9mm 115gr and Unique

[StPatrick]

I've got the Hornady, Lee, and Lyman manuals, and between the three there is a great deal of variation as to starting loads, especially regarding overall length. I'm wanting to put together light plinking loads for a 4" barrel and don't really want to spend any time doing load development if somebody else already has the answer.

So: for those of you shooting 115gr bullets through a 4" semi, what has worked for you as far as light loads that cycle reliably with that bullet and Unique? Let me know if your 115 was jacketed or plated; I'm using plated so I'd want to back off a bit if you're running jacketed.

Regards,
Patrick

[MiddTennTaco]

I am loading 115gr plated 9mm I believe over 4.0grs of Unique. I didn't write it down or anything so I actually can't say for sure. I don't even remember if they were accurate loads! Jesus, I just realized that I am of absolutely no help here! Sorry! lol All I remember is that they cycled 100% of the time in the silly Glocks I owned at the time.

 

It took me hours and hours of research to come up with the grainage I used for 115gr plated & unique. For some reason the info is extremely difficult to find and was often seemed dangerously conflicting in nature. I think I also had major concerns because 4.0gr of unique actually had to be compressed to seat the bullet length properly. Anyway, like I said before I am of absolutely no help. Hopefully someone else will chime in here as I am getting ready to start reloading again very soon! Anybody know of a good load? LOL!  :rofl:

[Guest StampCreek]

5gr Unique with 115gr FMJ. Ran 1150fps thru 4" XD9 and 1050fps thru subcompact. Edited April 27, 2014 by StampCreek

[The Man]

I  have been using WIN231 , 4.4 powder load for 115 gr LRN.  Strictly 'plinking' with my S&W Shield 9mm.  Great results. I recently found a listing for Unique on 115 gr LRN 4.5 to start ~~Max 5.0   and    115 gr Jacketed bullet @ 4.5  to 5.5 max.  Win 231 has been pretty clean. I'll try Unique, since the WIN 231 has been so hard to find , and I have 3 jugs of Unique that I've been using for my .38's.       

[charlessummers]

I did 4.5gr with Unique. Shot just fine.

[tartanphantom]

My Lyman manual (49th ed.) recommends a start of 4.4gr with a maximum measure of 5.8gr when using Unique with a 115gr. JHP.

Don't know how different that is from your recipe.

[StPatrick]

What are you guys using for overall length?

[MphsTiger1981]

You might start with 1.15 and see how that works. I wouldn't go any shorter than 1.12 with the plated unless they were hollow based.