ummagawd Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 Picked up a G35 with a lonewolf barrel, jager rod, and 14lb spring... I currently have access to reloading 9mm and am wondering if it's worth getting the conversion barrel and sticking to 9, or buy the caliber conversion to start loading 40. And perhaps the biggest deciding factor for me is if I can get a 40 to shoot softer than a downloaded 9? Followed by cost (and this is why i ask about the heavy vs. light bullet because if I need light bullets, the difference in cost between 9 and 40 is minimal). My buddy is running 3.5gr of w231 with a lead 147gr bullet... and out of his g35 w/9mm conversion barrel.... thing shoots fricken sweet and soft!! If I can get that or better... I'll stick with the barrel and start trying to find that magical minor 40 load. PS - my searching on the forum has told me that it's half and half (downloaded 40 < downloaded 9) and the other half saying its not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisW Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 I am also shooting a 147gr Lead Precision bullet with 3.5 of W231 and it shoots really nice. If your gun was made as a 9mm I don't think you can go up to a 40 cal barrel in it. I think you can only go down. So if it was made as a 40 cal you can get a 357 sig or a 9mm for it. I would stick with 9mm if you are wanting to shoot minor. I just bought an XDm 40 cal to go up to Major and have to use 4.8gr of W231 with a 185 lead Precision bullet to make major. It is a big difference in feel over the 9mm. The cost is also more in that the Precision 147 9mm are $200 for 3000 and the 40 cal are $225 for 2500 plus the 40 cal is using more powder. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GForceLizard Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 The answer is 6 of 1 and half a dozen of the other. As far as a shooting experience you cant' tell the difference between a 155gr 40S&W and a 147gr 9mm. The factors I would use in the decision is how much the brass and bullets cost. You will probably find more 9mm pick up brass and get the 147gr bullets cheaper. Buy that 9mm conversion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 if you are a shooting uspsa production, you cannot put a 9 barrel in a g 35. 180s out of a g 35 feel like cheating Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TMC Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 (edited) I think it has more to do with how the gun feels to you. I remember preparing for a Sectional and I had only enough 147's to shoot that match, I had worked up this really soft load. In the mean time I was shooting 125's which were snappier buy they were all I has. I had shot about 3,000 in practice and club matches. When the Sectional came I shot horrible, the gun felt weird and sluggish and I did not have a good day. I learned for me that its not how soft the load feels its what you are used to shooting. Minor is minor weather its 9 or 40 and a the difference in feel only really matters when you're working up something and shooting groups, when the buzzer goes not many people notice if the load is soft or not. My advice is shoot what is cheapest (typically 9mm), you'll shoot more and that will make the biggest different in your game, not which load is softer. Flex is right though, you cannot convert a 40 to a 9 and shoot Production. Edited May 6, 2011 by TMC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salilus Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 I would stick with the .40 so that you can shoot production and limited later if you like. I shot and still do shoot .40 minor for IDPA ESP with a 180 Black Bullets International Moly in front of 3.1 gr of plain Clays. Load that to about 1.135 for your glock and it will feel like your cheating even though it will be travelling at about 815 fps for a pf of ~145. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avezorak Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 I love 180's in my .40 over 3.0 grains of Clays @ 1.135. Makes 145 pf and feels soooo light Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centermass Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 if you are a shooting uspsa production, you cannot put a 9 barrel in a g 35. 180s out of a g 35 feel like cheating +1 & same goes for M&P.40... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classic_jon Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 I would stick with the .40 so that you can shoot production and limited later if you like. I shot and still do shoot .40 minor for IDPA ESP with a 180 Black Bullets International Moly in front of 3.1 gr of plain Clays. Load that to about 1.135 for your glock and it will feel like your cheating even though it will be travelling at about 815 fps for a pf of ~145. Having shot with Salilus and using his load in my .40, I have to admit it is powder puff soft. I have found that no matter what the powder you use *for minor* in a .40, if you stick to around 140 to 145 power factor that the bullet generally stays stable at longer ranges with less drop. There are exceptions to that depending on the gun, but it is a good rule of thumb to follow in my opinion. As for a 9mm, I like heavy bullet and fast powder for minor. I use a 147 moly bullet with 3.6gr of N320 and am very happy with it in my M&P pro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ummagawd Posted May 7, 2011 Author Share Posted May 7, 2011 It seems that at least in this thread that 40minor is as soft or softer than 9minor. Please correct me if I'm wrong... TMC... great advice. I have noticed