R1_Demon

And your sights haven't fallen off yet, Kimberacp? LOL! Well, since I already have TG, I'm just going to try that for now. I can't really afford to run out and grab some N320 just because. However, I may switch to it for the next batch of powder I do. Never hurts to check all the avenues.

Thanks Gman...that's the one I thought it was, but wasn't positive. I was looking at that one via Shooters Connection when I ordered a belt from them earlier this week and almost threw it on the list, but held off because I wanted to get some opinions first. I saw Midway was the cheapest I've seen for the chrono and the Digital Link, but I usually like to support the forum supporters if I can, but I appreciate the info. I'm going to try and do a search on how to exactly use one. I've never shot through a chrono before, so I don't know how high you put it or how far away do you put it or any of that stuff. I'm guessing others probably started a thread on it, so I'll search first, if not, I'll ask. The good thing is, I already have a cheaper photography tripod I can use for it. ;-)

Thanks Muncie and N3WWN. I'll look into it and see what goes. Last night I pulled out a box of Federal Champion ammo. Nothing fancy, just 180gr .40 TC rounds that I had to use at the range and thought I would use my new digital caliper to check their OAL to see what those were set to. Wholly crap...they were all over the place. I just picked them randomly out of the 50 round box and I know standard .40 is 1.120" and some were 1.125", some were like 1.131", some were 1.121". They seemed to be all over the place. I understand they are mass produced and all, but I was kind of shocked at how "all over" the numbers were and I made sure I was checking them in the same spot on the round and the same spot on the caliper. Just surprised me is all. I even kept checking to ensure the zero was correct on the caliper to make sure it wasn't messed up or something. Then I checked my 165gr .40 Hornady FTX Critical Defense HP factory rounds and they were all pretty much right on at about 1.122" - 1.123". Any which way, I'm planning on starting my loads on the "starting" grid and I'll try loading the OAL at the measurement that Hornady has listed online for their bullets and the TG powder. Maybe I'll try a couple of thousandths longer than that for safety and then take like 10 of them to the range and see what they do. However, I have to get a darn chrono first otherwise I'll have no darn clue what PF they are hitting, so testing them will be pointless except for making sure there is no over pressure situation or anything like that. The bad thing is, I don't have much room at my house at all for reloading. No additional room or anything. So, I'm trying to think of how/what I can attach my reloader to. I don't really have anything I can permanently attach it to (where I can drill holes through and bolt it down), so I was thinking maybe I can use two strong C clamps to screw it down to something each time I use it. I know, sounds stupid, but I'm hoping that will work. Problem is, I don't know what I can screw it down to yet. I have a deck railing outside, but I really don't want to be out in the wind and sun and crap (let alone the slots in the deck if I drop a case or something). Then I also have a normal 6 foot plastic table, but I don't know if that will be okay or not or hold the weight. So, I'm still trying to figure this out. That's why I haven't reloaded anything yet. :-/

Trigger fight!

Welcome from Kentucky! Enjoy the ride!

Well, I hear ya there. But if you got it sorted out, that would be a good thing.

Welcome from Kentucky and enjoy the ride!

Welcome from Kentucky and enjoy the ride!

Same question goes to you hceuterpe - What kind of chrono do you use that allows you to have this type of a report on an iPad like this? That is really cool and very helpful if I can view this stuff after I'm off the range (or even at the range). Thanks!

Gman57 - What chrono do you use that gives you an app that allows you to get this info? That's pretty cool. I'm looking into chronos and it would be great if I could get the info on my iPhone like that.

Thanks for the reply, Muncie. Question, do you just load at 1.126" after testing it out in your firearm? Do most people try and load as long as "they can get away with" in their particular firearm after doing testing? I'm just curious as to how people come up with their specific OAL's. I know I read on another thread about the plunk and spin tests and such in regards to OAL's. So, I'm wondering if people just load as long of an OAL as they can get away with or is there a general OAL to try and get to as long as it functions in your firearm? All I do know is that you shouldn't go shorter on the OAL than recommended because it increases pressure, so I'm guessing a longer OAL lowers the pressure, correct?

Scary that it happened though. At least you noticed if. If it was someone that was just pounding out the rounds and not paying attention like they should have, it could have been an issue. I'm sure it wouldn't have chambered, but you never know. It really sucks when a company doesn't stand behind their product to try and help you out. I'm a small business owner as well and I agree that they should have done something about it. I could understand if you were complaining about one piece out of 1,000 or 2,000 or something, but that many? I'm glad you dumped the lot and moved on because you don't know what the heck could have happened with the rest, even if it would have stayed together duing reloading. Not worth it. Plus, with your questions, I was able to get some sources on brass as well, so thank you to all that replied.

That's what I have seen as well, Steve. I'm used to seeing people picking up their own brass, so you know who the reloaders are. LOL

Thanks a bunch for the link. Wow, pretty good deal from what I see. I appreciate the info.

Welcome from Kentucky! Enjoy the ride!

Ok, cool. Thanks for the heads up.

Oh okay...well, that'll do it. Seems like you changed everything, so it is hard to diagnose if everything was changed at once. LOL But I'm glad if the problem has gone away.

LOL...I can see the RO asking you now what that is for and you telling him you just thought it would be cool to shoot with a bayonet on your firearm. LOL! Awesome!

