Cast lead reloading data

[Gary H.]

Interested in trying out cast bullets but can find very little published load info. I have an order in shipping for 180 and 200 grain cast bullets from Missouri Bullet http://www.missouribullet.com/index.php and want to shoot USPSA limited major out of my CZ TS. I've spent a couple hours searching the loading forum and find very little there either. Most of what I find is longer loaded ammo but need the shorter for the CZ. I'm relatively new to reloading and don't yet have a chrono so developing my own load is going to be a pain. Can anyone point me toward a good load or to a publication I can purchase for these? I have the Lymans 49th Edition, Alliance, and Hodgden books. Currently, I have AA 7, Titegroup, and VV N320 powders but would be willing to purchase whatever I need to get rolling.

[Mr. 10mm]

While I don use the powders that you have listed, I'm sure plenty of folks can provide you load data for the bullets that you are wanting to use. My personal experience is that I get higher pressures with jacketed bullets when trying to make major than lead. Typically for making major I can take jacketed bullet load data and drop the charge by .5 grains as a starting point for the same weight bullet in lead. Out of the powders you listed, VV N320 will be the most popular due to the low recoil impulse with Titegroup being second. Do a search on this forum and you will find lots of load data for the bullets and powder that you are wanting to use.

Good luck!

[sargenv]

I'd go with the starting load for a 180 jacketed with titegroup and then work up from there. In my Sig 229, 3.7 of titegroup was a nice mild load. As was said before, lead will not put up as much resistance as jacketed and will show less pressure than jacketed with the same charge of powder.

[Joe4d]

For the 200 grainers you might wanna go to a slower powder at short OAL's, Without a chrono or published data your gonna be shooting in the dark with those, There should be tons of 180 gr data out there though. Lasecast manual has quite a bit of cast data. For less smoke you again may wanna go a bit slower. I have found WST to be a great all around 40 cast bullet powder.

Edited February 9, 2011 by Joe4d

[sargenv]

For the 200 gr bullets in the 40, I'd back the starting load for the 180 down 10% and work up as pressure/leading/etc allows.. There is data out there for the 200's, you just need find it. I had data from I think Jeff Maass that was compiled by USPSA shooters over the years.. I don't know where that file is located though.

[Gary H.]

Yea, I've found very little on the 200g bullets. As a matter of fact, the only one I found was with AA7 which I tried. Very smokey.

[sargenv]

There are some brave souls that use clays for the 200 grainers.. but I tend to think that is kind of on the ragged edge.. I'd go with Universal clays or some other medium burner before I'd resort to something as fast as clays.

[Intel6]

I use WST for most of my cast bullet loads in all calibers including 200 gr. bullets in .40.

Neal in AZ

[noylj]

The industry does not publish much .40S&W data for a 200gn bullet. they consider 180gn to be max. The following is the data I have.

You can drop the data for jacketed bullets by 10% and work up.

Note: Why order bullets if you don't have data for it?

.40 S&W

Bullet Weight Powder Weight Velocity Start/Max Power Factor COL

L-RFNSWC 180 AA7 7.2 0 1.1350

L-SWC 180 AA7 7.2 0 1.1350

L-FN 185 AA7 7.4 871 Start 161

L-FN 185 AA7 8.2 990 Max 183

L-FP 180 AA7 8.5 955 172

L-FP 180 AA7 9.0 1005 181

L-FP 180 AA7 9.5 1053 Max 190

Precision Black 180 N320 4.4 Accurate 0

L-FP 180 N320 5.3 0

swaged L-SWC 180 TiteGroup 2.1 750 Start 135

L-SWC 180 TiteGroup 2.9 696 125 1.1350

L-SWC 180 TiteGroup 2.9 724 130 1.1350

HP-TMJ 180 TiteGroup 4.2 0 1.1300

L-RNFP 177 TiteGroup 4.5 972 172

RCBS 40-180-CM RNFP 180 TiteGroup 4.5 991 178

swaged L-SWC 180 TiteGroup 4.8 950 Max 171

L-FN 205 AA7 5.9 744 Start 153

L-FN 205 AA7 6.6 845 Max 173 1.110

[wide45]

Pay attention to the OAL of the load you intend to use. It makes a big difference. Most loads for a 200gr bullet are meant to be loaded long.

[SA 1911 Loaded]

For the 200 gr bullets in the 40, I'd back the starting load for the 180 down 10% and work up as pressure/leading/etc allows.. There is data out there for the 200's, you just need find it. I had data from I think Jeff Maass that was compiled by USPSA shooters over the years.. I don't know where that file is located though.

http://www.k8nd.com/documents/hl40sw.pdf

[NuJudge]

I use either 7.9 or 8.2gr AA#7 with 175 and 180 gr bullets and really old CCI primers and fairly new Winchester primers.

Accurate Arms publishes data and has it on the Internet:

http://www.accuratepowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/accurate_load_data_3.5.pdf

See page 6. The older printed version I have of this shows something really odd: lower maximum charges with cast bullets than with jacketed bullets of the same weight. The on-line version shows some of this also.

I have three .40 S&W barrels, and with commercially cast bullets one Leads like mad with these loads, the other two do not. The barrel that Leads with commercially cast bullets does not Lead with my own really hard 175 and 180gr bullets.

[Odawgp]

Use any 180/200 jacketed load data you can find

you will get more velocity with the same or lower pressures the bullets just don't build the pressure like jacketed bullets (not as much umph needed to get them to obstrate and seal)

stay away from clays if intend to shoot major and can't load long due to magazine restriction

[Warhammer4k]

I never had any trouble using jacketed bullet data as-is. As long as the bullet weight is the same, I get somewhat more velocity with cast lead bullets, but nothing bad happens.

Later, when I got my hands on more data, I noticed that published data often wants you to use a lot less powder with cast lead. For example ,Lee's Modern Reloading lists a maximum of 4.0 grains Bullseye behind a 230 gr. cast lead bullet in .45 ACP. For the same cartridge and bullet weight, the maximum is 5.0 grains Bullseye behind a jacketed bullet.

Anyone know why that is? Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me, since the peak pressure is going to be lower with cast lead instead of jacketed bullets.

[CiDirkona]

Warhammer, I'm would guess the answer is 'obturation.' A lead bullet will expand to seal the bore, while an FMJ will get more blowby, and thus leak pressure off...?

I've loaded 5.5, 6.0 and 6.5gr of PowerPistol behind a 185gr lead truncated cone for a buddy of mine, and he prefers the 6.0gr load at 1.125".

[2147]

I've had very good luck with their 200 and with both Universal and 231. My 200 load with 231 will easily hit 900 fps in a G35 with a Storm Lake bbl.. I doubt you will need that much. I used starting loads for the 200 jacketed bullets and worked my way up.

[blaster113]

Currently using 180 grain Missouri cast bullets for cheap practice loads; 1.180 OAL, 4.8 grains of HP38, 2-3x fired mix brass for a PF of 168. If I recall correctly 4.8 grains of Universal gave me the same pf. I think CZ'S gotta use short OAL's, so I would start off with 4.5 grains of HP38/231/Universal and work up from there. HP38 is a little too messy for my taste but shoots pretty soft. Universal is cleaner but has a little more recoil I think. If you're LE or military they give a 5% discount.