Load data and powder choice for Donnie's 9MM - Hard Cast Moly Coated Lead Bullet

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  • Paladin

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    Oct 20, 2011
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    Kenosha, WI
    If my new Bayou Bullets come today, I will have some time to reload...looking for some ideas!

    I have 5 powders to choose from:

    Titegroup
    H380
    Universal Clays
    HS-6
    Alliant Bullseye

    Which powder and what amount might you recommend to start with the 9mm green (Moly coated) Bayou 147 gr bullets?

    Thanks.
     

    highstandard40

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    Apr 14, 2009
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    Prairieville
    H380 is a rifle powder and won't work at all so you're left with the other powders. I'll give you what I show listed in the Lyman Cast Bullet Manual #4.

    Bullseye loads are listed at between 2.8 gr and 3.5 grains.
    HS-6 loads start at 4.4 grains and go up to 5.0 grains.
    Titegroup starts at 2.5 grains and top load is 2.8 grains.
    Universal Clays starts at 3.0 grains and peaks at 3.4 grains.

    All of these loads were developed using CCI 500 primers and assembled in Federal brass. The bullet listed was a Lyman 356637 at 147 grains which should be similar to the Bayou Bullet. There is the difference in lubes to consider and this could affect pressures and velocity. As always, start low and work up as pressure indicators allow. Of the loads I have detailed here, HS6 and Universal Clays claim the highest velocities, but not by much over the others. Nobody can tell you which combination will work best in your individual gun. It looks like you have some testing to do.
     

    Paladin

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    Oct 20, 2011
    63
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    Kenosha, WI
    H380 is a rifle powder and won't work at all so you're left with the other powders. I'll give you what I show listed in the Lyman Cast Bullet Manual #4.

    Bullseye loads are listed at between 2.8 gr and 3.5 grains.
    HS-6 loads start at 4.4 grains and go up to 5.0 grains.
    Titegroup starts at 2.5 grains and top load is 2.8 grains.
    Universal Clays starts at 3.0 grains and peaks at 3.4 grains.

    All of these loads were developed using CCI 500 primers and assembled in Federal brass. The bullet listed was a Lyman 356637 at 147 grains which should be similar to the Bayou Bullet. There is the difference in lubes to consider and this could affect pressures and velocity. As always, start low and work up as pressure indicators allow. Of the loads I have detailed here, HS6 and Universal Clays claim the highest velocities, but not by much over the others. Nobody can tell you which combination will work best in your individual gun. It looks like you have some testing to do.

    Wow, thanks much. I realized the H380 error...edited original post.

    I will work with these a little. If I use these parameters with my other bullets (Missouri Bullet Co. 147 grain cast lead flat point, with lube ring but not coated...the numbers should be pretty close, don't you think?
     

    highstandard40

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    Apr 14, 2009
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    Prairieville
    Wow, thanks much. I realized the H380 error...edited original post.

    I will work with these a little. If I use these parameters with my other bullets (Missouri Bullet Co. 147 grain cast lead flat point, with lube ring but not coated...the numbers should be pretty close, don't you think?

    They should be, but the advice to start low and work up slow still applies.

    Also, it may not matter, but I thought I heard that the Bayou Bullets' proprietary coating is not moly.
     

    Paladin

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    Oct 20, 2011
    63
    6
    Kenosha, WI
    H380 is a rifle powder and won't work at all so you're left with the other powders. I'll give you what I show listed in the Lyman Cast Bullet Manual #4.

    Bullseye loads are listed at between 2.8 gr and 3.5 grains.
    HS-6 loads start at 4.4 grains and go up to 5.0 grains.
    Titegroup starts at 2.5 grains and top load is 2.8 grains.
    Universal Clays starts at 3.0 grains and peaks at 3.4 grains.

    All of these loads were developed using CCI 500 primers and assembled in Federal brass. The bullet listed was a Lyman 356637 at 147 grains which should be similar to the Bayou Bullet. There is the difference in lubes to consider and this could affect pressures and velocity. As always, start low and work up as pressure indicators allow. Of the loads I have detailed here, HS6 and Universal Clays claim the highest velocities, but not by much over the others. Nobody can tell you which combination will work best in your individual gun. It looks like you have some testing to do.

    Thanks much. I sure hope my Bayou Bullets get here today!

