looking for *great* G34 practice load

[m657]

gearing up for the GSSF match a few months away....looking to load some 124 plated practice fodder.

Looking to approximate standard factory Blazer as they work well enough for this project.

Any favorite recipes out there to share?

 

[Nevada Ed]

I am hoping the 34 is a 5" barrel.....

124gr plated RN is a good practice bullet and it can be good at 970fps, 1020fps or 1180fps for a low vel. practice load.

I have good accuracy with Bullseye, Red Dot, Cfe and HS-6 powders with the 125gr bullet.

The 135gr plated was not to good for me but the 147gr worked.
Minimum load was 805fps with HS-6 up to 874fps with Bullseye.
If the 124grs don't work out for you, the 147gr might be just the thing for your accuracy load, since it likes a lot of powders.

The Blazer 124gr in a 4" should be around 1090fps.
You did not mention what powders you have.

Good luck.

 

[m657]

Thanks NevadaEd; I was surprised yesterday in reviewing manuals to find a load that looks very interesting for 124 plated; it lists N350 in a pleasing range of velocities.

My powder on hand has been mostly accumulated for cast lead. Since G* is involved, the move to plated/FMJ for the project seems desirable.

I was unsatisfied last go round with either 147 lead or CFE in several calibers. Having used it up, do not intend to replace it.

Note: G34 barrel listed at 5.31"

 

[fredj338]

If you only want 9mm minor loads, i would go with w231 & faster powders. I shoot a lot of WST with 124gr & 147gr. Accurate enough for zero down hits @ 50yds. With plated, make sure you go 0.356", even try 0.357" for best accuracy. You are only looking for 1050fps or so with 124gr. With slower piwders, you never get to good combustion at that pressure/vel.

 

[Nevada Ed]

As a note;

I also tried a 125gr Coated RN, .356" dia. bullet from a OAL from 1.06 up to 1.16" with five powders from fast to slow burning.

It was all over the place in my weapon and hit point of aim at 945 and 1046fps with two different powders and two different OAL's, of a total of 30 test loads.

You might be better off with the plated bullets?

 

[m657]

re: coated boolits
I have tried them in 41 mag; extensively in 10mm and a few in 45 acp. I don't like the way they smell; otherwise performance is at least adequate. One of my very best all time 10mm groups was coated 180g. Still they stink too much to me.

Range results today focused on 8" falling plate rack @ 25 yards; 6" vertical swinging plates @ 30 yards; 12" round at 60 yards.

Good enough accuracy that any misses directly my own error. No failures of any kind.

recipe from R Lee 2nd Edition Handloading
Load: 124g Berry plated RN; N350 5.5g @ 1135 fps; OAL 1.142; .356; if I recall details.

Recoil seemed essentially identical to factory Blazer 124.
This was abbreviated test batch prior to larger practice lot.
Next time will get some paper targets for finer accuracy feedback.

After 150 rounds was going to clean the G34. Broke down....nothing to clean!!!

Rainy day tomorrow, will fill a few more cases.

 

[Nevada Ed]

That 1.14" OAL sounds like a keeper.

I get better accuracy with the 124 at 1.165" but you don't want to take a chance of a malfunction, so I would stay with the 1.14" for 100% ejections !!

Knock em down !!