Last weekend I took my 9mm 16" AR to the range, and my friend (@Bullseye Baldee ) had his Labradar with him, so I thought we would measure downrange velocities of my RMR 115fmj loads. I use Power Pistol at a charge of 6.1gn, which is not max charge, but was the most accurate load I tested out to 50 yards. I seat these bullets to 1.100" since my AR has a fairly short leade. All mixed brass.
We had the Labradar setup to measure velocity at 5, 20, 50, 75, and 100 yards. It calculates the actual muzzle velocity (V0).
9 shots.
1522 fps average muzzle velocity
15.24 SD
48.49 extreme spread.
V0 = 1522
V5 = 1499
V20 = 1429
V50 = 1299.8
V75 = 1206.2
V100 = 1126.9
At 100 yards, the group size was about 2.5". I zeroed the scope for 100 yards.
I had some other loads in 223 that I wanted to test at 500 yards, so after finishing up at the 100 yard range (paper only) I moved to the 500 yard range (steel only, at 300, 400, and 500 yards). When I got done with those loads, I decided just for fun that I would try to hit the steel at 300 yards with my 9mm. I don't have finger adjustable turrets on my cheap Centerpoint Walmart-special scope (3-9x) but the reticle does have dots that equate to 4moa each, at max magnification. So my friend spotted for me and I walked the rounds in, the 4th shot hit the steel. The adjustment was about 28moa up (84 inch drop), and 10moa left (30 inches). With that, I was able to ring the steel silhouette 9 out of 10 shots. I thought this was pretty consistent, given the distance and the fact the round was passing transonic well before reaching the target. What was interesting to me was the amount of correction to the left that I had to make. The wind was light and variable, so I don't think the drift was all from the wind, I am wondering if I am seeing spin-drift.
I thought it was pretty fun hitting steel at 300 yards with 9mm. The steel was also ringing much louder with the 9mm than it was with the 223.
We had the Labradar setup to measure velocity at 5, 20, 50, 75, and 100 yards. It calculates the actual muzzle velocity (V0).
9 shots.
1522 fps average muzzle velocity
15.24 SD
48.49 extreme spread.
V0 = 1522
V5 = 1499
V20 = 1429
V50 = 1299.8
V75 = 1206.2
V100 = 1126.9
At 100 yards, the group size was about 2.5". I zeroed the scope for 100 yards.
I had some other loads in 223 that I wanted to test at 500 yards, so after finishing up at the 100 yard range (paper only) I moved to the 500 yard range (steel only, at 300, 400, and 500 yards). When I got done with those loads, I decided just for fun that I would try to hit the steel at 300 yards with my 9mm. I don't have finger adjustable turrets on my cheap Centerpoint Walmart-special scope (3-9x) but the reticle does have dots that equate to 4moa each, at max magnification. So my friend spotted for me and I walked the rounds in, the 4th shot hit the steel. The adjustment was about 28moa up (84 inch drop), and 10moa left (30 inches). With that, I was able to ring the steel silhouette 9 out of 10 shots. I thought this was pretty consistent, given the distance and the fact the round was passing transonic well before reaching the target. What was interesting to me was the amount of correction to the left that I had to make. The wind was light and variable, so I don't think the drift was all from the wind, I am wondering if I am seeing spin-drift.
I thought it was pretty fun hitting steel at 300 yards with 9mm. The steel was also ringing much louder with the 9mm than it was with the 223.
