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USPSA Major PF Loading Recipes?


Greg5611

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I'm running a STI Edge .40 in Limited Major.  I currently have loads using both Titegroup and Win 231 powder with Berry's 180 gr plated bullets.  I've seen alot of info from people running VV n320 powder, Unique and e3 powders.  I can't seem to find good data using these powders in the loading manuals or manufacturers websites.  Anyone competing in Major PF using .40 cal guns that would be willing to share their load data along with where they got their start/max powder fill reference?

 

 Thank you.

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I got my VV 320 data from here. I make major PF with a 180 coated lead, 1.180 OAL using 4.9 grains of VV320 for my STI Edge. Now, I started at 4.5 grains (lower than the info I got here) and chronoed going up at 0.1 grain intervals.

 

There are plenty of plated info here as well. I'd start half a grain below people's recommendations just to be safe and go up.

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My recipe is 4.9 grains VV N320 under a Rainier plated RNFP 180, OAL 1.15". I started at 4.4grains and worked up until I found a load that consistently chrono'd around 168PF out of my Dan Wesson 1911.  I load them shorter than some because I also shoot a CZ whose mags don't like anything longer than 1.16".

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You can use Clays data for e3.  e3 is a lot more forgiving, because it has no pressure spikeyness when you get near max, and it has zero temperature sensitivity.

 

My Major load is mixed brass, CCI 500, 3.6gr Alliant e3 and 180gr Precision poly coated bullet, or lead TC bullet.  If I am using a HiTek coated bullet I have to got to 3.7gr.  Both make 172PF and both are loaded to 1.126" OAL.   I didn't like Berry's bullets.  I don't like X-Tremes very well either.  I do like, and use, Rainier copper plated bullets.

 

Unique is a little too slow for Major loads with a 180gr bullet, and it is large flake, so it doesn't meter as well as others.

 

N320 is just too expensive to use given it is no better than e3.  It costs twice as much and you have to use more of it.  Another reason to use e3 is the consistency.  All my e3 40sw loads make single digit SDs for 10 or 20 shot strings.  They range in the 4.8 to 7.9 range.  I never got any VV powder to do that well, except for N340.

 

2.8gr e3 under the 180 makes a nice Minor load at 140PF.  I also shoot a sub-minor load for Steel Challenge.  It is 3.3gr e3 under a 135gr Rainier bullet for around 110PF.  It is soft.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 5/18/2017 at 9:39 AM, tanks said:

I got my VV 320 data from here. I make major PF with a 180 coated lead, 1.180 OAL using 4.9 grains of VV320 for my STI Edge. Now, I started at 4.5 grains (lower than the info I got here) and chronoed going up at 0.1 grain intervals.

 

There are plenty of plated info here as well. I'd start half a grain below people's recommendations just to be safe and go up.

Same gun,  same bullet,  same oal, 4.8 gr N320 making 170pf.

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On Friday, I chrono'd the following out of my STI Trojan and Executive:

 

180 gr MG JHP, 1.2" OAL, 5.3 gr N320 yielded a low of 168 PF and 174 high (SD 16).

SAA but with 5.1 grains was 161/172 PF (SD 7) and 5.5 grains was 178/181 PF (SD 7).

 

I can't figure out why 5.1 and 5.5 grains gave me good SD's, but 5.3 was  so high in both gun. I don't usually shoot MG's, but I got a great deal on a case that I couldn't pass up. This at least gives you an idea of a jacketed round w/ N320.

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2 hours ago, armydad said:

I can't figure out why 5.1 and 5.5 grains gave me good SD's, but 5.3 was  so high

 

Probably because you had a very low sample size ... ?

 

How many rounds of each did you chrono ?

 

Firing 5 shots of each load will give some interesting results.

 

I like to fire 20 rounds over the chrono to find out the actual velocity,

and range.    :) 

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Thanks Jack. I think you're probably right that more is better. I shot lesser loads the previous week as I was trying to figure a good minor load and working up to major. I shot 10 round strings that time. I'll give 20 a go with this load the next time I'm out and see if the numbers don't smooth out.

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I'm still messing around with N320 in my 5-inch Edge.  Here are two plated loads that I use.

 

Bullet:  Bullet Works 180 gr. RNFP Plated
Powder:  Hodgdon Titegroup 4.8 grs.
Primer:  Winchester Small Pistol
Case:  Federal
LOAL:  1.180
Avg. Vel.:  943.97 fps 
ES:  36.25
SD:  10.34
Recoil Spring:  Dawson tool-less guide rod, 12 lb. Recoil Spring and Buffer Pad

 

Bullet:  Bullet Works 180 gr. RNFP Plated
Powder:  Winchester WST 5.0 grs.
Primer:  Winchester Small Pistol
Case:  Winchester
LOAL:  1.200
Avg. Vel.:  959.61 fps 
ES:  42.27
SD:  13.89
PF:  172
Recoil Spring:  Tool-less guide rod, 14 lb. Recoil Spring & Aluma Buffer Pad

 

This is as far as I've gotten with N320, very accurate and soft shooting but I doubt it's major PF.

