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9mm recommendations: What are your favorite bullets and/or (both price and dependability).

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dp2983

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Hi folks. I am currently loading some Berry's plated 124gr RN plated over 5.0 of CFE with an OAL of 1.135. They seem to work great. I have some 125gr LCN Hy-Tek coated Missouri Bullet. I have read that I will need to seat those lower at about 1.125 or under.

My question is, do you have a favorite bullet and/or powder? I am trying to see what is out there, as the google searches come up with an overwhelming number of options.
 
I’ve had great results with these ibejiheads Bullets along with the Speer TMJ. I prefer the heavier Bullets 147’s especially for steel plates. But I also like the 124’s for all around target & plinking.
 

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My favorite bullets used to be FMJ Montana Gold Bullets in 115gr 9mm and 230gr .45acp but in recent years they've become difficult to impossible to get. So now I've gone to Berry's or TJConvera Powerbond plated or Xtreme.

I've become a lot less picky these days and grab whatever is on sale from various vendors.
 
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Uzi2 said:
My favorite bullets used to be FMJ Montana Gold Bullets in 115gr 9mm and 230gr .45acp but in recent years they've become difficult to impossible get. So now I've gone to Berry's or TJConvera Powerbond plated or Xtreme.

I've become a lot less picky these days and grab whatever is on sale from various vendors.
Click to expand...
That is kind of where I am at in all this. I grabbed 2 boxes of the Berry's 124RN, those missouri bullets, and the other day I grabbed a Berry's 124 plated target hollow point. I have scored some Accurate #5, W231, Unique, and the CFE I have been using. I know I will have to do various work ups here and there, but for now, it is what it is. Last ones I want to try out are N320, Power Pistol, and TiteGroup. But, for know, bullets are my focus.
 
Berry's or Xtreme. I've loaded probably 20k of Berry's 115gr 9mm. Since covid came on the scene I stocked up on whatever there was around and have done 124s and 147s. Accuracy is fine (way better than something like factory Winchster White Box). Obviously you're not winning any bullseye comps with them but for the price hard to beat.
 
I like the Sinterfire frangibles; good up close on steel. I suppose I can bleat about being green and saving the planet, too (lead-free). Biggest drawback is that they are quite brittle, so don't get aggressive with your taper crimping.
American Reloading often offers pulled HST, GDHPs and V-Crowns for reasonable, if you seek JHP material.
 
dp2983 said:
Hi folks. I am currently loading some Berry's plated 124gr RN plated over 5.0 of CFE with an OAL of 1.135. They seem to work great. I have some 125gr LCN Hy-Tek coated Missouri Bullet. I have read that I will need to seat those lower at about 1.125 or under.

My question is, do you have a favorite bullet and/or powder? I am trying to see what is out there, as the google searches come up with an overwhelming number of options.
Click to expand...

Berry's is good. XTreme is comparable and my goto bullet vendor. I load 124 grn 9mm plated over 4.0 of TiteGroup for everything, pins, plates, IDPA/USPSA/SC. It makes power factor, and the recoil is negligible.

TiteGroup is one of four powders I load, and the one I use the most. 9mm and .38SPCL, (in a couple of weights).

I load .45ACP with vihtavuori N320; .357Mag with Lil'Gun and .357Sig with Accurate #9.
 
147 gr round nose Blue Bullet over N320 powder. The BB's are some of the cheapest coated bullets with the sponsorship discount plus additional 5% off codes so I haven't bothered switching. I've shot tens upon tens of thousands of blue bullets and jugs of N320 - so far no issues.
 
I dont load a lot of 9 but when I do its 98% Lee 124 gn cast with straight wheel weight alloy.
I might load some FMJ once in a while and those are old sierra IIRC
 
I use the Ibejiheads 147 flat nose and HP-38. I've gone through at least 20k of them in the last few years with no issues.

I've also used a lot of Berry's 124 RN before I moved to the Ibejiheads. Once again with HP-38.
 
147g coated over WST is super soft shooting and very accurate in all but one of my guns. I prefer Ibejihead, but also use blue bullets. I have tried many other coated manufacturers, including all of the popular ones but always go back to the above 2 makers. I have used this load pretty much exclusively in all my 9 pistols for about 12 years.

