9mm Target Load Unique

Hello All and Happy Holidays.

I have recently got the little lady interested in target shooting.

She fell in love with my Springfield Range officer.

She has been using my handload, 200 SWC & 5.0gr. Bullseye. I can tell it is a little much for her but she still
enjoys it.

Just recently I discovered that Springfield has come out with the RO in 9mm. I, of coarse am going to order
one for her as soon as I can not only to give her a more comfortable load to shoot but to get my RO back
which she commandered.

I would like to develope a load with the best possible accuracy for her, but with the benefit of light recoil.

So I am looking for a load using a FMJ 115 gr. bullet and either Unique or Bullseye powder.

I have about 15 ibs of Unique and if possible would like to use it to load out a few thousand rounds for her.

I would prefer to use a lead bullet, but being a woman she likes the shiny bullets. Always complained about
how ugly the .45's were and made her fingers dirty even though I had to load the magazines  

Any light, accurate loads for this bullet along with spring recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Don

Also interested in accurate light 9mm target loads, but not confined to Unique.

I don't own or shoot a 9mm but here is what I see from others shooting the 9.  Light and accurate do not go together.  I have a friend that has a custom 9mm 1911 that will shoot 1" groups at 50 but the loads are so hot to get it to do that the recoil is similar if not more than the .45.  It is also extremely loud and the shockwave shooting next to it is fierce.  Another friend was shooting lead out of his 9mm at 50 feet trying to get a light load for the indoor season and they were key holing at that distance.  In my opinion a 185 lswc .45 with 3.5gr of bullseye is an extremely light and pleasant load to shoot (and shoots well).  5.0gr of bullseye behind a 200gr bullet has got to be pretty much for her to handle.  I know I wouldn't want to shoot a 2700 with that load.  Heck thats gotta be like shooting TZZ ball ammo!  Yeeesh

Scott

Just like Scott said 5.0BE behind the 200gr LSWCs is TOO HOT.

I shoot 3.8gr BE under the 200gr and will cycle the Range Officer without changing any springs.

When you shoot 9mm loads that are fast enough to be accurate, the recoil really snaps where .45 with 3.5 -3.8be is more of a push--much easier to get used to.

A master shooter just set up a 9mm gun that makes pretty dime sized holes where all the bullets went through.  I will get his ammo recipe for you guys.

Don, turn your powder dump down and let her keep shooting the .45.  It's much more forgiving than 9mm--especially at the lighter loads.

Each powder has a different feel when it burns. Powders like Power Pistol have a lot of snap in 9mm. Unique feels snappy to me in 45. 

The softer shooting powders in 9mm are N330, N340, and WSF. 

9mm isn't 45. The bullets, powders, recoil springs, etc are different. You will likely have to try some new powders. That's the fun of having a different gun built. If you want to do the same old things, do them with the same old gun. 

I am convinced you can set up a 9mm that shoots softer and more accurately than a 45. The guys going for top level 50 yard accuracy in the 45 tend to be shooting stouter jacketed loads too.

If I get some time over the next few weeks, I will do some testing with Unique in 9mm to see what I can figure out. I don't like Unique in 45, but it works well for me in 12 gauge.

A 147 grain lead bullet will have less felt recoil than the 115.  147 sns lead 2.7 bulls eye powder is x ring accurate at 25 yards in my Kart barreled 9mm wad gun (slide mounted ultra dot).But this load does not hold up to 50 yards. Same 147 bullet with 5.5 of AA#7 will hold xring at 50yards but the recoil is about the same as 160swc at 4.1 in a 45. I would suggest back your load down to say 4.o of bulls eye or get some lighter bullets for your 45 and get another 45 for Her/you.

9mm I use the Hornady HAP 115 gr bullets over 3.9 gr of Alliant Claydot at 1050 fps. 1.115-1.125 oal.

don't think it's listed anywhere, so use your own discretion and work up. I started at 3.4 but it wouldn't cycle slide on my S.A 1911. went to a lighter mainspring and it's a great PPC shooter.

Drop the load on the 45 to 3.6 be with iron sights, it will shoot softer than any 9mm accurate load. The 9mm needs to be traveling fast to be accurate, at those speeds it has a much harder snap and recoil than a soft loaded 45. plus finding a accurate lead 9mm bullet will be hard, not many to choose from, most 9mm shooters all shoot FMJ another draw back if you get her interested in bullseye, the 9mm will only be able to be used as a center fire gun, a 45 will still be needed to compete.

+1 on dropping the .45 load. If she likes the .45, let her stay with it. Easy to get accurate loads, pushes rather than snaps--just don't give her any 230gn hardball.
9x19 accuracy (to the degree it's possible at all):
After sizing, sort out all cases that are at least 0.749" for accuracy. Keep these treasures.
115-125gn bullets are, generally, more accurate than 147gn. This is NOT action pistol where accuracy is in third or forth place when evaluating a load.
Cast bullets should be large. In general, you will do better with 0.357-0.358" bullets. In particular, slug your barrel and be sure bullets are at least 0.002" larger (normally 0.001", but 9s seem to crave larger).
Montana Gold makes a .38 125gn JHP that is GREAT in 9mm if you want jacketed.
Surprisingly, the Hornady "Cowboy" 140gn swaged .38 bullet does quite well in 9x19.

Its been a year, how's the Unique loads coming along?

Rob Kovach wrote:Just like Scott said 5.0BE behind the 200gr LSWCs is TOO HOT.

I shoot 3.8gr BE under the 200gr and will cycle the Range Officer without changing any springs.

When you shoot 9mm loads that are fast enough to be accurate, the recoil really snaps where .45 with 3.5 -3.8be is more of a push--much easier to get used to.

A master shooter just set up a 9mm gun that makes pretty dime sized holes where all the bullets went through.  I will get his ammo recipe for you guys.

Don, turn your powder dump down and let her keep shooting the .45.  It's much more forgiving than 9mm--especially at the lighter loads.

Update on the 9mm recipe?

Bullet - 115 grain Zero for practice.  115 grain HAP for matches  -  Click or two adjust on scope after first two shots
Powder - 4.2 Titegroup, practice.  4.9 VV 330, matches  -  50 yard setting good for 25 yards - (my gun and me)
OAL - 1.142
Crimp - ????
Barrel - KKM 1:32 twist

115 gr. Montana Gold FMJ over 5.4 grs. Unique.  Very accurate in my Tanfoglio Witness Elite Match.