Help with 9mm load

[Jambo]

I got my press (Lee Classic Turret as you had previously suggested for a newbie) and started to work up loads. I had mixed results and I am looking for your advice!

Pistol: Springfield XDM 5.25
OAL: 1.153 (all rounds)
Powder: Titegroup (thanks for your help here)
Bullets: 115gr xtreme plated round nose projectiles
Primers: CCI 500 Small Pistol
All rounds have a light factory crimp

I worked up three loads, they are below with the results.

1) 3.4 grains of TG. Results: Not very good. Gun would not fully cycle and the shells came out very dirty.

2) 3.8 gains of TG. Results: All bu 3 cycled but they were still coming out dirty.

3) 4.0 grains of TG. Results: All but 1 cycled (could have been a light charge) and they are still relatively dirty coming out.

So, my question is do I play with the OAL and decrease it (to increase the pressure), put more crimp or do I continue to add powder, say 4.2 or 4.3 until the cycling is 100% reliable.

BTW, the Lee Auto Disk Pro measure is not 100% perfect in throwing consistent charges. I primed it 25 times and measured and it was on the light side or non-consistent.

Thanks for any help!!!

[Dchilde]

The Lee auto disk works well with fine powder like reloader#2 but stuff like tite group meters like cornflakes

[Dchilde]

115 grn. fmj.
4.2 grn. titegroup
oal 1.15

[Heartlessmcfly]

Hot powders like titegroup are going to be dirty. Make sure you're getting consistent powder drops

[Li02liberty]

I load 3.4 titegroup under 124gr xtreme's heads with 1.15 oal and light crimp. It shoots great out of my xd and shield. My lee auto powder was that way in the beginning. Let it wear in a bit and it will be fine. You could rub a little graphite where the plate slides and it should help. after a couple thousand rounds it will be smooth as butter.

[FMJ]

Your definitely going to have to break in the press To get consistency. Tite group is fine powder and drops perfectly in my lnl'S... cases get dirty, it's what happens. With a 5 inch barrel and 115's you should probably be around 4.2 gn. Crimp should be enough to keep the head in place. You can hammer one out and see if Theresa ring around the head. It should be just a light impression,if not tighten a bit

[SlowTime]

I seldom reload 115 but my last batch was 115 SNS lead coated reloads 3.5 TG, CCI primer, 1.12 COL. Functioned fine in my G19, VP9, and Shield.

I never check cases to see if they are dirty or not.

[Scottzilla]

I settled on 4.3gr Titegroup after loading over a thousand at 4.0. The 4.0's felt spongy but cycled all of my guns. The 4.3's feel like factory loads and the cases are a touch cleaner. Keep in mind the word is you will aloway have charred remains on cases after using TG regardless of the load. At least that's the word on the street.
COAL =1.15.
I also use a Lee turret and get consistant drops btw.

[Jambo]

Thanks everyone, I am waiting for my delivery of bullets from xtreme and will use more powder and also make sure I run a hopper full through the measure before I start the next round to help with consistent drops.

Thanks!!!

[jedimaster]

Hogden lists 115g 9mm titegroup loads as 3.9g to start and 4.3g max. I used 4g titegroup in my LC9 and it was fine shooting accurately and cycling well. But I agree it's dirty. I only used the titegroup because my preferred powder Bullseye was in short supply at the time. I use 4.2g Bullseye in all my 9mm 115g, .38 125g and .45 ACP 200g target loads with excellent results. (Admittedly a Ruger LC9 is not an ideal target pistol)

[Postal Bob]

For 115gr loads, your oal is a little long, and the powder charge just is a little light. Combine those 2 factors together, and you end up with a very light load, that may not cycle a semiautomatic with a standard weight recoil spring.
Proof of that are your dirty loads. Titegroup is very clean burning, except when using lead bullets. The dirty residue, which is probably carbon soot, means you don't have enough pressure being generated within the cartridge, to expand the brass to seal against the chamber of the barrel. So burning gases get past the cartridge, and make it, and the receiver's insides black.
Either go with 124 gr heads, or shorten the oal to around 1.125-1.135, or increase powder charge to around 4.2-4.3gr.