WARNING! CAUTION! Always follow published data. The following loads didn't blow up my guns, but they might blow up yours!.
Since 9x19 ammo is so cheap, I normally wouldn't reload it. However, my "carry" load is the Speer Gold Dot 124 +P, from either Speer or Proload, and it shoots little differently than the standard-pressure 115gr stuff I usually shoot (last 3000 rounds were the Danish surplus).
My goal was to load up a 124gr+P equivalent round for practice, at a price much less than the 50-round Speer GD boxes, which is about $14.50 out the door of my local shop.
Before I continue, here's the "control" data:
Code:
Temp ~ 70F, altitude approx 5,000'.
Control: CCI .22LR in Browning Challenger: 1041fps
Some factory loads:
Danish 9x19 (115gr) - Glock 19: 1226 ( 8.5)
Danish 9x19 (115gr) - BHP: 1248 ( 9.4) (+1.8%)
Speer GD 124+P - Glock 19: 1279 (20.2)
Speer GD 124+P - BHP: 1322 (20.3) (+3.3%)
My first try was Stephen Camp's load: 6.0gr Unique with a 124gr bullet. I used new, resized, Win. cases and WSP, and set the OAL minimum to 1.120", as spec'd in the Speer reloading book. The OAL ended up ranging from 1.120 - 1.125", since I used a nominal value of about 1.122".
Code:
6.0gr Unique/124GD - Glock 19: 1243 (40.9)
6.0gr Unique/124GD - BHP: 1271 (46.6) (+2.2%)
Unique (even the new "cleaner" formula) is still really dirty. Various people here, WESHOOT2 in particular, have said that VV-3N37 is "THE" full-power 9x19 powder. In fact, it says as much in the front of the Speer book. My reference for full-power 3N37 loads was the VV book, as reprinted in the "LoadBooks" pamphlet, which lists:
Code:
Data listed: 6.5gr -> 1192fps,
7.3gr -> 1295fps (36300 PSI)
in a 4" barrel.
This is with an OAL of 1.142", notably LONGER than the Speer spec.
Here's my results (Glock 19 - 4" barrel):
Code:
gr v sd
6.4 1197 20.3
6.5 1186 23.5 book lists 1192, only 6fps difference!
6.6 1186 14.8
6.7 1213 22.7
---
7.0 1261 7.0
7.1 1253 20.1
7.2 1286 18.5
7.3 1299 15.3 book lists 1295, only 4 fps difference!
7.4 1311 21.2
None of these "felt" different than the Speer GD factory loads, so I'll probably settle at 7.2gr or below.
I don't have a good explanation for the "dips" in the graph.
Enjoy.
Zak