Reloading 9mm and .45 ACP - need advice.

[BerksCountyDave]

Hey guys, I'm going to be starting to reload 9mm and .45 ACP very soon.

I need advice on recipes for each.

The .45 rounds will go through my Para Ordnance 1911 mainly. Lead bullets would be fine, since they're cheaper. I need a recipe for a fairly light recoil, decently accurate target load for as little $$ as possible.

9mm will be for my two Glocks. Is it true that I can't use lead? I need a recipe for target/plinking rounds.

Thanks!
Dave

[Pukindog]

Dave, For the .45 my favorite load is a 200 gr. lead bullet 4.5 grains of Bullseye. Can't recommend a 9mm load since I don't load for it.

Jeff

[rwilson452]

I don't do 9mm my favorite powder for 45ACP is 231. haven't used HP38 but I have heard it's the same as 231. as to how much of it to use I would suggest you tinker with it some and see how light a load your pistol will tolerate. When loading for the 1911 style 45s I use the barrel as a gauge and make it as long as I can that will still fit in the barrel and mag.

If your COAL is too long or short you going to come to grief.

[WhiteFeather]

Originally Posted by Pukindog

Dave, For the .45 my favorite load is a 200 gr. lead bullet 4.5 grains of Bullseye. Can't recommend a 9mm load since I don't load for it.

Jeff

I don't load for 9mm either

I also load using bullseye powder for my 45 and others pistols, for a couple of reason.

It burns really clean, doesn't foul out the pistols like other powders can, cost about the same as other pistol powders by the pound, except that it takes about half the powder of other manufactures. (50% cheaper to reload)

Here are some loading charts from powder makers for all pistols, NOTE always start at least 10% from any loads listed and work up to suggested load just to be safe on the safe side. READ ALL MANUFACTURES WARNING and FOLLOW THEM EXACTLY

http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloade...nd%20Revolvers

[NoHackrLtd]

Originally Posted by BerksCountyDave

9mm will be for my two Glocks. Is it true that I can't use lead? I need a recipe for target/plinking rounds.

Thanks!
Dave

In Glocks, due to the way the barrels are machined, lead bullets are not recommended, unless you want to wind up with a KABOOM somewhere down the road.

The octagonal rifling allows lead to build up. Stick with jacketed bullets for the Glock.

[Xringshooter]

Remember, people are going to have pet loads that work great in THEIR guns. Every gun is close but different. What shoots good in Joe's gun may not in yours. You can get individual caliber reloading manuals from places like Sportsmans Warehouse or the NRA if you don't want to invest in a major reloading manual. I would advise that you at last get Lymans reloading manual to have on hand as a reference manual.

I have used 200 grain LSWC with Solo 1000 in my 45 acp and gotten very good groups. Solo 1000 is in the same area as Red Dot, Bullseye, 231 in burn rate.

That's the fun of reloading, load some of each, with different loads in each, shoot them, document the results and see what YOUR gun likes to eat. You can also custom tailor loads to shoot POA at different ranges without changing you sights (just remember what's in your gun if you CC).

[pstew]

I load for both. Here are are a few things.

For the 45, get some lead 200 gr SWC or 230 gr RN, unless you are planning to shoot indoors. Check out Rogers Better Bullets in King of Prussia if you need some bullets to load. In the 45, I like Winchester Super Target.

For the Glock 9, you are going to have to shoot Jacketed, Copper coated, or the Precision Moly coated bullet. If you really want to shoot lead, then you are looking at an after market barrel. I have a Storm Lake, but there are other's that are better (more expensive) out there. For 9mm, i have been shooting Universal Clays, Power Pistol and Red Dot. I shot up about 5 lbs of the Universal, before I was overcome by the temptation to start messing around with different loads.

[Brick]

Reloading .45 ACP is relatively easy, just read your manual a couple times and follow the steps closely. Use a chamber gauge or your pistol's DISMOUNTED barrel to make sure the finished rounds chamber correctly. The rim of the finished round should drop in easily and end up even with or slighlty below the hood.

Reloading 9mm however is a PIA and really not worth it since cheap factory ammo is available. Additionally DO NOT use reloads in any GLOCK unless you fully understand the causes and consequenses of a KABOOM. Read Dean Spier's website the gunzone (I lost the URL so do a google search) for specifics on Glock Kbs.

Additionally, Glock uses a polygonal rifling system instead of cut rifling, that leaves no place for the fouling to go so lead, lubricant and powder residue build up quickly. So stick with jacketed bullets for your Glocks.

[Farbmeister]

.45ACP - 5 grains of bullseye under a 230gr RN lead bullet. I can do that all day. Very cheap to shoot.

I am casting my own boolets now so I think I pay about .05 per round. I think my .45 brass has eleventy billion reloads on it... still looks new.

[PAhunter]

Originally Posted by WhiteFeather

.....

http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloade...nd%20Revolvers

Just wanted to thank you for the web address. I am dusting off my old RCBS press and returning to reloading. I haven't done any reloading for 20 years and am trying to get back in the groove.
For now I think I will be doing mainly .38spl and .243 as well as 30-06. I suppose you could say I am another victim of the ammo price increases.
Perhaps down the road I will buy a set of dies and start on some of the .45 brass I have been saving.

Jack