Making light target loads

[arod757]

I'd like to make some REALLY light target 9mm rounds for my wife to practice with and help rid her of anticipation. My plan is to start with really light loads just strong enough to cycle my wife's XD9 SC and work her up to our normal range round.

We're using 4.8 gr. Accurate No. 2 behind 115 gr. FMJs for our normal range round. Recoil feels as strong as the factory ammo we used to use. Accurate's web site states 4.7 as a starting load and 5.2 as max, so we're at the lower end of the spectrum.

So how low would you suggest I start to make these low-recoil loads? The powder I use is really fast, so maybe I should switch powders to accomplish this? Any suggestions would be helpful.

[Houston1944]

My best light handgun loads have been with lead bullets and Clays. Can't help you with the 9mm but in 38spl and 45 I have had great success with this combination. I do believe you will have to change powders. AA #2 is not a fast powder compared to Clays, Titegroup or Bullseye. I believe one of these powders will serve you much better for light loads. Hodgdon's web site will give you data with Clays and Titegroup for the 9mm.

[MoJo]

I tried a starting load of Clays (I don't remember the charge sorry) with a 124 gr Berry's bullet. It was accurate with low recoil but, it wouldn't reliably function my HiPower it did OK in my XD but wouldnt' make power factor. I gave up on Clays in 9mm. I think it's a viable option for some uses.

[solaritx]

147 gr plated or FMJ 9mm with 3.7-3.8 gr of Accurate #2.

Soft and easy shooting


Garry N

[powerboatr]

i use accurate #7 at 7.0 grains 125 grain rn cl bullet (http://www.bulletworks.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)i had tried a few at 8 and it was harsh so dropped to 7.5 and it felt good and enede up at 7.0 for consistency and comfort
with the 115 grn rn fmj berry, i use 7.5
it still has a great feel but doenst kill your hands after 300 rounds, in the xd9

[CDH]

You can play with loads under minimums when using fast powders like AA#2, but beware: The main risk is a stuck bullet and even with a very light load if you stick a bullet in the barrel and don't clear it, the next shot will be ugly.

All lead bullets are preferred for this type of work. Not only are they easy to push down the barrel, they are easy to clear if you stick one. The primer alone will dang near push a dead soft lead bullet clear of the barrel without any powder. Don't ask how I found that out... Plated bullets are slightly softer than true jacketed bullets but not as much as you might think for this kind of loading.

A starting load of the fastest powder you can find data for will give you the safest and lightest load...don't be afraid to go below listed minimums, but tread very carefully at first. In all likelihood you'll have failures to feed long before you are misfiring, but still, pay attention and as always go slow.

[powerboatr]

You can play with loads under minimums when using fast powders like AA#2, but beware: The main risk is a stuck bullet and even with a very light load if you stick a bullet in the barrel and don't clear it, the next shot will be ugly.

All lead bullets are preferred for this type of work. Not only are they easy to push down the barrel, they are easy to clear if you stick one. The primer alone will dang near push a dead soft lead bullet clear of the barrel without any powder. Don't ask how I found that out... Plated bullets are slightly softer than true jacketed bullets but not as much as you might think for this kind of loading.

A starting load of the fastest powder you can find data for will give you the safest and lightest load...don't be afraid to go below listed minimums, but tread very carefully at first. In all likelihood you'll have failures to feed long before you are misfiring, but still, pay attention and as always go slow.

let me add a OMG moment with my first run of cast lead bullets
I SCREWED up the powder load and squibbed a bullet and before the brain connected the BULLET didn't hit the berm, i fired again and bulged my xd barrel to the point that it jammed the slide and cost me 125 to get her fixed at Springfield with a new barrel, i normally shoot at the targets, but this day there were enough black cats crossing my path i should have stayed home
I ran 10 rounds to check for feed and feel, so i aimed at eh berm at the range vice wasting a target
guy next to me was shooting a HOWITZER and i paid more attention to its horrific noise than the noise from my firearm,
our range had just installed a roof over the firing line and the noise reverbs were not set in my brain yet