9mm 5" target loads, how slow ?

[Nevada Ed]

I have found that is really hard to get lower fps in the long barrel
with the lighter weight bullets. No problem in the 3.5" C9 but
the 5" is a fps monster.

I have been trying to get the new Berry plated HP down to Sonic speeds
but I am down to the last straw. Just .2-.3 grs of powder left per
the loading manuals with the four powders that are still working
the action and the cases are still clean w/o any soot on them.

I would like to MAYBE get down to 980fps if possible but might have
to settle with this last test if the energy is to low to work the action
with this final test of minimal powder, per my manuals.

Has anyone with a 5" gotten a 124gr JHP down under 1,000fps
in their powders, that worked the action and had good accuracy?
Here is a picture of my last test in search of a Sonic loading.
Later.

 

[OKFC05]

Sorry, it is my experience ( and well know among competitors) that going much below about 130 PF ( about 1050 fps) with a 5" M&P using 124gr plated or jacketed bullets tends to add dispersion. You can make the action work with a 15# recoil spring, but that does not help the accuracy.
On the plus side, the 1050fps load is an easy load to shoot rapidly and well, and makes minor power for IDPA and USPSA.


One thing I see is some loading the .40 M&P to minor power which translates to about 750fps with a 180gr bullet. This requires dropping to a 14 to 15 # recoil spring in 5" .40 M&Ps and Glocks.
This low-energy load is very soft shooting.

 

[stansdds]

If sub-sonic is the goal, why not try 147 grain bullets? They were initially designed for sub-sonic 9x19 loads.

 

[rwsmith]

heavy bullet.....

...light charges of Acc no 7 powder. Lower charge until you get what you want or reliability starts to fall off.

 

[fredj338]

It will depend on your gun & recoil spring, but 124gr at 900fps is pretty easily done in say a g34 or 1911. Dropping one spring rate may be needed.

 

[yeti]

I can offer a couple of light 1911 loads I've used for Steel Challenge using a 10# recoil and a 19# main. One jacketed & one coated.
124gr P.Delta JHP, 3.9gr 700x, 1.130, FED100 or WSP, 125PF

124gr ACME coated, 3.7gr Tightgroup, 1.130, FED100, barely made 1000fps or fell just short.

You can try them in your M&P, but I can't say if you may need to spring down.

 

[yeti]

If you want to go much slower I'd agree with previous post that 145-147gr is the way to go.

 

[TAROMAN]

Bayou 130 grain coated over 2.8 grains Bullseye ignited by Federal Magnum SPP.
875 FPS SD 9.01.
My speed steel load. Haven't tried it in a semi-auto, however.

 

[Speedo2]

Hers's some of my chrono data; mostly averages of between 20 & 45 trial shots:

Shot from a stock S&W M&P9-Pro (5" bbl):

5.2 Gr AA#5 w/ Eggleston 124 coated RN: Avg.Vel @ 987 fps, SD @ 13 fps

3.5 Gr W-231 w/ Eggleston 115 coated RN: Avg.Vel @ 919 fps, SD @ 19 fps
4.0 Gr W-231 w/ Eggleston 115 coated RN: Avg.Vel @ 1028 fps, SD @ 23 fps
4.5 Gr W-231 w/ Eggleston 115 coated RN: Avg.Vel @ 1145 fps, SD @ 15 fps

Shot from a stock CZ-85 (4" bbl):
5.5 Gr AA#5 w/ Rainier 125 plated RN: Avg.Vel @ 973 fps, SD @ 25 fps


Shot from Springfield 1911-A 9mm (5" bbl):

5.2 Gr AA#5 w/ Berry's 124 plated HBRN: Avg.Vel @ 926 fps, SD @ 26 fps

5.0 Gr AA#5 w/ Bayou 124 coated TCG: Avg.Vel @ 923 fps, SD @ 18 fps


I didn't note any failures to cycle or ejection problems with any of these light loads. -S2

 

[Wise_A]

4.2gr of Bullseye under a 115-gr plated X-Treme bullet is the lower limit of reliability for my G34 (1911-ish G-Lock). They're subsonic--I haven't chrono'd them, but you can bump up the charge slightly and hear the difference.

 

[Wise_A]

4.2gr of Bullseye under a 115-gr plated X-Treme bullet is the lower limit of reliability for my G34 (1911-ish G-Lock). They're subsonic--I haven't chrono'd them, but you can bump up the charge slightly and hear the difference. I'd guess the velocity is right around 1050 or so.