Hello All,
I just got a Dillion 550B and I'm new to reloading. I've been doing my research for the past week or so before starting to load anything. I've read here on SF about some shooters using higher grain bullets with less powder, and it's advantages, less recoil, etc. I am wanting to try out a 9mm 165 gr bullet. What would be a good powder grain amount to start with, using Unique Powder, to be accurate and cycle the pistol reliably, using the 165gr bullet? I read a quote from Fredj338 about some shooters using that grain bullet, with +/-800fps. Does anyone have a recipe that I could work from with OAL, Case length, and powder grain amount? I'll probably use Xtreme bullets 165gr RN. I shoot in action matches here and there for fun and training, and use a Sig 226 SSE & Sig 229 SSE, to give a little background....Thanks

This message has been edited. Last edited by: STYLUS_407,

You admit you are new.
My advice is getting a couple or three books and study carefully.
Use your new 550 with published loads bullets and powders.
Get a feel for how things work before you wander into some unknowns

10-4 thanks, Yes I'm taking this slow and with caution. I have the Lyman 49th edition reloading handbook, that is page marked for 9mm, .45acp, .556, and .308, and continue to research/learn. From things I've read so far, I would like to use a heavier grain bullet. The guy that sold me the press gave me a few hundred 124 gr 9mm bullets that I'll work up using the recommended powder amount, not the high end for that round, or any round I use. Maybe I should stick with that 124 gr or 147 gr because it's more available? I'm assuming. But yes, Whatever grain bullet I use, I'll start off with lower/median recommended powder measures, and work my way up to what suits my pistols best.

I've worked up two loads with Reddot & WST using the 165gr Xtreme & the Bayou 160gr. Just my take on the super heavy in 9mm. yes they are very quiet & stupid soft recoil, BUT, in my heavy slide 1911, the slide feels sluggish. So I prefer the 147gr loaded to 875fps for 9mm minor.
Since you are new & there is no vetted/printed data, I would roll with 147gr for awhile. Then send me a PM & I'll give you my 160-165gr loads.

I concur with the others to read some of the reloading books first and then proceed slowly. There is information on 165gr loads on the Extreme Bullets website at here. Remember that the information there is anecdotal.

Thx Fredj338...I'll take your advice, I've been reading threads on here, and was hoping you'd chime in. It seems you have a very good knowledge regarding reloading, and use of heavier bullets. So, as I read on the Alliant (Unique) website they recommend 4.3 gr for 954 fps, using a 147 projectile, and an OAL of 1.13... If I'm calculating correctly, and please tell me if I'm not, that comes to 3.94gr to achieve 875 fps, which I may go with 4.0 gr for approximately 890 fps. My 226 SSE has a heavy slide possibly comparable to your 1911. Am I on the right track?
BTW the press is set up for 9mm when I bought it, and he has a piece of tape marked 9mm 3.8 gr and I believe the powder he was using with 124 gr bullets....I will be checking the powder measure when I begin loading myself, and checking the numourus other things Case bell, primer seating, bullet seating depth. etc Thanks, and if anyone else more to add...I'm all ears..

quote:

Thx Fredj338...I'll take your advice, I've been reading threads on here, and was hoping you'd chime in. It seems you have a very good knowledge regarding reloading, and use of heavier bullets. So, as I read on the Alliant (Unique) website they recommend 4.3 gr for 954 fps, using a 147 projectile, and an OAL of 1.13... If I'm calculating correctly, and please tell me if I'm not, that comes to 3.94gr to achieve 875 fps, which I may go with 4.0 gr for approximately 890 fps. My 226 SSE has a heavy slide possibly comparable to your 1911. Am I on the right track?

That's not really how it works. Powders, all powders, build pressures diff. Most are linear, some not so much. Diff powders require a certain pressure level to burn efficiently. So you can guess what the vel will be reducing in steps, but you won't know until you shoot over a chrono.

I guess I'll be looking into a chrono in the near future, if I'm going to get things dialed in correctly, and know the fps for certain.

quote:

I guess I'll be looking into a chrono in the near future, if I'm going to get things dialed in correctly, and know the fps for certain.

Yeah we won't even get into diff test platforms used in manuals & then your own individual gun. I identical appearing guns can vary by as much as 125fps with identical loads. The worst offenders are revolvers, but semis can be 40-50fps diff with identical appearing guns.

Fredj's advice is good stuff. I have used some 160 gr LSWC loads in 9mm. The 147's are a good balance of bullet weight and the fairly broad velocity range you can select with certain powders

So, yea, rock the 147's. Steel plates and poppers fall with a pleasing whack.