that when the buzzer goes off... I don't "notice" anything... like my "super light trigger"... lol But the reason I ask is because I feel that I'm so new with little experience that I don't have a preference yet. As such, i'm just after a super soft shooting gun and then start practicing. The point about which is cheaper to shoot is totally valid. And I've thought about it it plenty. Comparing a 9mm 147gr lead bullet with a .40 180gr lead bullet... it's only about $20 more if I buy by the thousands. I can live with that increase. And it's only about a $5 dollar difference if I go with 140gr bullets with the .40cal (though I'm not sure how well this would shoot, feed) vs the 147 9mm. One thing I can't argue though... is that I pickup 10 9mm brass for every 1 .40s&w. Also... to clear up the whole production thing... I'm only shooting local matches where they don't really care about power factor and the gun is outfitted with items that keeps me out of production anyways... so thats the reason why i'm looking to get a load that a 3yr old can shoot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ummagawd Posted May 10, 2011 Author Share Posted May 10, 2011 (edited) I think I'm ready to buy some bullets from SNS casting. Since it seems that there's more data around here for the 180, I will try thatfirst with my w231 and win small primers. Quick question, I'm tempted to try 140gr lead bullet, to my understanding I need more powder to take up some of the volume? Which means alot of smoke? What if I went with a heavy 220gr bullet? Are these normally used for major loads? Edited May 10, 2011 by ummagawd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam P. Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 I use 180gr Missouri bullets and 180gr Bayou Bullets for 40 minor. Both loads are soft, but not mouse fart soft. Both are extremely accurate out of my M&P 40. 180gr Missouri Bullet 5.5gr of power pistol cci 500 primer 1.13 OAL 180gr Bayou Bullet 4.3gr of red dot cci 500 primer 1.13 OAL The Bayou Bullets don't smoke, but the Missouri Bullets do. The smoke isn't a factor as I shoot outdoors 99.9% of the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ummagawd Posted May 13, 2011 Author Share Posted May 13, 2011 Thanks adam. Is the reason why the missouri bullets smoke due to how they are coated or lubed? Or is it the powder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam P. Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 Thanks adam. Is the reason why the missouri bullets smoke due to how they are coated or lubed? Or is it the powder? I'll have to say it's due to the lube, but I won't rule the powder out either. I have no complaints with Missouri bullets though. Great company to deal with and they offer discounts to leo's (like myself) and they ship super fast. I like the Bayou bullets also, so it's really gonna be a hard decision next time I order bullets...lol, because both manufacturers are awsome to deal with and make a good product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben b. Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 I shoot .40 minor with 180 gr pills in Pro and SSP, as well as 147 gr in 9mm. Both are about the same power factor (~135) and both from the exact same type pistol, 1 in 9mm and 1 in .40. I can't tell a difference in recoil, but the .40 makes a bigger hole and that's what I mostly shoot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prreed10 Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 I prefer the heavier bullets. I shoot minor with 147's in 9mm and 180's and 200's in 40 S&W. The 40's are super soft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillR1 Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 I shoot 180gr for minor out of my G35. Nice and soft! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxshooter Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 I don't shoot a .40 but I am changing my 9mm 125 gr load to a 160 gr bullet. Heavier is better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ummagawd Posted June 1, 2011 Author Share Posted June 1, 2011 Well... went with 180gr from unique precision (ridiculously low prices!) W231 @ 3.5 grain OAL average = 1.135 WSP I don't have a chrono yet, so I can't tell for sure what kind of PF I've got... but it feels nice! Not so snappy like my 9mm 147gr loads Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splashdown Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 I used to use 180 Bear Creeks for minor, but then tried the 140's and like them much better. Lowest PF I could get the 180 to was about 144 before it felt too sluggish. My 140's clock in at 135 PF and the slide cycles faster and timing is better, for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ummagawd Posted June 3, 2011 Author Share Posted June 3, 2011 (edited) I'll try a light bullet too... Anyone see anything wrong with using clays for light bullets such as a 140gr? Edited June 3, 2011 by ummagawd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blurryvisions Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 i would go with a 165 montana if you can... and maybe a little vita 310 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moose76 Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 I'll try a light bullet too... Anyone see anything wrong with using clays for light bullets such as a 140gr? Nope. I use a 155 gn Berry's over 4 grains of Clays. Makes 139 PF out of my 5" STI. A great recipe for for 9mm is 147s over Clays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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