147 .vs. 124 grn 9mm for bowling pins?

[allen-1]

I guess this could go in the ammo or pistol competition forum, but it seemed appropriate to post it here...

I shoot what's termed as "medium bore" pin league, (well I would be if it weren't cancelled from the fcking virus). Anyhow, medium bore is defined as less than .40 and no magnum. So, I shoot 9mm in the semi-auto division and .38 spcl in a GP100 in the revolver division.

Normally I shoot 125 -> 135 grn rounds in the revolver, for pins I run 158.

For my semi, I've been running the same rounds I normally load, 124 grn plated, (Xtreme or Berrys), over 4.0 grn of TiteGroup. It's a nice consistent round, manageable recoil, minimal blast (I mean seriously - it's a 9mm - how rough could it be?), and it knocks steel down reliably.

I have some 147grn Speers bullets left from the batch of .357Sig I loaded. I'm thinking of making a pin load out of them, and wondered if anyone here had any thoughts.

 

[drgrant]

Is it little tables or real 4 x 8 sheets of plywood? If its those little tables with a timer BS, you can use anything. If its real pin maches, you really need a .45 or a .44 magnum, everything else is a
waste of time, although .40 can be "okay".

 

[ILikeGlocks]

I tried once w/ 150gr 9mm, most shots will go right through. I recommend .40 at a minimum.

 

[LuvDog]

I'd go heavy and flat nose/hollow point

 

[moojpg2]

Load some subsonic lead flat nose so it smacks the pin rather than punching right through, or some heavy hollow points with a wide opening like a gold dot.

Other spectrum would be go with something fast and light that will break up and dump it's energy into the pin.

 

[allen-1]

Is it little tables or real 4 x 8 sheets of plywood? If its those little tables with a timer BS, you can use anything. If its real pin maches, you really need a .45 or a .44 magnum, everything else is a
waste of time, although .40 can be "okay".

Real tables, four feet deep.

This is MEDIUM BORE pin league, the pins are a foot from the back of the table.

In BIG BORE pin league, the pins are a foot from the front of the table. For that league I use my .45 1911 and load the GP100 with 158grn .357mag.

 

[mac1911]

I would think to knock them off at only a 1ft from the edge just about any bullet you put on target should do the job?
Maybe Im thinking this wrong. I would think you want the bullet weight/velocity combo that gives you the most energy on target with out having so much recoil it takes away from fast runs?
20 plus years ago it was 44 mag and 45 acp big fat pills slow with a large meplat. had a lot of old timers running wadcutters out of the revolvers
a lee 356-95-RF at 1200 fps+ has a nice flat nose to grab onto the pin and puts some energy on there ?

 

[drgrant]

Real tables, four feet deep.

This is MEDIUM BORE pin league, the pins are a foot from the back of the table.

In BIG BORE pin league, the pins are a foot from the front of the table. For that league I use my .45 1911 and load the GP100 with 158grn .357mag.

Yeah, that's milquetoast stuff then, bullet weight ain't going to matter much at that point. Of course some of it depends on the recycling of the pins by staff. If they let them turn into porcupines the question gets more complicated.

 

[greencobra]

i used 180 or 200 gr. flat nose bullets when i shot pins back when, .45 acp. the pins had to fall off the table and i wanted maximum surface area on the nose of the bullet to transfer the most kinetic energy to do that. and a round nose had more of a chance to glance off if i wasn't doing my part. did i tell you i sucked at pins?

 

[allen-1]

I would think to knock them off at only a 1ft from the edge just about any bullet you put on target should do the job?
Maybe Im thinking this wrong. I would think you want the bullet weight/velocity combo that gives you the most energy on target with out having so much recoil it takes away from fast runs?

Well, I've got all these 124 grn rounds loaded - but I've got these 147 grn bullets just sitting there -- so I'm wondering.

I guess the answer is to load up a dozen or so of each and take them to the range.

 

[allen-1]

Yeah, that's milquetoast stuff then, bullet weight ain't going to matter much at that point. Of course some of it depends on the recycling of the pins by staff. If they let them turn into porcupines the question gets more complicated.

We shoot them until they can't stand up any more. New England - waste not - want not.

 

[nitromaxx]

I use 9mm 115gr. Round nose and have no problem knocking pins off the table (4x8) plywood. 22lr. Can even knock the pins off the table. The difference comes when the pins get knocked down on the table but not off the table 22lr. Doesn't have enough energy but the 9mm and up does.

 

[TrashcanDan]

I guess this could go in the ammo or pistol competition forum, but it seemed appropriate to post it here...

I shoot what's termed as "medium bore" pin league, (well I would be if it weren't cancelled from the fcking virus). Anyhow, medium bore is defined as less than .40 and no magnum. So, I shoot 9mm in the semi-auto division and .38 spcl in a GP100 in the revolver division.

Normally I shoot 125 -> 135 grn rounds in the revolver, for pins I run 158.

For my semi, I've been running the same rounds I normally load, 124 grn plated, (Xtreme or Berrys), over 4.0 grn of TiteGroup. It's a nice consistent round, manageable recoil, minimal blast (I mean seriously - it's a 9mm - how rough could it be?), and it knocks steel down reliably.

I have some 147grn Speers bullets left from the batch of .357Sig I loaded. I'm thinking of making a pin load out of them, and wondered if anyone here had any thoughts.

If you can knock down steel (like poppers) with the 124's, should be able to knock a pin off the table.
Especially if its only a foot.