I have been searching for a reload tha would shoot a good group in my full size M&P40. Shooting plated bullets from Rainier I was getting 5 foot groups at 25 yards. Finally found a load that will group about 5-6 inches at that distance. 180 grain plated truncated cone bullet, 4.0 grains of Tite Group powder. This is the lowest powder weight in the book I use and in the specs from the powder maker.
Finally good group with M&P40
- Thread starter GlenS
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5 foot groups ? That's kind of large. I have never fired my 40 at 25 yards but I would freak if it shot 5 foot groups. I would send the gun in....
alphie
Member
I tend to agree. I have a 40 caliber full size pistol and if it shot a group that large, I would be concerned. I've shot the Ranier bullets in reloads, Winchester and Federal factory loads, and frangible bullet reloads. All the loads were somewhat comparable in accuracy, although not identical. I can understand some differences in accuracy, but that seems very inconsistent. I'd be sending the gun as well.
rsrocket1
Member
If he went from 5 foot groups to 5-6" groups at 25 yards, it's unlikely the gun. I'm happy with 2-3" groups at 13 yards so that's about the same accuracy. Compared with my 1911, the M&P40 is much lighter and will kick/flip/recoil a lot more. Many times, I would put the first bullet right in the center of the bullseye and by the end of the mag be all over the place.
Your light load is a good find. I've found a load of 3.0 grains of Clays under a cast Lee 401-175-TC to have a recoil somewhere between a light 38 special and a 22lr. Most of the motion is from the slide moving back and forth. I can get 1" groups with that load and it is really good for trigger control.
If I were you, I'd keep shooting those light loads of Titegroup and see if your shooting improves over time. If it does, you can keep plinking with those loads or move up. I did the same thing with my 1911 (started light and moved up) and found out that the early poor shooting was the shooter and not the gun. I'm finding out that the same thing happened to my M&P40, although it has taken quite a few more shots to get as accurate and I'm not quite there yet.
Your light load is a good find. I've found a load of 3.0 grains of Clays under a cast Lee 401-175-TC to have a recoil somewhere between a light 38 special and a 22lr. Most of the motion is from the slide moving back and forth. I can get 1" groups with that load and it is really good for trigger control.
If I were you, I'd keep shooting those light loads of Titegroup and see if your shooting improves over time. If it does, you can keep plinking with those loads or move up. I did the same thing with my 1911 (started light and moved up) and found out that the early poor shooting was the shooter and not the gun. I'm finding out that the same thing happened to my M&P40, although it has taken quite a few more shots to get as accurate and I'm not quite there yet.
