9mm Bowling Pin Ammo?

[XAVMECH]

My wife and I are starting to shoot in competition (not against each other ). We're going to try falling plates and bowling pins. I had planned to use my "new" 3906, which I purchased last fall LNIB. With its adjustable sights, it seemed like a good place to start, as I have other CCW 3rd Gen pistols. Well, after attending the training session last weekend, we went out to the range today - she with her Browning Buckmark and I with the 3906. I was shooting 124gr Remington FMJ, and Speer Lawman 124 FMJ. Absolutely not problems hitting the pins - easier than I thought. (The recycled pin tops become targets for the rimfire shooters and the wife's Buckmark made mincemeat of those)

Surprisingly, the pins didn't jump off the table with much alacrity (many just fell over and rolled a bit). I thought maybe the ammo was a poor match. I pulled out my carry piece (Kimber Ultra Carry 45ACP) loaded with Golden Sabres, and those pins jumped right off the table. This surprised me a bit, as I didn't think I'd really do that well clearing the table with the 45's short barrel.

Do any of you do this kind of shooting (bowling pins/falling plates) with 9MM? What ammo do you prefer for this type of target? I don't have a longer barrelled .45, but have a SIG 229 in .40S&W. Sitting here this evening, I'm wondering whether I should continue to concentrate on the 9mm, or change up to the SIG, using 185 flat nosed FMJs.... I'll be going back out the the range in a week, as the first match is the following SAT. Thanks in advance for your input!
XAVMECH

 

[RGPM1A]

Shooting bowling pins is best done with the heaviest bullet possible going as fast as you can stand and still recover a sight picture rapidly. 9mm is not a good choice but if you must use one try +p 147 grain JHPs.

A much better choice would be your Sig in 40 S&W with 180 grain JHP or LSWC bullets in the hottest load you can stand and still rapidly recover a sight picture.

I personally use a 10mm with 200 grain JHPs @1200 fps and they fly off the table.

For plates its just the opposite unless there is a power factor floor (bullet weight in grains times the velocity in FPS divided by a thousand). Use the lightest bullets you can find going as slow as you can get them and still cycle the gun. The object is as little recoil as possible. Actually for factory ammo a subsonic 147 grain 9mm load would be ok if you don't reload.

Hope this helps.

 

[ACP230]

I used to shoot the Nine Pin Event at the Second Chance Shoot with my BHP. I used standard FMJ ammo and it worked OK when I hit the pins.

The pins were set a foot from the back of the table in that event. With the standard set, a foot from the front of the table, the .45 or .41 Magnum worked much better.

The guys who did best with the 9mm used 147 grain loads, I think.

 

[XAVMECH]

Thanks, folks -
That clears it up a bit. I'll take the .40 out there FRI, I've got a bunch of 185 gr flat nosed FMJ. I know what you mean about recovery. The 3906 is very stable due to its weight and barrel length. I'll also pick up some 147 gr 9MM. Maybe I'll need to keep an eye out for a 4006 for this type of shooting

 

[haggis]

Many ranges set .357 Magnum as the minimum caliber for shooting pins. A lot of the lighter stuff actually bounces back off the pins, and I've seen several shooters hit by the rebounds. It'll raise a welt, but most importantly, it could cause eye damage for an unprotected shooter - there are still idiots who don't wear glasses.

The original idea behind pin shooting was to combine accuracy and speed with powerful calibers as a demonstration of all of the elements of effective self-defense shooting. It became less popular as time passed because it's basically boring - the COF never changes. USPSA and IDPA are more varied with the same basic shooting elements.

If someone can't manage the heavier calibers, there's still pin-top shooting with .22's - and that's a hoot.

Buck

 

[David Sinko]

I have a box of 125 gr. JHP Pin Grabbers that were made by Kawser Custom, Inc. These bullets are .355" and the exposed lead has a sharp "saw teeth" style configuration. They come individually partitioned in the box so as to prevent deformation of the teeth but I find that seating these bullets with a conventional seating stem to be a very tricky proposition. The box says they are for .38 Super but they can be loaded in 9mm as well. Frankly I'd be surprised to find ANY semi-auto out there that can reliably feed this stuff but I can shoot them at 1180 FPS out of my 2" Model 940 revolver. The theory is that the teeth will bite into the pin (or whatever else needs shooting) will less tendency to deflect on edge or angle hits. They seem to hold up well during my penetration tests. I doubt that these bullets are still available but I'd buy more if I can find them.

Dave Sinko

 

[leas327]

Pins need bullet weight to help them off the table. You could overload a 9 but it still won't be that effective from what I have seen. At my range they recommend a 190 power factor minimum. From what I have loaded and tested for myself that seems true. My current pin loads are a 180gr bullet @ 1100 fps in .357 and a 200gr. @ 1000 fps in .45. Also use bullets that are hollow point or flat point. Round nose will deflect off the pins if not hit square. I would rather miss a pin completely than graze one and have it fall over. Pins have a sweet spot that is right in the middle of the fattest part. Hit it there and they will fly off the table. Any area other than that and you are counting on luck and a good roll. Good practice is to shoot shotgun hulls at whatever distance you shoot pins at. The first time I tried it I was humbled. After I got use to practicing that the pins looked huge.

9mm works great for steel.

 

[cp1969]

When I used to shoot them, the pins were set at different locations, depending on caliber. .22's were at the far edge of the table, 9's and .38's were set in the middle, and the rest were on the front edge. IIRC, the tables were at least 3' deep, if not more.

If I was using a 9, I'd go with 147 gr.

 

[tom turner]

9mm pistols never impressed anyone at pin matches back "in the day." However, I'm glad you can still find a place to shoot pin matches. IMHO, some of my most fun days shooting matches were shooting pin matches against regulation bowling pins.

Now that other 9mm auto . . . the .38 Super? Not a problem moving a pin with a hot Super load.

Still, .45ACP seems to be the trick for a combination of authoritative pun + fast times . . . at least in my experience.

Probably my coolest moment was shooting a tip over, 6-pin table match with my Ruger MkII target model .22 pistol. I made an incredible run of one table in a match one day that I've never been able to duplicate in competition or practice . . . 2.20 seconds from the low ready, reacting to the Pact timer to knock all six down. Ah the memories of gun powder and fun at the range!!!

 

[Blue Box]

If you like a reason to by another gun get a 38 super, I have a springfield armory factory Comp its my favorite auto for pin shooting but for the revolver class nothing can beat a model 610 6 1/2 inch barrel! Gotta love the moon clips for fast reloading.