9mm pardini light loads

[dragon]

My Pardini GT9 has the "light" recoil spring, but the light frame coupled with the heavy slide and barrel result in the pistol not working with a light load as my other 9mm pistols.

Does anyone have load suggestions to enable this pistol to shoot accurately without a heavy load? I have read that a lead bullet 120-125 grains at 1000 fps is accurate, but that will not operate my slide. I have not found this gun accurate at all. Thanks

[Crashtacular]

Let me start off by saying that I have absolutely zero experience with a Pardini. I have a 1911 chambered in 9mm that I shoot light loads in. the best way to work up a light load is to just start with a light load and increase the powder charge until the gun will cycle. If the load is too light to cycle the slide then it cant be too much for the gun. I shoot a 150 grain .356 bullet that is intended for a 38 super. They feel much softer shooting then when I tried the lighter bullets. I suspect this is because I can use a lighter charge to still cycle the gun. If a 124 grain at 1000 fps doesn't cycle with the light recoil spring then I would be curious to see if there is something else in the gun that is causing it to not cycle. My loads are well under 1000 fps. I use 2.9 grains of imr 700x and they will eject the shells about 4 feet out. A friend of mine shot my ammo through his factory glock and it cycled just fine and had a rather nice group. I also run this ammo through my fathers factory sig sauer sp2022 without any issues. Again, I have never shot a Pardini, I am just throwing my experiences out there in hopes that you may be able to get something out of it that will help you.

[dronning]

I have read that a lead bullet 120-125 grains at 1000 fps is accurate, but that will not operate my slide. I have not found this gun accurate at all. Thanks

One of the big issues with trying to compare 9MM and accurate loads is barrel twist rate. I have a bullseye gun built by KC Kustom Creations, a 1911 in 9MM with a KKM 1-32 twist barrel. Very accurate, 10 shot groups <1.25" @ 50yds, with 115gr FMJ or JHP running about 1100fps.

I started with new Atlanta Arms match ammo and duplicated it as much as I could.

Not sure of the GT9 twist rate.

- Dave

[JimPGov]

A LIGHT LOAD THAT SHOULD SUIT YOUR NEEDS.

4.0 GR WSF, 147GR FMJ OR JHP.

4.0 - 4.3 WILL WORK FINE FOR THE 125 GR LEAD. JP

[dragon]

The rifling twist for the Pardini GT9 is 1 in 17.75 inches. The "light" spring is of unknown poundage, so I am reluctant to cut off any coils to run a lighter load. The reloads I am using are 120 Lee truncated bullet, lead, powder coated to avoid leading of the barrel. Sized .357 for the slugged .3555-.356 barrel. Velocity for any decent accuracy is about 1180. The Pardini rifling looks shallow. I am going to try some 115 HAP bullets with N330 or Power Pistol. Both of my CZ pistols have 1:10 rifling and shoot light loads well - 140 grain powder coated bullet at 800 fps and 120 grain bullet at 915 fps, both loads using 231 powder.

[Zipp0]

Am watching this thread with interest: I have the 9mm slide for a GT45 II-6 and am struggling to find an accurate load

[dragon]

I am curious to know if any Pardini 9mm owners have cut coils from the recoil spring to make the pistol cycle with a light load. Pardini also has a polygonal barrel at 1.10 twist for non-lead loads.
Accurate loads which I have seen listed have been for the 1.17 3/4 inch twist barrel with lead loads, but with the chamber leade cut to allow longer overall length when loading. Other accurate loads with full metal jacketed bullets are high velocity using Power Pistol or Vihta Vuori powder.
On Youtube "Lifesize Potato" states superb accuracy with the GT9 but I don't know how to contact him. My best load still shoots 3 inches at 20 yards, benchrested. Not superb at all.

[Zipp0]

With the 45acp slide - the GT6-II will punch out the 10 ring. Put the 9mm slide on it and the rounds are all over the place - a #84 ISSf precision at 25m (bedsheet) will just about hold the 124gr S&B (yup - the bedsheet), my 115gr reloads will hold the black and after a colleague cleaned the NRA 25m timed and rapid target with his STI, I tried the 148gr factory loads - not so good.
So - I have my work cut out to find the magic recipe - I had high hopes for the 9mm slide (25m minimum) - not so much 'out of the box' as 'how long will it take you to construct a box' ... no answer yet.

[Isabel1130]

With the 45acp slide - the GT6-II will punch out the 10 ring. Put the 9mm slide on it and the rounds are all over the place - a #84 ISSf precision at 25m (bedsheet) will just about hold the 124gr S&B (yup - the bedsheet), my 115gr reloads will hold the black and after a colleague cleaned the NRA 25m timed and rapid target with his STI, I tried the 148gr factory loads - not so good.
So - I have my work cut out to find the magic recipe - I had high hopes for the 9mm slide (25m minimum) - not so much 'out of the box' as 'how long will it take you to construct a box' ... no answer yet.

It's the barrel, as mentioned before. You may not find an accurate load.

[kubikula78]

Hi guys from Czech Republic,

I am new owner of GT9. I got this beast 14 days and I hopefully find accurate load.

1. Slovenian bullet LOS 123gr HP (copper covered lead) over 4,1gr Vihtavuori N320, light crimp
2. Same bullet over 4,8 Vectan BA9, crimped a bit more

Pics included, shot on 25 meters.

Hope it helps.

[oldcaster]

Have you guys that are shooting 9mm lead bullets checked to make sure your cases are not swaging the lead bullets down when seating them. 9 mm cases were designed for a bullet smaller than .356 and will cause them to be squished unless the bullets are very hard and the harder they are the more difficult it is to make them accurate and keep from leading the barrel..

[oneills]

I have a new Pardini GT9-6 that i have been experimenting with. Due to short chamber leade overall seating depth is critical for reliable cycling. I have found 2 light loads that are very accurate. First one uses a 115 grain Hitech coated SWC lead projectile sized .357 with 2.5 grains of AS30 (Hodgdon Clays). OAL will be between 1.035 and 1.050. Second load uses 125 grain coated SWC without lube groove sized .356 with 3.0 grains of AP 70 (Hodgdon Universal).
Using standard spring first load just cycles slide....may have to go up another tenth of a grain but was extremely accurate