Reloading 9mm - next level

[fredj338]

You can compress unique quite a bit delending on bullet wt. at 5.2gr, you still have room to run & yes it will be compressed.
If you are comfy with your 124gr load, no reason to experiment more there. I would give 147gr a try. For target work or gun games, offers the most control in rapid shooting.

 

[mtgianni]

Unique does a lot of things well. In the 9mm it is not nearly as good as Power Pistol, IMO.

 

[Paseclipse]

Op if you want to jump down the rabbit hole a little more, get yourself a chronograph and start running your rounds through it to get an idea how consistent your load velocities are. Then work on lowering the standard deviation and extreme spread.

After mastering pistol round fine tuning, the next logical step is to move into loading rifle rounds... This will keep you VERY busy!

 

[AlHunt]

There's nothing wrong with a pet load, most of us have them. I've never cared for Unique in anything. My fav for 9mm has been Blue Dot and a 147GR cast bullet. Blue Dot meters OK. In my measure I usually tap the measure twice when it's rotated up to fill the rotor and it's pretty consistent. Not letting the hopper get way down helps.

Here's a thought - buy a new 9MM! You get to see how your load shoots in a different gun and I bet it won't be the same.

OR ... cast your own bullets. Then learn about gas checks. Then (my current challenge) Powder Coat them! The problem with casting for 9MM is cost. Unless you have cheap/free lead, you can buy bullets as cheaply as casting yourself.

There's a LOT of satisfaction in shooting an enviable group with bullets you cast with your own 2 hands,

Have fun.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

I am quite possibly the only person in the world that doesn't like Unique powder. I have found it throws inconsistent powder charges. While that is not a safety issue with mid-range loads it could be with high loads and the variations does not help accuracy. I still have a 1/2 can of Unique that has been sitting on the sheft for many years.

My favorite general use powder is W231. It works well in 9mm and 38 Special. I also like AA powders. Both of these meter work well giving consistent charges and good performance.

I burn it by the 8 lb keg......45LC/44SPL/20 ga/12 ga etc.......I love it!

 

[max503]

What to do next?
Cast your own bullets. Lead can be had if you look for it.

 

[BE Mike]

I've gotten comfortable with my entry into reloading - unique 4.6 to 5.2 grains with 124 grain fmj bullets from everglades, OAL ranging from 1.09 to 1.12. Anything in those parameters is proving more accurate than I am.(that's not the range in each batch, my qc is better than that, but those are variables I've adjusted so far). I have several hundred more cases to load in storage and need to run by my local reloading store for more primers, which leads to my next question while I'm shopping. What should be my next steps to expand my experience, adjusting OAL, different powder or something else? Logic says I've found a good load that works well enough, but I want to try something else.

I'm just reloading 9mm and 38 special right now and am only about 2.5k rounds into reloading so I'm just getting started. I'm hesitant to experiment with more unique in each case since to my eye it looks like I'll start dealing with compressed loads which makes me nervous.

So what should I start experimenting with next?

What kind of accuracy do you expect at what distances? If you just want to hit the "A" zone at 25 yards, I've found that any safe bullet and powder combo will get you there.

 

[WR Moore]

Lightly compressed loads with Unique-or many other powders- isn't a big deal. If you want performance beyond Unique, go for Power Pistol. A tad slower, less bulky.

OAL is going to vary depending upon bullet profile. Don't try to go longer to reduce the jump to the rifling, that's strictly a rifle thing. Sometimes, slightly reducing OAL can increase velocity somewhat by reducing effective case volume. However, you want to be cautious and a chronograph is almost mandatory for that sort of thing. Pressures can go up very quickly as volume is reduced. You don't want to find yourself exceeding factory velocities as that almost always means you're exceeding factory pressures.

BTW, factory/SAAMI max pressures are rarely seen in production ammo. They load to a velocity specification at lower than max pressures.

 

[scooter123]

I am quite possibly the only person in the world that doesn't like Unique powder. I have found it throws inconsistent powder charges. While that is not a safety issue with mid-range loads it could be with high loads and the variations does not help accuracy. I still have a 1/2 can of Unique that has been sitting on the sheft for many years.

My favorite general use powder is W231. It works well in 9mm and 38 Special. I also like AA powders. Both of these meter work well giving consistent charges and good performance.

You are not alone in your dislike for Unique as a Handgun Powder because the Standard Deviation for Unique in a Volume Powder Measure is 0.17 grains. If you are familiar with the 6 Sigma quality system that means the total range is +/- 0.51 grains. So, for a 5 grain charge the variation is +/- 10%. IMO that is NOT safe. Note, in a 16 grain charge for a 20 gage shotgun load a +/- 0.51 grain variation is totally acceptable and Unique was originally intended to be used in Shotshells.

My tip is that if you insist on using Unique then take the time to hand check every single charge thrown. Once you get to about 100 charges weighed you'll come to understand why this is necessary.

As for alternate powders I would recommend looking at the Accurate Handgun powders because they all meter wonderfully with a SD of 0.034 grains. Between Accurate #2 and #9 you have a range of powders that will cover almost any handgun load except for some of the large bore Magnums. Note, H110 is also a superb metering powder and it works quite well for hot 357 Magnums. For 38 special and "light" 357 Magnums I like Vihtavouri 3N37 because it's not at all position sensitive and also meters very well. For my semi auto loads my go to for target loads is IMR SR7625 because it also meters well. Unfortunately production of 7625 has been discontinued but I laid up a good stash before it went off the market.

 

[342ti]

Other than changing up powders, not much experimenting to be done. Eventually you can lengthen, NEVER shorten, OAL according to specific barrel chambers, but for 9mm, seems to be nonsensical. Don't go looking for trouble, reloading's one of those things where if you're looking for it, you'll find it in a hurry!

 

[oldman10mm]

My next level after establishing loads for Remington 115gr JHP of 1100fps and 1200fps was to work with 380acp 88-90 JHP.
I like velocity so the endeavor was higher velocity. Chronographed from a Beretta 92. 1350fps standard load and 1500fps mas standard load.
My standard load for 124gr is 1100fps.

 

[Wise_A]

You are not alone in your dislike for Unique as a Handgun Powder because the Standard Deviation for Unique in a Volume Powder Measure is 0.17 grains. If you are familiar with the 6 Sigma quality system that means the total range is +/- 0.51 grains. So, for a 5 grain charge the variation is +/- 10%. IMO that is NOT safe. Note, in a 16 grain charge for a 20 gage shotgun load a +/- 0.51 grain variation is totally acceptable and Unique was originally intended to be used in Shotshells.

I don't think you know quite how that works. For starters, you keep presuming that the dropped charges will vary by a fixed amount, regardless of the volume cavity used.

 

[stansdds]

I will admit that Unique does not always meter well and the operation of the powder measure can be "sticky". Small charge weights through a large diameter well in a powder measure often result in variations in the charge weight. Using a small diameter well or larger charge weights reduce such variations. Unique actually works best and is most efficient with charge weights at the middle to the top of the listed safe charges. Unique tends to be very smoky and dirty with light charges.

For powder-puff target loads, look to a faster burning powder, such as Bullseye, W-231/HP38, or Accurate Arms #2.

Alternatives to Unique would be BE-86(no personal experience, but others have reported very good results) or Accurate Arms #5.

For +P and NATO spec 9mm loads, Accurate Arms #5 and #7.

This has been my experience, your mileage may vary.