9mm GRIZZLY 124gr JHP +P+ Review

[RDub]

Hello
Most of the 9mm reviews that I did were shot with two guns.
A SIG 365 SAS, with a 3.1 inch barrel and a Taurus G3 with a 4 inch barrel.
First I do forensic exam of the ammunition. Next I shoot a group while chronographing with each gun. 10 yards with the SIG, three rounds and 15 yards with the G3, five rounds. Chronograph is a Oehler 35P
Then the ammunition is shot out of each gun into a 55 gallon plastic barrel of water. The bullets are then recovered, photographed and then measured for expansion. In cases where the bullet fragments and loses its jacket, a weight is taken with all the recovered material and also a weight taken with just the lead core.
Here is the link to all the photos of the review;

9mm Grizzly 124gr JHP +P+ — Postimages

Data Sheet

As the label implies this ammunition will deliver above average performance. Accuracy was very good considering. The 4 inch gun didn't produce anything close to the advertised velocity. Both guns produced a Standard Deviation of 13, which at this performance level is pretty good. Expansion was interesting. At the velocity the Taurus produced there was quite a bit of fragmentation resulting in a final core weight of 87grs. While at the slower velocity the SIG produced, the bullet held together well. Perhaps velocity is not always your friend.. Recoil was above average as well. Both guns shot the ammunition in stride. No concerns with the guns or the brass. Should you shoot this in your gun(s)? I'll leave that up to you.

 

[LVSteve]

Looking at the velocity gain from the Sig to the Taurus, I bet that stuff would be up near the advertised number from a 5" M&P.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

Velocity-wise that looks like about what you'd get from 7.0gr of P-P or L-S with a 124gr JHP, from my testing.

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[RDub]

Hi
Undoubtedly a longer barrel will bump velocities up.
With one particular lot No. of Blue Dot I can get 1300 fps with 8.5grs in the 4 inch Taurus shooting a 124gr HST.

 

[LVSteve]

Hi
Undoubtedly a longer barrel will bump velocities up.
With one particular lot No. of Blue Dot I can get 1300 fps with 8.5grs in the 4 inch Taurus shooting a 124gr HST.

Woah! Spicy!

 

[BLUEDOT37]

As much as I like Blue Dot it's too bulky for this small case.

I find AA#7, which has finer grains but is approximately the same burn rate, performs better in the 9x19.

Barrel length make a difference even with these powders.

These (+P, +P+) loads ARE spicy! Use at your own risk.

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Note: The FX-9 has an unsupported barrel/chamber which is why it had a bulged case but the Prodigy (fully supported) didn't.
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[stansdds]

When you want maximum velocity in the 9x19mm, especially in the +P territory, with bullets of 124 grains or heavier, it's hard to go wrong with AA #7.

 

[STORMINORMAN]

I use #7 occasionally, Longshot a lot, and just getting exposed to Blue Dot, but...

If I'm looking to reload and go to 1,300+fps with a .355 to .358" conventional projectile it's gonna' be in 357 SIG, 38 Super or 357 Magnum.

Call me a "nervous reloading nellie", but I'll stick to the manufacturers for velocities in that stratosphere in 9mm!

Cheers!

 

[RDub]

As much as I like Blue Dot it's too bulky for this small case.

I find AA#7, which has finer grains but is approximately the same burn rate, performs better in the 9x19.

Barrel length make a difference even with these powders.

These (+P, +P+) loads ARE spicy! Use at your own risk.

.

Note: The FX-9 has an unsupported barrel/chamber which is why it had a bulged case but the Prodigy (fully supported) didn't.
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Hi.. Interesting work. I've never seen AA #7 taken out that far. I'm in agreement that AA #7 is the optimum propellant for 9x19 with 124gr bullets, and is my go-to for that bullet weight actually. Speer 11-15 manuals shows 9.0grs. The Accurate Arms #5 manual shows 8.5grs as max and that is as far as I've gone so far.

I'll share an interesting discovery recently. I noticed that Speer's No. 12,13 and 14 shows 8.9gr of HS-7 as the top velocity powder. Well, I have some Win 571 left over. so since 571 and HS-7 is the same powder, I worked up loads with a 124gr bullet to 8.8grs which yielded an average velocity of a little over 1250 fps. Which is, aside from that one strange lot no. of Blue Dot, the highest velocity attained from 124gr bullets so far out of the 4 inch Taurus. And, what was nice the closer I got to 8.8grs the tighter the SD was, most under 10, and was fairly accurate. 571 is dense so the charge fit nicely in the case. Pretty amazing. Of course no signs of anything concerning came up. Too bad this powder isn't available anymore.