New reloader looking for Rainier 124gr HP load data & O.A.L

B

Bernie223

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Hello everyone brand new reloader hoping someone could help me with a good place to find load data & O.A.L's for Rainier 9mm - 124gr HP bullets using either Unique or Power Pistol, shooting out of a Glock 17 gen 4. I have looked everywhere for a place to start and haven't been able to find anyone taking about my specific components also I'm a little confused why there website says one thing but every forum I've looked at people say another.

Rainier's website says:
"Rainier recommends using commercially published jacketed bullet load data when loading our projectiles"
But then when searching this forum and others people say to use load data for cast bullets.

And no where have I found people talking about reloading the 124gr HP. Just to give you any and all info on my reloading so far I've loaded Hornady XTP 124gr, Hornady H.A.P. 115gr , & Speer 115gr TMJ using the above powders.

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
 
Bernie, I'd use the data for the 124 grain Speer Gold Dot hollow point at www.alliantpowder.com as a guide. You can also contact the Alliant Powder techs via e-mail. They've always been most helpful. I've shot a lot of Berry's and Rainer copper plated bullets. The main thing is not to over crimp the rounds so the case mouths cut into the copper plating too deep. I'd also try to keep velocities for the copper-plated bullets below 1,200 fps. It's rare that would be a problem except for 115 grain bullets in a 9mm carbine.
 
Sounds good thanks. last question about over crimping with these bullets I'm using a 9mm lee carbide factory crimp die adjusted for a light crimp that wouldn't be too much would it?
 
Speer #14 . . .

Unique: 5.2gn (1080 f/s) - 5.8gn (1180 f/s)
Power Pistol: 5.6gn (1033 f/s) - 6.4gn (1157 f/s)
OAL 1.120"

Hornady 9th . . .

Unique: 4.0gn (900 f/s) - 5.0gn (1100 f/s)
Power Pistol: 4.3gn (900 f/s) - 5.7gn (1100 f/s)
XTP = 1.060"; FMJ-FP = 1.050"

Obviously, Hornady is more conservative. But Speer has never let me down (I've used this Speer data for Power Pistol with no trouble).

For a new loader with 9mm, I have some reservations with both propellants. Unique meters crummy and behaves kind of wonky with its powder drops - giving even experienced loaders minor fits sometimes. And Power Pistol is highly energetic and can bite before it ever growls if it is mis-used (unintentionally, or otherwise) - it's a really high-strung propellant. (I absolutely love PP - but I'm three decades experienced . . . aaaand that's all for another post.)

That said, I'd give the nod to Unique too. And, it would seem its numbers are better according to the above load data (which surprises me).

As a beginner using Unique, my suggested starting charge weight would be like 4.6 or 4.8 grains. A little less than Speer, and in the middle of the road for Hornady. OAL could have some bearing on the starting charge weight.

9mm is a bit persnickity. It's so small that little tweeks can have big effects.

Load safe.
 
On crimp: Pull one loaded, there should not be a mark. Load a full mag, measure the COAL of the first one loaded, run them but for the last, see if the COAL changed due to recoil. None, your done.

Unique is great. I use 4.2 of Bullseye under Xtreme 124s. Just under 1000 fps. throws in a 650 spot on - forever.
 
Just a suggestion. I'd pick Unique for your 124 Rainier's. I'd start at 4.5 grains of Unique and work up. Unique at 4.8 will cycle most pistols and is a mild mid-range load. At 5.2 grains I'd stop and consider it maximum. Make sure your seating depth will chamber in your pistol. Seating depth should be between 1.090" to a max of 1.125". Just my experience with Unique and 124 gr. 9MM. I would not use Speer's data for Gold Dot bullets as it's maximum is hot hot. If you use Speer Gold Dot data use only the components they use, bullets, cases, and primers.
 
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thanks this is great I appreciate all the info. I now feel confident as where to start with these rainer bullets. so thanks nick, jeff, Rg, everyone
 
1.120 cycles good I'm going start with that and 4.5gr of Unique. Again thanks for helping out newbie. Ill post how it works out so hopefully another newbie can find this thread.
 
Another mew reloader confused by plated bullets' lack of easily found data. For an experienced reloader, the differences between cast, plated, and jacketed are easily worked out, but newer reloaders get confused when they buy components before they have any load data. No offence to the OP intended.

Here's my recommendations after using about 1,500 plated bullets (and about 30 years of reloading); reload them the same way as you would lead bullets. As I understand it, the "mid-level for jacketed" formula is for max. plated loads, near the max velocity before plating stripping happens. Or, which I think is a better approach; put the plated bullets on a shelf for now and get some jacketed bullets and find a tried and true load in your reloading manual(s). Load up a bunch, going slow, double checking everything. After a while getting used to loading a new to you round, you will have the experience to deal with plated bullets (crimp and load data).
 
My .02 on plated is that the reason for lead data in the day was that platted were soft and filled in around the groves like lead, less powder, higher pressure.

Plated are rated 1200 to 1500 fps, you should not end up where that is a limitation as far as stripping the copper.

As the plating has gotten thicker the deformation has gotten less, I believe they are more like FMJ. BUT none of us really know for sure, so start low and move up. I crono a lot. Plated is much closer to FMJ than lead results.
 
FWIW: I have shot thousands of the Rainier 124 Plated HP bullets and I love them. I use the middle of jacketed as max for plated formula with great results.

I have shot many of these from my 9mm @ around 1200 fps and as to the quality of the Rainier HP, I have shot hundreds of them from my 357 SIG at over 1400 fps without any loss of accuracy or leading issues noted.

These bullets cost a little more than some other brands but they are totally worth it IMO. I especially like how the HP acts like a little wadcutter and punches nice clean holes in my targets. :D
 
On crimp: Pull one loaded, there should not be a mark. Load a full mag, measure the COAL of the first one loaded, run them but for the last, see if the COAL changed due to recoil.
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Good advice there, and I'll add that by doing this, you are not only checking the effects of recoil on that last round, but since it was chambered (being the last round in the magazine), and you manually ejected it, you are checking that the force of chambering as the round impacted the ramp has not changed the overall length.

I have found that even some Hornady SD rounds in .45 ACP will suffer set back from the above procedure. Re-crimping with a taper crimper has solved that dilemma for me. Best Regards, Rod
 
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