Affordable bulk 9mm for knocking down steel???

[rvb]

Often those poppers are calibrated to higher power factor loads, using min-spec 9 just doesn't cut it.

If set up right, they should be cal'd to lighter PF. min-spec (125pf) should be plenty adequate. They have to be set awfully heavy before 125pf ammo won't do the job. (Rules say they have to be cal'd to 115-125pf, I have some 120PF I use for cal, and it's very seldom they don't take down a popper that's not malfunctioning, or you set the popper and think "wow that's really heavy").

Where min PF ammo falls on it's face is if you have low hits, edge hits, or hits not square to the face (eg depending on where you engage it from you may not be shooting it straight on). You have no margin; hotter ammo can let you get away with poorer hits and off-angle hits. again why I like to be closer to 135PF than 125PF.

IIRC 124gr NATO is typically around 145+PF.

I suspect the ammo was light. But then again, worddoer's first match was a rainy soggy mess, and it's possible the poppers took a heavy set. I didn't run cal ammo over them, but I did tap test them all during setup....

worddoer, if you want to set some aside, we can run it over a chrono.

-rvb

 

[worddoer]

USPSA? Time to buy a press.

I wish I hadn't put it off and started loading several years earlier. YOU can control your QC. No more worrying about chrono or PF. And save some $ in the long run. You can use 147s w/o breaking the bank.

BTW: I loose 5 PF going from my G34 to my G19 w/ my load.

also, Steel is the reason I 1) use 147s, 2) load for 133-135 PF.

-rvb

I wish I could. But no time or space at the moment for reloading.

 

[worddoer]

Where min PF ammo falls on it's face is if you have low hits, edge hits, or hits not square to the face (eg depending on where you engage it from you may not be shooting it straight on). You have no margin; hotter ammo can let you get away with poorer hits and off-angle hits. again why I like to be closer to 135PF than 125PF.

I think this might have had a part to play. We were shooting the larger poppers at an angle to our right. Also, I was making hits in the circle part, so not towards the very top. Add to that a lighter load, and I think all of those factors combined were not quite enough to push the large popper over. Never had issues with the smaller ones.

I suspect the ammo was light. But then again, worddoer's first match was a rainy soggy mess, and it's possible the poppers took a heavy set. I didn't run cal ammo over them, but I did tap test them all during setup....

Actually this was during practice on Thursday night May 3rd. I skipped the April practice and match due to wind, rain and just over freezing temps. Did not look fun to me. So it guess it's possible that the popper was not calibrated or had settled and was no longer in calibration.

worddoer, if you want to set some aside, we can run it over a chrono.
-rvb

Thanks for the offer. I was going to try the same ammo on Sunday at our match and see what happens. Maybe I can make due for now. But I have already decided that when my practice ammo needs replenished, it will be with factory new 147gr rounds. Preferably something in the mid to high 900 fps range. That should give me plenty of umph...power factor...to knock over steel.

Now I just need to see if SG Ammo has a mailing list..........

 

[KLB]

I think this might have had a part to play. We were shooting the larger poppers at an angle to our right. Also, I was making hits in the circle part, so not towards the very top. Add to that a lighter load, and I think all of those factors combined were not quite enough to push the large popper over. Never had issues with the smaller ones.



Actually this was during practice on Thursday night May 3rd. I skipped the April practice and match due to wind, rain and just over freezing temps. Did not look fun to me. So it guess it's possible that the popper was not calibrated or had settled and was no longer in calibration.




Thanks for the offer. I was going to try the same ammo on Sunday at our match and see what happens. Maybe I can make due for now. But I have already decided that when my practice ammo needs replenished, it will be with factory new 147gr rounds. Preferably something in the mid to high 900 fps range. That should give me plenty of umph...power factor...to knock over steel.

Now I just need to see if SG Ammo has a mailing list..........

They do

 

[rvb]

I think this might have had a part to play. We were shooting the larger poppers at an angle to our right. Also, I was making hits in the circle part, so not towards the very top. Add to that a lighter load, and I think all of those factors combined were not quite enough to push the large popper over. Never had issues with the smaller ones.



Actually this was during practice on Thursday night May 3rd. I skipped the April practice and match due to wind, rain and just over freezing temps. Did not look fun to me. So it guess it's possible that the popper was not calibrated or had settled and was no longer in calibration.

Ahh, that's right. I wasn't at the practice. I bet the poppers just got dropped in place and not adjusted. If that happens at a practice, just go ahead and adjust them or ask for help. If it happens at a match 1) be familiar with calibration rules and 2) say something to the RO if you see them not falling.

at practices we have been known to set them so they wont fall just so we don't have to reset them.

-rvb

 

[rvb]

I wish I could. But no time or space at the moment for reloading.

It doesn't have to take much of either.

When I lived out east I used to keep the press on top of a book case, and would mount it to a bench top when I needed to load ammo, and then put it back.

as for time, if you can scrounge a few hours over the winter, you can have all the ammo you need for the year.

Saves money, and no more worrying about the Pf of the bulk crap, or the bulk crap's shoddy CQ, or stupid hard primers, etc. People like to bash handloads, but I haven't had a squib or dud or underpowered ammo since I started making my own.

-rvb