    Until then, I have 500 of these I can load...
    subsonic.jpg

    They are Missouri Bullet Company
    SubSonic

    #356147M
    .356 Diameter
    9mm Parabellum
    147 Grain 9MM FP
    Brinell 15
    For Subsonic Work

    Can I use the same loading data for these and the Bayous? If not, is there a rule of thumb...like if it is 3gr of XPower for the cast, lubed bullets, start .2gr lower when using the coated Bayou Bullets? Is there any such guideline?
     

    noylj

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    Oct 2, 2010
    129
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    southwest
    Bullet Weight Powder Weight Velocity Note Power Factor COL
    BBI 147 TiteGroup 2.9 878 Minor 129 1.135
    Precision L-RNFP 147 TiteGroup 3.0 948 139 1.100
    Clements L-RNFP 146 TiteGroup 3.4 930 136
    L-RN 145 TiteGroup 3.4 1000 145
    L-RN 145 TiteGroup 3.4 1001 145
    L-C, L-FP 147 True Blue 4.5 872 Start 128 1.135
    L-C, L-FP 147 True Blue 5.0 969 Max 142 1.135
    Lyman 356637 147 Universal 3.0 875 Start 129
    Lyman 356637 147 Universal 3.4 969 Max 142
    L-FP 147 Universal 3.6 886 130.242 1.155
    L-RNFP 147 HS6 4.4 846 Start 124
    L-FP 147 HS6 4.5 840 Start 123 1.169
    L-RN 147 HS6 4.8 925 136
    L-FP 147 HS6 5.0 925 Max 136 1.169
    L-RNFP 147 HS6 5.0 968 Max 142
    Lyman 356637 147 Bullseye 2.8 780 Start 115
    Precision L-RNFP 147 Bullseye 3.3 989 145 1.100
    L-CP 147 Bullseye 3.4 750 110 1.125
    Lyman 356637 147 Bullseye 3.5 942 Max 138
    L-CP 147 Bullseye 3.5 800 118 1.125
    L-CP 147 Bullseye 3.7 850 125 1.125
    L-CP 147 Bullseye 3.9 900 132 1.125
    L-CP 147 Bullseye 4.2 1000 147 1.125

    Universal and HS6 may be the most accurate. Titegroup and Bullseye should NOT be used at near max loading.
     

    Vigilante Sniper

    Guns are my crack!!
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    Jan 28, 2009
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    LaPlace
    Bayou Bullets Load Data from Darrell

    View attachment Bayou Bullet Load Data .pdf
    Attached is a pdf of all the Bayou bullet data I have so far. Sorted by gun hope this helps in developing your own loads. As a note, polymer guns do not test well in a Ransom Rest, so I had to bench some. The chrono data is what is important YMMV in the accuracy department as each gun is different. Some of my accuracy issues were with me and my eyesight. I have since started bench testing with a Merit Optical Device on my shooting glasses and a new set of sandbags. Enjoy
     

    Wolfiesden

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    Mar 22, 2014
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    View attachment 21848
    Attached is a pdf of all the Bayou bullet data I have so far. Sorted by gun hope this helps in developing your own loads. As a note, polymer guns do not test well in a Ransom Rest, so I had to bench some. The chrono data is what is important YMMV in the accuracy department as each gun is different. Some of my accuracy issues were with me and my eyesight. I have since started bench testing with a Merit Optical Device on my shooting glasses and a new set of sandbags. Enjoy

    I hate to necro such an old thread, especially for a first post, but I am trying to locate hand load data for Bayou 115 and 124g LRN's using Titegroup. I want to load to 125 PF for IDPA in a Sig P226 EE. I grabbed your PDF here (great start, thank you) and see a good range for the 124g over several pistols. Any chance of 115g data and which of the pistols in your sheet most closely resembles the P226?
     

    Vigilante Sniper

    Guns are my crack!!
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    Sorry Wolfie, I only had one load for the 115 bullets. I prefer 124 gr bullets in my 9mm's. You will need to load to a PF of about 130 to be safe and make sure you make power factor especially if you have a powder that is reverse temp sensitive. My suggestion for an IDPA load with Donnie's 125's would be to use Winchester 231 powder, or Tightgroup.
     

    340six

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    Apr 12, 2012
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    Kenner, La
    while not Donnie's 115's i load my own cast 115 Lyman and RCBS with lube ring.
    I use:
    Red Dot @ 4.2 grains and
    WW231 @ 4.0 Grains
    Both loads shoot well in all 4 of my 9mm guns. 2 9mm 3rd gen smiths, a CZ 52 and a Norinco M213 from the 80's
    Loads came from these books
     
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