Galen and I trotted the CZ 82s out to the range today to try out some reloads. We are using Meister Bullets 93gr RNL bullets, and Hodgdon Titegroup powder. I use Titegroup in my .357 and get good results and economy from it.
There is no specific load data for this bullet for Titegroup powder, although they list data for similar weight jacketed bullets. Available info says that the softer bullets seat better in the elliptically rifled barrel of the CZ, and will generate higher pressures and velocities than jacketed bullets. Other peoples test data bears this out. Hodgdon publishes load data for the 9x18 that calls for generally more powder than we used, but with jacketed bullets, that delivered velocities ranging from 828 to 1053 fps.
We started with a set of bullets loaded to 3.2, 3.4, and 3.6g as well as 2 boxes of S&Bs to use as a baseline. Results as follows:
S&B 95gr JRN Gun #1 Av Vel = 957 Hi=985 Lo 925
S&B 95gr JRN Gun #2 Av Vel= 1017 Hi 1053 Lo=998
Rel#1 93g RNL 3.2g Titegroup Av Vel 1082 Hi=1110 Lo=1065
Rel#2 93g RNL 3.4g Titegroup Av Vel 1177 Hi=1204 Lo=1141
The S&Bs came from 2 different boxes, and were fired in 2 different guns, which may explain the modest discrepancy. The reloads were fired from both guns with one gun consistently delivering 10-30fps greater than the other with the RNL bullets. The figures above are combined averages.
We decided to forgo the 3.6gr rounds, as we had reached our target of 1100 fps with 3.2g of powder. The 3.4 loadings are relegated into the “+P” category, and are not recommended by us. Maybe CZ will have something to say on the topic. Our position is that the 93gr bullets perform quite well at 3.2 g and maybe up to 3.3, but without some kind of official sanction, that’s about it. You could probably load these bullets as low as 2.8 gr, but that’s a test for another day.
The bullets, as expected, leave a bit of lead residue in the barrel, and down the magazine well as well as being noticeably smokier than the jacketed S&Bs. Even so, this is not very much smoke. Experience suggests that half or more of this is the blue grease the bullets come with.
Groupings were consistently at 6” at 30 ft, but I would ascribe this to the shooters rather than the guns, as I’ve seen both of us do 2” groups at that range.
This is what we got today at the range. This disclaimer applies. Not only does it apply, it is not even the half of it.
2 comments:
Good to see some lead data for Titegroup & 9x18. Also have the CZ 82, and thought I'd try to put some loads together with Vit N310, both lead and fmj. With the blow-backs, the faster powders are definitely preferable.
If anyone has some other great load data for the 9X18 --- please post it on the CZ forum site at: www.czforumsite.info/
I thought I'd try to get a good thread going over there in the next few days --- it would be great to pull all the data and links to data together in ONE PLACE.
After further consideration, I have decided that 2.8gr of Titegroup works just fine. Anything over 3.0 is hotter than it needs to be.
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