I'm wondering how/where you all get your used brass from. Do you just go to ranges and ask them for their brass or when you are shooting there, do you ask the guy sweeping the floor if you can have the brass they are sweeping up? Most times when I'm shooting at a range, the guy just sweeps it up and puts it in bucket or a pile and that is that. This was before I was reloading. Now that I'm starting on reloading, I'm wondering if the range keeps it or sells it or doesn't care what they do with the brass or what. I have seen people get picky about them sweeping up and get even mad when they have swept up someone's brass because they wanted it for their own reloading. I hear about some of the people in this thread getting brass from police ranges and stuff. Do they just go to the range and ask to buy the brass or just request it and it is given to them or ? I'd love to get as much brass as I can. Heck, I'll be happy to sit there and sort through it if I have to (sorting caliber) just to have the brass to start out with. For my first reloads, I ended up buying once fired and new brass, but I really don't want to do that all of the time. Plus, I know I can reuse my own brass, but that is only going to happen X amount of times and then that brass has to be 'retired'. I'm just curious as to how you guys get all the brass that you get to do your reloads.

Hey all... New reloader here and I'm hoping to get some advice and info from you seasoned veterans. I would like to shoot .40 Major Power Factor in the Limited Division when I start out. I got a really good deal on an SA XD(M) 5.25" Competition in .40 S&W, so I'm going to be using that. Nothing special done to the firearm. I will be running it as it came from the factory, with the factory 5.25" match barrel. Ok, I bought 500 once fired Federal brass (already cleaned and ready to go), 1000 Winchester Small Pistol primers, a pound of TiteGroup and 500 Hornady 180gr XTPHP bullets. I probably wouldn't have gone with that bullet choice after reading all of the info here first, but I purchased all of this at the same time I bought my reloading equipment (from the same place/site), so that is why I went with it, so that is what I have to reload for now. I will change to another type of bullet after I have loaded these 500 rounds. So, my question is, has anyone done any loading data with the above (or very similar) items for the XDM 5.25" in .40 for Major in Limited? Any suggestions, hints, ideas? I know from other threads here that TG runs hot and since summer is right around the corner, I may be trying to find some VV N320 locally. If I can find it and someone has run the same setup above but with N320, I would also love to hear that loading data as well because I may be using that for future use. I do prefer 180gr .40 bullets as I have always carried, qualified and used them for duty ammo, plus it is my understanding that using the heavier bullet with the faster burning powder (TG or N320) will produce a softer recoil for Major. So, I figure that is the way to go and makes sense. I also looked up the info on the Hodgdon website for TG and it gave me the following loading data info for Hornady 180gr XTP HP bullets, but I'm curious to hear from others that have run TG on an XDM 5.25" on what their loading data is/was. TiteGroup (Case: Hornady Twist 1:16" Primer: Winchester SP Barrel Length: 4" Trim Length: .845") Stating Load: Gr 4.2 Vel 877 fps Pressure 26,500 psi Max load: Gr 4.7 Vel 978 fps Pressure 33,300 psi Bullet Dia: .400" COL: 1.125" (I read that factory .40 S&W OAL is 1.120") Now my barrel is 5.25" and the above info says 4" barrel, so I don't know if that would affect the COL info, amount of grains and/or pressure or not on the loads for my XDM. That is why I am asking. Again, better to be safe than sorry and thus the reason for this post. I checked the VV website for load data on the N320 and it had no load data for HP bullets (not for N320, it did for N340). Soooo, I wouldn't even know where to start. However, here is their info for N320 on Fiocchi 180gr LTC (Lead Truncated Cone?) bullets: N320 (Case: Remington Twist: 1:16" Primer: Small Pistol Test barrel: 5.5" Trim Length .843") Starting Load: Gr 3.5 Vel 883 fps Pressure Not Listed Max Load: Gr 4.1 Vel 968 fps Pressure Not Listed Bullet Dia: Not Listed COL: 1.126" So, I don't know how different of the loading data would be from the LTC bullets to the HP bullets for the N320. Again, any info on either of these loads would be truly appreciated as I'm trying to stick to either of these loads for this particular firearm for the time being. I'm not planning on loading anything until I get the info sorted out first. Plus, is there a better or certain OAL (Is that the same as COL above?) that I should run in the XDM 5.25" and how would that adjust/deviate the load data above? Thanks again for all the great info from everyone! Mat

Thank you sir. Makes me feel a bit better.

LOL!!!! I'm laughing about the bayonet, not about the missed shot. I can just picture you stabbing the target with a bayonet and it was funny to me is all. My Drill Sgt would have been proud of you. LOL

LOL! That is soooo gonna be me. I just can only hope there is no way that A ) Any of my former LEO friends are around to see it and B ) it isn't video taped so there is no way any of my former LEO friends can see it even though they weren't there. LOL!!!!! I can already hear and see it now because I was so worried about not breaking any rules and I miss a darn target 2 yds away. LOL! Ohhhhh man!

I would agree there. I'm not planning on worrying about accuracy or being fast on my first time out. What I am watching is safety, rules and making sure I don't get DQ'd for doing anything stupid like not keeping the muzzle pointed downrange, finger out of the trigger guard when moving or doing something before the RO says to or something dumb like that. That is the only thing I'm concentrating on at this point, besides fundamentals. I don't even care at this point if I place last for my first match, as long as I'm not DQ'd and I know I was safe.

LOL...oh I'm sure it will be the same for me. They will probably be able to have lunch and dinner by the time I'm done. LOL But seriously, good advice and thank you. I'm not even thinking about speed at this point. Just get though the stages safely and not breaking any rules. Heck, I'm not even worried that much about accuracy at this point. it is more about learning what is going on and what I need to do during each stage. I'll worry about the accuracy and speed way later. I just want to make sure I know what the heck I'm doing and where I need to go during a stage before I can try and be accurate and be fast at it.