I've never shot the Winchester version. The Federal 9BPLE is plenty good.

If the ISP used it in their alloy-framed 39s and 39-2s, I would hazard a guess that use in the steel-framed X39/39XX and X59/59XX is a-ok...
 
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I have 200 rounds of 9BPLE coming from an online outfit at about $20/50, including shipping. I still have about 350 rounds of Speer Gold Dot 124 +P from a case I bought about 2002 that I will keep in reserve. I have shot my ammo budget already this month, as I also just ordered about 500 rounds of commercial 7.62x25 Tokarev (HP and FMJ) for my newly acquired CZ52 pistol. I do plan on ordering another 200 or so 9BPLE next month.
 
imarangemaster said:
I have an opportunity to buy some excellent Federal +P+ 115 grain 9BPLE ammo at a screaming price. Anyone use it in their 2nd or 3rd gen 9mms? IIRC, it is similar to the old ISP load from Winchester, 1300 fps from a 4" (chronied from a 4" Sigma), that ISP used in their 39s.

I currently use Speer Gold Dot 124 +P in both my 59 and 669. We were issued the Gold dot +P at the SO and I have carried it ever since. Before that we were issued Federal Hydro-Shock 124 +P+. On the SO we qualified with the duty ammo twice a year. Now, neither of these rounds I use for general shooting, just for about one magazine a year.

Since I have had my Gold Dot for about 15 years now, its time to cycle it out. 95% of the shooting will be with standard 115s or reloads. I realized that a steady diet would be hard on them, but as I said, just a magazine a year to feel the snap.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

It's the best 9mm defensive round ever available.
 
Somehow I doubt if a magazine a year will beat up a Smith alloy frame, though I agree it is unnecessary to beat it up with hot loads for a steady diet. I shoot whatever is cheap for practice and quals now days. (EXCEPT Wolf! ARghhhh... I hate that stuff! The ONLY thing I shoot Wolf ammo in is my AK!)

Anyway, I seem to remember a post here or another forum by a member whose rangemaster documented 80,000 rounds (of 9BPLE, IIRC) through a 2nd gen Smith, after changing barrels at 50,000.
 
imarangemaster said:
Anyway, I seem to remember a post here or another forum by a member whose rangemaster documented 80,000 rounds (of 9BPLE, IIRC) through a 2nd gen Smith, after changing barrels at 50,000.
Click to expand...
You are probably referring to one of our range officers. It was his 5904 and the rd was the W-W 115 JHP+P+. We'd heard too many stories (from people who didn't carry 5904s or the +P+) that our 5904s wouldn't stand up to use of the +P+. He decided to shoot his 5904 until it broke. At 50,000 rds he changed the barrel as the rifling was getting smooth. He replaced the springs but I don't recall rd count. When he retired he had documented 80,000 rds thru his 5904. He bought that 5904 when he retired. I saw him a couple of yrs after he retired and he was still shooting the same 5904.
 
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