Problems with new 9mm loads

[Buckeye911]

I am new to the reloading game.

Last week I loaded some new loads for my 9mm. I used 800-x powder with 4.5 grains.

I had some issues today trying out the loads. Out of the 100 ro so that I shot I experienced way too many stove pipes, and cycling issues. In fact, many times the last shot failed to lock the slide open when the magazine was empty.


Help me out. What could cause this? Was the load too low?


The ballistics data from Hodgdon 4.5- 5.3gr.

 

[Bigtanker]

What grain/type bullet are you using and what gun?

 

[SEIndSAM]

I am new to the reloading game.

Last week I loaded some new loads for my 9mm. I used 800-x powder with 4.5 grains.

I had some issues today trying out the loads. Out of the 100 ro so that I shot I experienced way too many stove pipes, and cycling issues. In fact, many times the last shot failed to lock the slide open when the magazine was empty.


Help me out. What could cause this? Was the load too low?


The ballistics data from Hodgdon 4.5- 5.3gr.

Yeah, 4.5 grains was the starting load. I would have loaded a minmum 10-20 rounds at 4.5, 10-20 rounds at 4.7, 10-20 at 4.9 and 10-20 at 5.1. Then see which load cycles the best with the least amount of powder.

 

[Buckeye911]

What grain/type bullet are you using and what gun?

115 gr 9mm, cp Kimber gold match

I think I learned a good lesson to do some test loads. The powder was given to me when I got the press so I used it. I may switch to tightgroup powder. I have a lot of the TG and I will do more test loads??!!

Thanks

 

[Leo]

9mm in general shoot better at the higher end of thr load data. I never had one where reduced loads gave better accuracy or function. Put more coals to that fire.

 

[noylj]

Everything you describe says the charge is too light for your gun with your components.
Was it a lead/plated bullet or jacketed?
For a 115gn jacketed bullet, I show start load at 6.2gn and MAX loads of 6.5-7.0gn (normally, a start load is simply a 10-12% reduction from the MAX load). Thus, I would say you are too light in charge weight.
The only load I have for lead bullets is 4.5gn start and 5.3gn MAX.
As stated, work the load up. Assuming factory load cycle the gun, you just need a bit more powder.

 

[Buckeye911]

update

Everything you describe says the charge is too light for your gun with your components.
Was it a lead/plated bullet or jacketed?
For a 115gn jacketed bullet, I show start load at 6.2gn and MAX loads of 6.5-7.0gn (normally, a start load is simply a 10-12% reduction from the MAX load). Thus, I would say you are too light in charge weight.
The only load I have for lead bullets is 4.5gn start and 5.3gn MAX.
As stated, work the load up. Assuming factory load cycle the gun, you just need a bit more powder.

I changed the powder to titegroup and started at 3.9 gr, 4.1, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7. All functioned well enough but I think the 4.3 & 4.4 gr loads worked the best. I am now going to load more loads at 4.3 and 4.4 to try out at different distance to make sure the are not issues with drop.