Why the magic number 1150 fps?  I like to understand vs. just doing what I'm told.  

 

Thanks!

 

A few reasons.

1) You seem to like the herters ammo, and I'm assuming that it's the blue nylon coated stuff. Which means it is probably a bit faster than berry's jacketed. I looked up some other people's velocities for it out of a couple of handguns, and using ballistics by the inch as a guide for velocity falloff/gain to compensate for the barrel elngth of your guns vs those I came up with a number slightly over 1150. 

2) You seem to have gotten some nice groups hovering around the 1140 area. 

3) Since aiming for single digit velocity targets with hand loading pistol is an absurd task, I rounded to the nearest ten splitting the difference. 1150. It's also about where most plinking ammo will fall from various manufacturers out of a 4" barrel. 

 

Also, I'd test your crimp and use a kinetic bullet puller to pull a seated and crimped bullet out. You don't want to be distorting the bullet profile (it's not necessary and may or may not affect accuracy), and you DEFINITELY don't want to compromise the plating (which WILL negatively affect accuracy). If you are scraping the plating, even if you are not going through it, bell the case more before seating. Taking a look at the berry's site, the 115 plated are hollow base. You should at least whip out the calipers and measure pulled bullet diameter vs new out of the box. BErry's are decently hard, but a bit too much crimp on a hollow base and it likely won't spring back as unsupported lead isn't going to be too springy. If it is squished, it won't necessarily conform to the barrel as well, which will reduce accuracy. 

That totally went over my head... I'll read it a couple of more time!!! ... LOL

 

Thanks for the tip!!!

A few reasons.

1) You seem to like the herters ammo, and I'm assuming that it's the blue nylon coated stuff. Which means it is probably a bit faster than berry's jacketed. I looked up some other people's velocities for it out of a couple of handguns, and using ballistics by the inch as a guide for velocity falloff/gain to compensate for the barrel elngth of your guns vs those I came up with a number slightly over 1150. 

2) You seem to have gotten some nice groups hovering around the 1140 area. 

3) Since aiming for single digit velocity targets with hand loading pistol is an absurd task, I rounded to the nearest ten splitting the difference. 1150. It's also about where most plinking ammo will fall from various manufacturers out of a 4" barrel. 

 

Also, I'd test your crimp and use a kinetic bullet puller to pull a seated and crimped bullet out. You don't want to be distorting the bullet profile (it's not necessary and may or may not affect accuracy), and you DEFINITELY don't want to compromise the plating (which WILL negatively affect accuracy). If you are scraping the plating, even if you are not going through it, bell the case more before seating. Taking a look at the berry's site, the 115 plated are hollow base. You should at least whip out the calipers and measure pulled bullet diameter vs new out of the box. BErry's are decently hard, but a bit too much crimp on a hollow base and it likely won't spring back as unsupported lead isn't going to be too springy. If it is squished, it won't necessarily conform to the barrel as well, which will reduce accuracy. 

 

Thanks for the tips!!!  I've shot a pretty descent group on Sat, with 4.5gr and 1.12 OAL free standing.  But made the following adjustments.  Chrono at 10' and target at ~32'.  That way I can see WTH I'm shooting at.

 

As for HERTERS, I believe they are FMJ and not the blue coated stuff?  The Berry's I have are not hollow based, they are these: https://www.berrysmfg.com/product-i14474-c11-g8-b0-p0-9mm_115gr_RN___1000ct.aspx, but they do offer at hollow based one.  

 

I've also measure factory ammo in the past and most are about 1.160 and longer, but I didn't pull their bullet out to see how far they are seated.

 

Another question, this weekend I also shot another member's Tanfolio, it's a "racegun" with "gas paddles" and I was able to shoot a group that was about 1" at 32' and really light on recoil.  The gentleman said 3.3g of CLAYS is the best.  Obviously CLAYS are no where to be found right now.  So the question is this, WHY?!?!?!?!!? .. LOL ... I'd be happy with 4gr of BE and making those groups.