AOL on .40S&W loads

[JCB]

Hi

I se different AOL for 40 and what people use.

What I`m a little unsure about is the AOL depending on the bullet.

I guess it`s different if it`s a roundnose, TC etc...

I have Berry's 180GR RS DS bullets, almost round nose, but a little flat at the tip.

http://www.berrysmfg.com/product-i14502-c14-g20-b0-p0-.40_Cal_180gr_RS_DS.aspx

I see Henning recomend 1.175"

Will it be the same for this type of bullet or should I go a little shorter?

I want to buy RN, but in Norway you don't always have the ability to choose, take what you get

Best regards

Jostein

[Mark R]

Depends on the gun you will be shooting them out of. When I reload for Glock pistols I use 1.130" OAL to ensure they fit in the magazine, but when I load for my Para P16 i use 1.180" OAL. Paras like the longer OAL.

CAUTION: Loading .40 short can increase pressures fast...especially at major PF. I've had case head seperations when short major.

edited for seplling...

Edited January 5, 2011 by Mark R

[kurtb]

I load out to 1.180 with 180gr (.40S&W) FP bullets (Bear Creek). Runs without problems in my Tanfoglio Match.

[JCB]

Its for a Limited Custom.

I`ll start with around 1.175" and 5.0grain VV N320 and work my self up to the right factor then.

Just thought that 1.175" could be with roundnose and with a little flat you had to go a little smaler.

[eastonx7]

What I`m a little unsure about is the AOL depending on the bullet.

I guess it`s different if it`s a roundnose, TC etc...

...

I see Henning recomend 1.175"

Will it be the same for this type of bullet or should I go a little shorter?

Hi Jostein,

I approach OAL a little differently, I customize OAL based on the barrel/chambre that the cartridge will fit into. I start by passing a casing through stage one in my press (shaping and deprime), I then pull out that casing and place it into stage 4 (seeding, set to about 1.180") and then finally into stage 5 (crimp). I take my barrel out and slide the cartridge in. If the bullet meets the lands and grooves of the barrel while the base of the cartridge does not create proper head space, I continue to reduce the length by setting stage 4 by quarter turns until I get the right head space while just meeting the lands and grooves with the bullet. By doing this, I know I'm getting the perfect length and a good initial seal for when the cartridge is fired. Oh, this was for fitting a cartridge in my STI Edge. In my pistol a perfect fit is 1.127", I have a OAL of 1.126" for the deviation between casing...

In my wife's gun, a Tanfoglio Eric Open, I had to take a slightly different approach. I took an empty casing and slid it into the chambre, there's a lip on the inside of the barrel where the casing will meet and not go any further. This is what I feel for, when I found the OAL for my wife's pistol, I shortened and shortened the OAL until the bullet met the lands and groves while the casing was able to meet the inner lip of the chambre.

Why do I do this? Well, when I took a friend's OAL and made some cartridges, I found that the slide didn't always close all the way. I'd have to press the slide forward a bit - just a little bit. Also, there were times during the "Unload and show clear" command where a cartridge was very difficult to extract. It got me thinking that the OAL was too long...I came up with this method and I've not experienced failures to extract nor the slide getting stuck.

You may find that OAL will be close to what everyone else uses, but at least this way, it'll be perfect for your pistol. Now, when it comes to working up your power factor, you'll have to start light and work up properly - especially if your discovered OAL is shorter than what was recommended by others.

Edited January 11, 2011 by eastonx7

[JCB]

Thanks.

That was my plan now, to do that and check.

Mostly I was thinking of the OAL in comparison of minimising nosedive.

From what I can see, longer OAL means less risk of nosedive.

Somehow I was think the other way about that, shorter...

Isnt it also that a longer OAL technicaly will give you less recoil action on the gun, but the coast is use of more pouder?

[JCB]

Hi again

Now I started with a long one, chamberd, so I went even longer.... I got to 1.258" and could still go a little more I guess.

But at this length I´m getting worried about the seating of the bullet in the brass.

The bullet being 0.585" long and sticking 0.421" out of the case only leaves 0.164" for the crimp.

Any thoughts about this.

Should I load at 1.258" or should I back down a little?

JB

[Skydiver]

Hi again

Now I started with a long one, chamberd, so I went even longer.... I got to 1.258" and could still go a little more I guess.

But at this length I´m getting worried about the seating of the bullet in the brass.

The bullet being 0.585" long and sticking 0.421" out of the case only leaves 0.164" for the crimp.

Any thoughts about this.

Should I load at 1.258" or should I back down a little?

JB

I think magazine size will be your next restriction. At 1.258" can you even put in more than 5 bullets in the magazine?

[JCB]

You have good point there Skydiver.. well... I got 7 rounds in. Single stack?

I backed down 1.201" and looked like everything went in fine in the mag and no chamber problem.

With this length and EGW die, I hope Nosedive is gone.

Have to go over the maglips, because they have increased also.

So Im going to try this load and see.

Loaded with 5.3grain VV N320 just to start and se how it goes...

[eastonx7]

Hi again

Now I started with a long one, chamberd, so I went even longer.... I got to 1.258" and could still go a little more I guess.

But at this length I´m getting worried about the seating of the bullet in the brass.

The bullet being 0.585" long and sticking 0.421" out of the case only leaves 0.164" for the crimp.

Any thoughts about this.

Should I load at 1.258" or should I back down a little?

JB

Hi JCB,

I failed to mention that I'm using a Truncated Point, so it's the reason why my OAL is much shorter than what you may be experiencing. I chambre checked my ammo against my Limited Custom and it fits very well at 1.126". Also, I've had no issues with feeding, nosedives or jams (knock on wood). I went through my process described above and I could actually lengthen my cartridges to 1.132".

My recommendation at this point is to ensure you discover the correct length, but use everyone else's base data as your starting point. Each barrel is machined slightly different so it wouldn't be uncommon to have slightly different lengths.

In contrast, a friend of mine - who also shoots an STI Edge - has cartridges that are 0.030" longer and they don't work in my gun, we use the same bullets, but my slide does not always go into full battery.