[iamhans70]

I was looking for a resource that would tell me the lengths of various 9mm bullets so that I could correct for differences when setting the COL on a new load. It took me a while but I came across this on a CZ forum and thought I'd repost it here for reference.

Please add or correct as necessary and I'll edit responses into this orginal post for future reference. I'd like to add links to the specific bullet on the company websites as well, like I did for the BBI 125gn FN.

Maybe we could pin this?

9mm Luger BULLET LENGTHS

ACME	Length	Coated lead
124 RN	.568
147 TCFP	.649
.	.
Bayou Bullets	Length
124 RN	.572	New grooveless design
124 TCG	.558
135 RN	.633
147 FP	.675
.	.
Bear Creek	Length	Plain lead
135 RN	.628
.	.
Berry's Plated	Length	Plated
115 RN	.557
124 HBRN-TP	.619
124 HBFP-TP	.555
124 RN	.588
124 FP	.530
124 HP	.569	Target HP
124 HHP	.535	Hybrid HP
130 RN	.588	38Super
135 RN	.605	38Super
147 RN	.670
147 HP	.623
.	.
BBI	Length	Black Bullets International
125 FP	.605	9/125gr Shipping (included in price) 500 QTY - Post Office Insured 1000 QTY - UPS 2625 QTY - UPS 3500 QTY - Post Office - BBI not responsible for any loss or damage (at the purchaser's risk) blackbulletsinternational.com
125 RN	.599	Old style w/ groove
135 RN	.624
147 FP	.643	9/147gr Shipping (included in price) 500 QTY - Post Office Insured 1000 QTY - UPS 2200 QTY - UPS 3000 QTY - Post Office - BBI not responsible for any loss or damage (at the purchaser's risk) blackbulletsinternational.com
.	.
Blue Bullets	Length
125 RN	.606
147 RN	.679
147 FP	.665
.	.
Bullet Works	Length
125 CNBB	.616
.	.
DG Bullets	Length	Coated lead
147 TC	.647	same as MBC 147
.	.
Falcon	Length
125 CN	.610
147 FP	.672
.	.
Hornady	Length
90 XTP	.449
115 HAP	.540
115 FMJ RN	.548
115 XTP	.552
124 XTP	.574
125 HAP	.572
147 XTP	.650
.	.
Missouri Bullet Co	Length	Coated & uncoated lead
124 RN	.573	Small Ball
125 FP	.623	Cone
125 SWC	.624	Actual weight 128gr
135 RN	.622	IDP#8 (.357)
147 FP	.671
.	.
Montana Gold	Length
115 JHP	.549
121 IFP	.572	concave base
124 JHP	.579
124 CMJ	.593
.	.
Nosler	Length
125 JHP	.545
.	.
Power Bond	Length
115 RN	.555
124 RN	.587
.	.
Precision Delta	Length
124 JHP	.583
124 FMJ	.595
124 FMJ (.356)	.603
147 FMJ	.683
.	.
Precision Moly	Length
125 FP	.575
147 FP	.665
.	.
Ranier	Length	Plated
115 RN	.556
115 HP	.515	Discounted for concave base
124 HP	.547	Discounted for concave base
.	.
Rocky Mntn (RMR)	Length
124 FMJ	.575	Plated
124 FP	.556	Plated
124 JHP	.560	Blunt-nose jacketed
124 Match Winner	.553	jacketed TC
147 FMJ	.667	Plated
147 Match Winner	.635	jacketed TC
.	.
Sierra	Length
95 JFN	.411
125 FMJ	.575
125 JHP	.547
.	.
SNS Coated	Length
125 FP	.556
125 RN	.583
135 RN	.626
147 FP	.651
.	.
Speer	Length
115 Gold Dot	.525
124 Gold Dot	.561
147 Gold Dot	.650
.	.
Winchester	Length
115 FMJ	.565
124 FMJ	.599
.	.
Xtreme	Length	Plated
115 HP	.506
124 HP	.536
124 RN	.583
124 FP	.525
135 RNFP	.602
135 HP	.579
147 RN	.669
147 RN-HPCB	.668
.	.
Zero	Length
124 FMJ	.590
125 JHP	.566

 

[9x45]

Doesn't really matter because the bullet shapes are all different and that is what sets OAL via plunk testing.

 

[iamhans70]

Doesn't really matter because the bullet shapes are all different and that is what sets OAL via plunk testing.

These lengths are not to avoid the plunk test. They are to ensure that you have a safe starting charge when working up a new load if you don't have data for the exact bullet you are using. For instance, the Sierra 125gn JHP is 0.545" and the Missouri 125gn FP is 0.623". If you use a Missouri FP in a Sierra JHP recipe without correcting for bullet length then you'll have a much smaller case volume and be over pressure at the starting load.

 

[9x45]

You have to know what you are doing when you reload. That's also why you need a chrono.

 

[MarkCO]

There is this thing called a caliper. Faster, less chance of error, don't need anything to look it up.

 

[iamhans70]

You have to know what you are doing when you reload. That's also why you need a chrono.

Included in "knowing what you are doing" is knowing that pressure is very sensitive to case volume. Case volume for a given cartridge depends on the bullet length and the COL. If you didn't know the length of the bullets and how that compared to the bullet you were using, what would you use as your starting load and COL given these three published 9mm recipes with the same powders and bullet weights from Hodgdon?

There is this thing called a caliper. Faster, less chance of error, don't need anything to look it up.

Yes, I can and do put a caliper to the bullets that I have. I cannot do that to bullets that I don't have. That is why I'm asking other people to do it and let all of us know what they find.


Why am I getting so much push back for trying to gather information? You are welcome not to participate. I just don't see why you would want to actively interfere.