 

Bullet:  Winchester 180 gr. FMJ
Powder:  VihtaVuori N320 4.8 grs.
Primer:  Winchester Small Pistol
Case:  Winchester 
LOAL:  1.175
Recoil Spring:  Tool-less guide rod, 14 lb. Recoil Spring & Aluma Buffer Pad

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  • 2 weeks later...

4.4 gr of WST at 1.175 oal, PF of 167-168 using WSP 

4.4 gr of Titegroup 1.175 oal, PF of 169-170 using WSP

I am using BlackBullets for both powders for my STI Edge                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

                                     

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...
  • 5 months later...
On 5/19/2017 at 4:42 PM, zzt said:

You can use Clays data for e3.  e3 is a lot more  

2.8gr e3 under the 180 makes a nice Minor load at 140PF.  I also shoot a sub-minor load for Steel Challenge.  It is 3.3gr e3 under a 135gr Rainier bullet for around 110PF.  It is soft.

ah. There's your light load info. 

I was going to start with 3.3 of e3 at 1.13 under my 183gr TC SWC bullets. Do you think 2.8gr of e3 is the minimum under a 180gr? 

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No.  You can definitely go lower.  I stayed with 2.8 only because I could use the same 13lb recoil spring for both minor and major loads.  Also, the SDs for the 2.8 load were in the 6~7 range, which is great for a light load.  If you go too much lighter you will end up with less consistency.

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21 hours ago, zzt said:

You can definitely go lower.  

It will be interesting to see what's possible. I'm only starting to cast, coat and load the 40. I'm using a VP 40 in IDPA (Lower Providence) and plan to do other gun games as well. I'll take my gun and chrono to a range in Jersey on Friday and see how these first loads look. I made up a batch each of 2.9 and 3.2 of e3 and used OALs of 1.12, 1.125 and 1.13.

The gun is stock. I'll look at spring swaps as needed.  TY,

P T

Edited by meeesterpaul
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Just perfected my major .40 cal load. 

 

-200 gr Blue Bullets RNFP

-3.9 gr of Tiregroup 

-1.180" OAL

-Winchester Primers 

-Mixed headstamped brass

 

52 Degrees. 2011, KKM 5" barrel.

 

Group 1: 8 shots with 2 not read

Avg: 848.9 fps

Spread: 31.15

Standard Deviation: 9.79

Grouping: 2.5"

Power Factor: 169.78

 

Group 2: 10 shots

Avg: 851.9 fps

Spread: 48.18

Standard Deviation: 15.29

Grouping: 2.75"

Power Factor: 170.38

Edited by thouston406
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You can use Clays data for e3.  e3 is a lot more forgiving, because it has no pressure spikeyness when you get near max, and it has zero temperature sensitivity.
 
My Major load is mixed brass, CCI 500, 3.6gr Alliant e3 and 180gr Precision poly coated bullet, or lead TC bullet.  If I am using a HiTek coated bullet I have to got to 3.7gr.  Both make 172PF and both are loaded to 1.126" OAL.   I didn't like Berry's bullets.  I don't like X-Tremes very well either.  I do like, and use, Rainier copper plated bullets.
 
Unique is a little too slow for Major loads with a 180gr bullet, and it is large flake, so it doesn't meter as well as others.
 
N320 is just too expensive to use given it is no better than e3.  It costs twice as much and you have to use more of it.  Another reason to use e3 is the consistency.  All my e3 40sw loads make single digit SDs for 10 or 20 shot strings.  They range in the 4.8 to 7.9 range.  I never got any VV powder to do that well, except for N340.
 
2.8gr e3 under the 180 makes a nice Minor load at 140PF.  I also shoot a sub-minor load for Steel Challenge.  It is 3.3gr e3 under a 135gr Rainier bullet for around 110PF.  It is soft.
Good info. How do you like n340 compare to e3?

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

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N340 has more recoil than e3 for major Limited loads.  e3 is cleaner, less expensive and has zero temperature sensitivity.  I'll use the rest of my N340 up for steel challenge load of around 150PF in a comp'd gun.

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I'm embracing your advocy of e3. It sounds like you've tried a range of powders and loads - and in 40SW no less, so I'm not going to reinvent the wheel. 

With the stock recoil spring in a VP40 I'm using 2.9gr of e3 under a 180HiTek at 1.125oal, close to your suggestion.  At 2.5gr it started misbehaving. I wonder how much spring to try to try lighter loads.  

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