The Frontier Sixshooter Community Message Board - Playing with "The Super Nine" BD

Playing with "The Super Nine" BD (reply)

Catoosa — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 17:23:31 +0000

Thanks very much for the info, Cherokee. I'm loading for a 5" Colt Gov't Model with a standard barrel (no ramp) so I tend to keep my loads on the conservative side, but the .38 Super needs to be loaded stout or you might as well shoot a 9mm Luger. I'm looking to duplicate the original velocity (~1300 fps) with a 124-grain bullet. Unique will do that, but I'm running at about the max of listed data for Unique. Some of the manuals I have indicate that Blue Dot will give the same velocities with a bit less pressure, and that's what I'm looking for.

Playing with "The Super Nine" BD (reply)

Cherokee — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 16:50:40 +0000

OK, here is what I have used without any problems in my two Supers, both 6" guns I built 30 years ago on a single stack 1911 Colt and a Para double stack, Briley match barrels and Caspian slides. I also have a C96 Mauser in 38 Super but would not shoot any of these in that gun. So much for the platforms.

This data was worked up mostly in the late 80's and I still use it some today. I'm sure your are a careful reloader but cautions are important, these were worked up in my guns - yours is different. I consider these maximum so you should start 10% lower and work them up in your guns:

8.5 BD, Hornady 124 FMJ FN, 1.21" OAL, 1290 fps & 1" groups at 25 yd
8.6 BD, Hornady 124 XTP, 1.24", never chron'ed, 2" @ 25 yd
9.0 BD, Hornady 115 XTP, 1.22" OAL, 1340 fps, 2" @ 25 yd
8.4 BD, my cast 356402 TC, 1.23" OAL, 1350 fps, 2" at 25 yd
9.5 BD, Nosler 115 JHP, 1.21" OAL, never chron'ed, not as good as Hornady
8.5 BD, Win 124 FMJ RN, 1.275" OAL, never chron'ed, not as good as Hornady loads
7.4 BD, Hornady 147 XTP, 1.26" OAL, never chron'ed, 2" @ 25 yd
7.7 BD, Win 147 FMJ TC, 1.25" OAL, never chron'ed, 3" @ 25 yd, heavy recoil

I hope these will be helpfull to you. I will say currently I use Starlines 38 Super Comp brass for any of these loads, but they were worked up in standard brass at the time.

CCI SP primers used in all loads

Playing with "The Super Nine" (reply)

Catoosa — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 16:15:27 +0000

Hey Cherokee, tell me some about Blue Dot in the .38 Super, if you don't mind. I bought a pound of BD a while back to try in the Super, but haven't gotten around to loading any yet.

Playing with "The Nine" (reply)

Cherokee — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 15:50:06 +0000

Likewise on the 115 @ 1300 for the Super but I use the 124 mostly at 1250 fps using AA7 in the Super. Still use Blue Dot as well.

That sounds good (reply)

Creeker — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 04:04:26 +0000

Playing with "The Nine" (reply)

Catoosa — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 02:21:11 +0000

The Hornady 115 grain XTP is also one of my favorite bullets in .38 Super. No problem running it up to 1300 fps with good accuracy and awesome terminal effect.

Playing with "The Nine" (reply)

Paul — Sun, 15 Feb 2015 22:52:09 +0000

Funny, I had just finished perusing this article once more right before drifting over here.

http://leverguns.com/articles/taylor/9mm_reloading.htm

Don't have a 9 em em to load for, but still am intrigued by the little poppers.

Playing with "The Nine" (reply)

Cherokee — Sun, 15 Feb 2015 22:50:30 +0000

Hornady XTP is my fav for jacketed loads in the 9. I use power pistol with the 115's and AA7 with the 124's. Haven't gotten around to trying Red Dot yet.

Playing with "The Nine"

Creeker — Sun, 15 Feb 2015 20:30:52 +0000

I’ve loaded the 9MM Luger cartridge for a year or so but nothing serious. My efforts have been geared toward providing ammo to learn the semi-auto platform. Most my shooting to this point has been with a CZ 75 Pre B. The Saeco #928 bullet is used with Promo power purchased on the cheap a few years ago along with several sleeves of HMF primers.

As things would go I purchased an S&W M&P Compact 9MM with thoughts of using such as a carry arm. I quickly learned this pistol would not function reliably with the ammo loaded for the CZ. The OAL and bullet profile was not the issue, it was bullet diameter. I use the Saeco #928 at .358” in the CZ but the M&P will fail to fully chamber at least once per magazine.

Looking for a bullet to carry in my M&P I purchased several Hornady XTP 115 HP bullets. These were loaded with 4.5 grains of Promo at 1.125” & after many down the barrel I trust the load to feed & fire without issue.

I began with once fired mixed cases which I tumbled & sprayed with Hornady One Shot.

The cases are primed with these.

Promo power is used weight for weight with any Red Dot data. The charge weight was 4.5 grains which varied very little charge to charge from my Dillon measure.

4.5 grains of Promo looks like this in a 9MM Luger case.

The Hornady XTP 115 HP.

Round & round on the Dillon 550.

Loaded round ben.

The finished product.

I fired most these loads at 20 yards from the standing position using a 2 hand hold. A couple of magazines fired will group most into 3 ½”. I’m sure if only 5 shots were fired using ones best efforts the groups would be smaller but the M&P Compact isn’t a bullseye arm.