 

[9x45]

". If you didn't know the length of the bullets and how that compared to the bullet you were using, what would you use as your starting load and COL given these three published 9mm recipes with the same powders and bullet weights from Hodgdon?"

Experience...

 

[MarkCO]

Yes, I can and do put a caliper to the bullets that I have. I cannot do that to bullets that I don't have. That is why I'm asking other people to do it and let all of us know what they find.


Why am I getting so much push back for trying to gather information? You are welcome not to participate. I just don't see why you would want to actively interfere.

Because it makes no sense. You still have to measure them. You still have to look at the load recipe to make sure it is compatible. When folks do dumb things, usually I don't care. When folks do dumb things in the reloading area, and then try to get others to follow the folly, then yes, I will throw the caution flag.

 

[Tordon]

The list you copied is from Popular 9mm Bullet Lengths. They started it in 2014 and regularly update it. There’s no reason to pin it here, it’s easy enough to find on Google.

 

[arjohnson]

I’ve been using Rocky Mountain bullets for years and this list shows some as plated, they don’t have plated bullets, all theirs are copper jacketed.

 

[iamhans70]

Because it makes no sense. You still have to measure them. You still have to look at the load recipe to make sure it is compatible. When folks do dumb things, usually I don't care. When folks do dumb things in the reloading area, and then try to get others to follow the folly, then yes, I will throw the caution flag.

I’m genuinely curious what makes wanting to know the length of a bullet shown in a recipe vs the length of the bullet that you are using a “dumb thing.” It seems to me that it would be a dumb thing to seat a bullet based on the COL in a published recipe if you do not know the difference and in bullet lengths.

I admit that I am new to reloading. Experience is not on my side. Wanting to know bullet lengths came up when I was looking for a starting load for a 9mm using 125gn bullets and W231 and came across the large variance in COL and charge that I included earlier in this thread. I wanted to know why and my current theory is because of disparate bullet lengths and possibly hollow backed bullets, but I’m still not entirely sure.

 

[MarkCO]

I’m genuinely curious what makes wanting to know the length of a bullet shown in a recipe vs the length of the bullet that you are using a “dumb thing.” It seems to me that it would be a dumb thing to seat a bullet based on the COL in a published recipe if you do not know the difference and in bullet lengths.

The ogive, jacket composition, shank length, base cavity are all variable you are not considering. Recipes are meant to start at the bottom and work up looking for those indications of problems. Why the Chrono matters. OR, use the recipes exactly...with the exact same bullet.

Problem is, chambers and bullets, even lots change. There really is no benefit to what you are doing, it's just mental couch potato stuff. You need to understand the manuals, what affects what and then STILL start at the bottom and work up. You CAN NOT safely pick a bullet based on length and just go to a load and use it and expect it will be fine.

I have several loads that are not book loads, even some powders I use for which there is no data. But, as a ballistics engineer, I talk to the company ballisticians, get a good feel and work up the loads, take the relevant measurements, etc.

 

[9x45]

^^^ What Mark said. What press are you loading on?

And of course different bullet diameters with different construction materials.

 

[iamhans70]

^^^ What Mark said. What press are you loading on?

And of course different bullet diameters with different construction materials.

I’ve got a lock-boat ap and a lee single stage.

 

[9x45]

What is a lock-boat ap? What brand is that?

 

[iamhans70]

What is a lock-boat ap? What brand is that?

Lock-boat ap is what you get when you combine marketing with autocorrect. It’s a Lock-N-Load AP, Hornady’s 5-station progressive.

 

[9x45]

The great weakness in the LnL is the drive hub. I got one as match product and had to replace 3 of them under warranty. Eventually sold it for just $100, with the extra drive hub. No loss, I just kept cranking on my 1984 Dillon 550 and my 2001 Dillon Square Deal.

Info hear

https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?144901-How-to-tune-the-Hornady-Lock-N-Load-AP-progressive-press

 

[iamhans70]

The great weakness in the LnL is the drive hub. I got one as match product and had to replace 3 of them under warranty. Eventually sold it for just $100, with the extra drive hub. No loss, I just kept cranking on my 1984 Dillon 550 and my 2001 Dillon Square Deal.

Info hear



https://www.m4carbine.net/showthrea.../showthread.php?144901-How-to-tune-the-Hornady-Lock-N-Load-AP-progressive-press

This Lock-N-Load was given to a friend who already had two Dillons and miscellaneous single stage presses. I borrowed it along with everything I need to load 9mm, 10mm amd 308. I’ve had to buy a bunch of parts that were missing from the bullet feeder as well as bullet feeding dies and a pistol metering rotor and insert. I also had to adjust the pawls. Other than the bullet feeder dies being temperamental with my cheap bullets, it has worked well so far. Two complaints, large primers often jam the primer feeder and I can’t use the fifth station to crimp 9mm because the shell plate retaining spring is in the way of the die getting down to the plate.

I’ve read a lot and watched a lot of videos so I’m comfortable that I know the basic process of reloading pistol ammo. I’m no ballistic engineer so I’m being careful and starting with weak loads. For 9mm my goal was to come up with a load that was just over 125 power factor for USPSA. I shot a match last weekend with no malfunctions with all rounds I had loaded!

Next I want to work up a 10mm load that is just over 165 power factor to shoot major.

Once I am comfortable with those, I’ll learn to prep rifle brass and start working up a load for my SFAR that will be more focused on accuracy than low recoil.

 

[iamhans70]

Because it makes no sense. You still have to measure them. You still have to look at the load recipe to make sure it is compatible. When folks do dumb things, usually I don't care. When folks do dumb things in the reloading area, and then try to get others to follow the folly, then yes, I will throw the caution flag.

What do you mean by the recipe being compatible? Keep in mind that I am using projectiles for which there is not often published load data.

 

[9x45]

So does everyone. That's what experience is about