For that one gun that won't group the 147s, (stupid 320 legion) I tested 115 and 124 from Ibejihead (in 3 different diameter even) blue bullets, Berry's, Xtreme, precision Delta, rmr, everglades, and zero. I used titegroup, cfe, sport pistol, e3, green dot, 231, N320.... Anyway, for a 124g load I settled on Berry's and titegroup.

You really need to experiment with some different bullets and powders to get the results you want.
 
SJan said:
147g coated over WST is super soft shooting and very accurate in all but one of my guns. I prefer Ibejihead, but also use blue bullets. I have tried many other coated manufacturers, including all of the popular ones but always go back to the above 2 makers. I have used this load pretty much exclusively in all my 9 pistols for about 12 years.

For that one gun that won't group the 147s, (stupid 320 legion) I tested 115 and 124 from Ibejihead (in 3 different diameter even) blue bullets, Berry's, Xtreme, precision Delta, rmr, everglades, and zero. I used titegroup, cfe, sport pistol, e3, green dot, 231, N320.... Anyway, for a 124g load I settled on Berry's and titegroup.

You really need to experiment with some different bullets and powders to get the results you want.
Click to expand...
Wow. How bad was the accuracy with the Legion running 147s?
 
SJan said:
147g coated over WST is super soft shooting and very accurate in all but one of my guns. I prefer Ibejihead, but also use blue bullets. I have tried many other coated manufacturers, including all of the popular ones but always go back to the above 2 makers. I have used this load pretty much exclusively in all my 9 pistols for about 12 years.

For that one gun that won't group the 147s, (stupid 320 legion) I tested 115 and 124 from Ibejihead (in 3 different diameter even) blue bullets, Berry's, Xtreme, precision Delta, rmr, everglades, and zero. I used titegroup, cfe, sport pistol, e3, green dot, 231, N320.... Anyway, for a 124g load I settled on Berry's and titegroup.

You really need to experiment with some different bullets and powders to get the results you want.
Click to expand...
WST for 9mm huh?
I never thought to consider that. I use TiteGroup for 9mm and WST for 45acp.

I doubt I’ll change my current 124gr TiteGroup combo, but I did pick up a few thousand Berry’s 147gr RN during covid. I wasn’t planning to do anything with them, but now maybe I’ll try them with WST. How much powder you using with your coated bullets? What are you getting for a PF when you chrono?

Thanks SJan
 
andrew1220 said:
Wow. How bad was the accuracy with the Legion running 147s?
Click to expand...
It wouldn't keep all shots on a 3" shoot n see at 10 yards, at least a 4" group. -and its not tumbling the bullets, they do use a 1/10 twist that should be fine for the 147s.
its best groups with the 124s are 2" at 10 yards, and that is what Sig states is the accuracy potential of that model. (The previous x5 (non legion) is known to have a better barrel-slide fit) In all practicality, that is acceptable for run and gun hosing. I do of course wish it would hold a 1" paster at 10, I can do that with just about anything else I have.

Cuz said:
WST for 9mm huh?
I never thought to consider that. I use TiteGroup for 9mm and WST for 45acp.

I doubt I’ll change my current 124gr TiteGroup combo, but I did pick up a few thousand Berry’s 147gr RN during covid. I wasn’t planning to do anything with them, but now maybe I’ll try them with WST. How much powder you using with your coated bullets? What are you getting for a PF when you chrono?

Thanks SJan
Click to expand...
if you like the 124 and have been shooting those for years, 147s will probably feel like too slow of a recoil to you. My notes show 3.3g or 3.4g as I have adjusted the length over time, for a 132-135PF in 5" guns. Might need to add a tenth more for the plated vs coated.
 
Ibejihead 147 with 3.4 HP-38 at 1.135

With something that has a short barrel l'll use Berry 124 RN with 4.2 HP-38 at 1.15 . Haven't seen a pistol yet that won't eat these.
 
124G Blue Bullets over 5.0g of CFE Pistol for Steel Challenge. I have not chrono'd them, so don't know if they would make power factor. Accuracy is good out of an M&P full size.
 
I was using a swaged lead lubed 125 gr RN bullet, possibly made by Speer, that I was buying at very good pre-FJB prices. I was using various powders with them Power Pistol was the best. The hard lube coated the entire bullet, didn't make a mess out of seating or crimping dies, and didn't smoke much when fired. I was buying them in 3000 round boxes and had 15K of them at one time. I believe I have one box left...maybe 2. My mailman hated me when I ordered them. LOL
 

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