Build your own 9MM AR-15
I was going to sit down and do a post on what you need to build a 9mm AR-15 or convert a 5.56 Nato to a 9MM. But Marc beat me to it a while back and I somehow missed it. So, go read how to Build Your Own 9mm AR-15 Lower. He has pictures and everything.
Speaking of 9mms, Marc also notes little difference in FPS between a 9mm AR and a Glock handgun.
March 18th, 2006 at 7:35 am
Hmm….Marc’s chrono figures document, once again, that semi-auto handgun ammo just doesn’t see the velocity increase out of a longer barrel that revolver ammo does. This has to be based on, largely, the powder used in semi ammo to produce a specific time/pressure performance curve, but I’m wondering if there are other less visible key factors, such as case length, or length-to-diameter ratio, etc. Anybody know?
March 18th, 2006 at 9:10 am
“Marc’s chrono figures document, once again, that semi-auto handgun ammo just doesn’t see the velocity increase out of a longer barrel that revolver ammo does.”
What Marc’s chrono figures document is that the 147gr bullet, intended to be subsonic out of a carbine length barrel, is (surprise!) subsonic out of a carbine-length barrel. Big shock, there.
When he takes the +P 115gr or 124gr fodder to the range, he will notice a startling difference in velocity between the pistol and the carbine. 😉
March 18th, 2006 at 7:07 pm
And if he handloads specifically for the carbine, again, with 115 or 124 gr bullets, it’ll get even better.
March 19th, 2006 at 3:39 am
I’ve been mulling over the idea of handloads but unlike my STI pistol I can’t load the bullet out much more for more powder capacity. I’m buying some +P and some 9mm NATO +P+ ammo, we’ll see how that does. The stupid thing about thinking about loading longer rounds is that it leads directly to the .300 Whisper/.300-.221 round. How about a 125 grain .308 dia. Nosler ballistic tip at 2400 fps sounds like the ticket.
March 19th, 2006 at 2:20 pm
There’s a thread on THR, in the Handloading forum, one of the guys has been loading for his HiPoint 995. He got good results with 115 grainers, hasn’t posted his results with the 124s. I forget which powder he was using.
Personally, I don’t have any 9mm loading equipment, so I can’t really say.
March 19th, 2006 at 3:52 pm
OK, I dug up the link:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=184477&highlight=995
He was using BlueDot, loads ranging from 7.5 to 8.5 grains with 115 gr FMJs. Velocity is somewhat inconsistent, but ranges from 1549 at 7.5 to 1838 at 8.5.
Apparently his tests with 8.0 gr of BlueDot under 124 gr FMJs got around 1500 fps, but were experiencing some problems with powder still burning after the bolt had unlocked. He was using a HiPoint 995, so experience with other carbines (Usi, AR) may vary.
March 19th, 2006 at 6:46 pm
What’s going to keep from getting a whisper is that I don’t want to reload for an AR that I’m not going to compete with or shoot long range varmints with. That’s the same thing that’s going to keep me from reloading 9 mil for the AR. I’m not against reloading, I’ve loaded well over 100,000 rounds for my Bianchi guns and tens upon tens of thousands of .40 and .45 ammo. A 9mil AR is a plinker with enough power for close range defensive work.
I said I want a 124 grain bullet going 1450 fps. That should, thanks to the AR’s high sight position, enable you to have an 8″ dia. point blank range of about 150 yards or so by my calculation and the round should stay supersonic at least to 100 yards. Of course faster is better.
March 19th, 2006 at 10:11 pm
I finally picked up all of my components from CCA, so I’m ready to start.
March 21st, 2006 at 6:43 pm
Me, I always wondered why people want that in 9mm, when there’s no reason I’m aware of you couldn’t do it in .45 ACP.
With grease-gun magazines.