9mm OAL question

[tony13]

Newb question. Using Berry’s 9mm 124gr copper plated RN. Berry’s website state 1.169 for OAL. My American Eagle factor rounds are at 1.150. I’ve made up a few test rounds at 1.150 and also at 1.168. Both pass case gauge and the plunk test in my Sigs barrel. Anybody else loading out to Berry’s specs or am I better off matching the factory rounds?
Thanks,
Tony

[Tjb101]

I don’t think I’ve ever loaded to max length ... pretty much 1.155 for most all 124 round ball.

[Big Eddy]

1.169 is max OAL. I would stay with 1.150. See how they shoot and maybe adjust from there.

[tony13]

Thanks guys.

[Jeffm004]

i buy the flat points. In general, I believe longer, feeds better but I like simulating the hollow points I carry. I can also load hollow points without changing the press. i have not changed my 9mm setup in 20,000 rounds and load hollow points and flat point 124s.

My carry is 1 mag factory HP, another couple of gauge checked reloads. I shoot them all every few months, cuts the cost of dong that and if I'm reaching for the second mag. explaining a reload in court is the least of my problems. I'm on the road but if you want what COAL I load drop me a message. I have a matrix of different bullets (HP) that show what I picked and why. They run 100% in sig, glock, browning and whoever makes XDS.

[tony13]

Are flat point bullets more accurate then round nose? Why choose one over the other? In my mind a RN would feed and travel better then a Flat point.

[Big Eddy]

Round nose bullets tend to rip holes in paper targets, WC, SWC and to some extent FP bullets make round holes, making it easier to score targets. For target shooting at handgun ranges it doesn’t mater much if one bullet looses velocity a little faster than another. In many, if not most guns, FP bullets feed just as well as RN bullets. Many guns do not like SWC and WC are completely out of the question in an auto. That tends to steer people toward FPs.