I just started reloading last week after saying I was going to start reloading for the last 5 years. I've read about as much as one can read and watched about as much as one can watch on youtube when it comes to reloading.

Last week I loaded up my first rounds and went to the range to test. The test rounds went ok but they were not good enough to reliably cycle a Beretta PX4Storm.

When I got home and inspected the cases I noticed that they all had a similar "burn" mark on each case. It's on one side of the case and I was not sure this was normal for a reload since I have not seen it on a factory loaded case.

I am attaching a picture that shows what I am talking about, though it's probably not the best picture.

I was experimenting with a lighter load that my wife can shoot since she does not like shooting a factory 9mm load just for plinking.


This was my load.

124g Hornady HP-XTP (#35571) with 4.5 grains of Power Pistol on once fired brass with a Winchester WSP primer.

Forgot the image.

The charge was too low to obturate the case to the chamber wall. As you probably know Alliant recommends around 6.4 grains of that powder for a velocity of around 1157 fps

Since this is my first time reloading I thought I was start at the bottom of the recommended loads according to the reloading manual I have.

I am using the Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading (8th Edition) and it showing 900fps@4.3gr to a maximum of 5.7g@1100fps for the #35571 bullet and Power Pistol powder.

My plan was to start at 4.5grains and work my way up to a load that's sufficient to cycle my wife's 9mm but not to the point where it's not fun to shoot.

you could try a diffrent powder for less felt recoil at a max load.
800-X and longshot work at lower pressures with lcn bullets for the same velocity as the power pistol.
Dave

That load came from Alliant themselves for max. I like Unique, Bullseye, HP38 in my 9mm loads.

Use more powder or go to a faster burn rate. Bullseye is good for light target loads.

I get the odd case like that from the wife's S & W M&P 9C
Real light 115 grain loads, 4.2 gr Titegroup.
Not even 2 % so I am close to the limit.

Battleop
For that range of powder, while testing, load 5 each at 4.3, 4.7, 5.1, 5.5 and 5.7gr.
Take them to the range and do both accuracy and function at the same time.
Your looking for the charge that both provides acceptable accuracy and cycles the pistol reliably.

I am going to try a 4.7 but 5.0 seems to be about right for her guns. I am going to have her try the 5.0s and load a few 4.7s to see if they cycle reliably.

I`d follow Tailgunners advice and work the load up to the point it works the action reliably.
PowerPistol was developed just for the 9mm and is an excellent powder in the cartridge. It does however need a bit of pressure to burn properly

You may still have powder residue on the outside of the case after your load cycles reliably. The two aren't necessarily connected. Other than getting dirty faster it shouldn't matter.

Power Pistol is a fine powder for "normal" loads. For a slightly reduced load one of the faster powders would work somewhat better and give you more shots per pound. If the goal is less recoil, a lighter bullet will make more differance than a lighter powder charge.

I got to thinking about that whole Newtons Law thing. It makes since that a lighter bullet would reduce recoil.