40 cal open load?

[Bruin]

I am shooting a 40 cal in open class. 155 lead SWC and have been using 6.7 gr of Power Pistol with a 1.155" OAL. Not having very good results. The red dot wants to jump out of the sight picture. Does anyone have a receipe for a load using the lead 155 SWC? I would be very gratefull for any help.

 

[Bruin]

I am shooting a 40 cal in open class. 155 lead SWC and have been using 6.7 gr of Power Pistol with a 1.155" OAL. Not having very good results. The red dot wants to jump out of the sight picture. Does anyone have a receipe for a load using the lead 155 SWC? I would be very gratefull for any help.

 

[Amici]

Shooting a .40 in Open - and sacrificing about 4 rounds in your 170mm mag, I'm guessing - is handicap enough without adding muzzle jump.

Have you considered VV N350 or something similarly slow? Perhaps N110?

 

[handgunner356]

I've used 5.2grs. Universal Clays with the 155gr. LSWC, 1.160"OL. Ran right at 1075fps in my 6" SVI. I have switched back to the 175gr LSWC myself, just liked the way my gun shoots with them.

 

[OKFC05]

With the caveat that I shoot Limited, not open, I'm going to think out loud if I may.

To have a comfortable margin at 170 power factor (over the 165 min), a 155gr bullet needs about 1100fps.

Most competitors use the lighest charge possible of a fast powder to reduce the added recoil of a heavier powder charge, which is significant.
http://www.handloads.com/calc/recoil.asp

In addition, a compensated gun needs the highest possible gas pressure at the compensator to make it work better.

Therefore, using a slower than necessary powder at reduced pressure (6.7gr power pistol) is adding to the recoil with the added weight of powder, while the low pressure is not optimum for the compensator.

This leads to the suggestion that a faster powder like Universal, Titegroup or HP38 would require less weight of powder (about 1 1/2 grains or so less) and would produce significantly higher pressure to help the compensator. Handgunner356's Universal load listed just above looks like a winner.

 

[Skip Sackett]

OK,

I don't shoot either types of competition mentioned in this thread but I like the way you think out loud.

Makes sense too.

Thanks for the info.

 

[guntherapist]

Thanks OKFC05.
That made good sense.
I have always used the slow powder,full case,lower pressure, idea. But now I see the 'other side of the coin'.
A good eye-opener for me.

 

[Bruin]

Yes that does sound logical. I will give it a try. Thank you for the information. If there are anymore that want to jump in. Please do.

 

[Amici]

The fast/slow debate is over whether a quick slap is better than a slow shove. Both will move you; the difference is how quickly you want to absorb the recoil.

While compensators and ports each require gasses under pressure to work effectively, that is only part of the requirement. They also require a significant VOLUME of gas to work.

Hence the "more of a slower powder" recommendation. It takes a compressed load of 3N38 under my 124 grainers to make major in my race gun because of the 6 barrel ports and compensator. Factory 9x23 ammo, including Winchester SXT, with those fast powders, won't even cycle the slide much of the time.

 

[OKFC05]

Using 9mm MAJOR is a whole different ballgame. (a 124gr bullet is obviously some 9mm caliber in USPSA). A slow powder like HS-6 is needed to even make 9mm Major Power (1350fps) at all. There is really not much of an option in 9mm MAJOR, as they are loaded overpressure and just short of blowing up all the time, even with slow powders.

That is why 9mm Major was banned in Limited: without the custom fully suported barrels of Open Raceguns, they were blowing up guns right and left.

As a USPSA CRO, I wish 9mm Major would be entirely banned from all divisions, but at least it is only legal in Open.

 

[Skip Sackett]

I've already stated I don't compete in the type of shooting spoken of in this thread but I do load the 40S&W for a Glock 22 that I don't want to blow up in my hand. Hence, the reason I use slower powders. Currently I am using Longshot, before that I used SR4756. Both of those powders deliver the highest velocity at the lowest pressure.

That being said, I would like to know how those two powder fare in those race guns. Anyone want to try my load recipe in theirs? It is strictly by the book. Just for hoots and hollers?

 

[David Sinko]

I shot a bit of Limited (just to get classified in all the iron sight divisions) with my stock Glock 35 and I used 5.1 grs. of SR7625 with a 180 gr. plated bullet. I chose this load because I had the powder and it safely made Major. I'm not sure this would be the best choice for an Open gun though. Some daring shooters are making major with regular Clays, but I'm not sure if that's possible with 155 gr. bullets. Since the .40 is non-competitive in Open, I'd load whatever powder I have that will safely make Major without taking any risks.

Dave Sinko

 

[Amici]

Originally posted by OKFC05:
Using 9mm MAJOR is a whole different ballgame.

Agreed. But that's not what I shoot. As I posted;

Factory 9x23 ammo, including Winchester SXT, with those fast powders, won't even cycle the slide much of the time.

Major 9 has supposedly dropped the brass costs for those shooting Open. Of course, since one can't tell whether the case was from a carton of WWB or some Open gun shooting M9, it really means no-one else gleans 9mm brass from the range!