165 Berry's practice load

[destmiker]

I'm looking for a .40 S&W load for practice/plinking. I'm a pretty experienced reloader, but for various reasons have never reloaded .40 S&W - and never really intended to.

However, I was just given a set of Dillon dies, a Redding GRx die, about 50000 bullets, and some powder by a friend. This belonged to his father and came from his estate. The bullets are primarily 165 gr Berry's, the powder largely Titegroup and some Vihtavuori N310/320/340 (all the powder still in factory sealed containers). So, I'm starting to look for a good load using the components I was given.

Most of my printed manuals are so old they don't really have extensive .40 S&W data, especially with the more modern powders. I've checked the online Hodgdon and Vihtavuori data, but the starting loads seem pretty high for plated bullets. I've also searched extensively on this forum so I know lots of people use Titegroup for .40 minor loads, though it seems largely for 180 gr loads.

I'd really like to get a good, mild load using the Titegroup and Berry's bullets, something in the minor .40 range. Based on what I've seen it looks like around 3.6-4.0 grains of Titegroup would probably work and keep velocities below 900 fps. I'm probably going to save the Vihtavuori for other uses so I'm concentrating on using the Titegroup.

By the way, I'll be using these loads in a Glock 35 with factory barrel. It had largely been converted to 9mm prior to this, but I've pulled out the original .40 slide again.

Appreciate any recommendations for a good load using these components.

[jimzim]

Hello, there. There's lots of information available about your requested topic in this forum that can be found by using the search function. It's a great tool.

A search for 165+titegroup under 10mm/40 Caliber in General Reloading yielded over 165 matches. Some of these will speak to the minor loads you are looking for.

Good luck, and happy reloading.

[Csiedmond1]

Load data is available on the net for free, or buy a new book...

[motosapiens]

no experience with titegroup, but you can run n320 well below the 'starting load' if you want to shoot minor. 4.1gr of n320 under a zero 165fmj goes just over 1000fps for me in a cz75. I ran the same with berrys 165 but didn't chrono them. They should be slightly faster if you care, but still well in the effective zone for plated bullets. They cycle the action fine on my M&P40, but I needed to go to a lighter recoil spring on my cz to get it to lock back the slide. If you don't feel like screwing with that just add a couple tenths.

[Scoobb]

moto are you sure that information is right ?

I chrono'd 165 berry's at 1.135 out of a cz cts with 4.6 n320 and averaged 916 fps.

[motosapiens]

no experience with titegroup, but you can run n320 well below the 'starting load' if you want to shoot minor. 4.1gr of n320 under a zero 165fmj goes just over 1000fps for me in a cz75. I ran the same with berrys 165 but didn't chrono them. They should be slightly faster if you care, but still well in the effective zone for plated bullets. They cycle the action fine on my M&P40, but I needed to go to a lighter recoil spring on my cz to get it to lock back the slide. If you don't feel like screwing with that just add a couple tenths.

ACK, my velocity in the above post is of course completely wrong. I had 2 different loads mixed up in my head.

with 4.1 gr of n320 and a zero 165 i'm getting around 770 fps, for a pf of 127-ish. Sorry for the mistake. I can't edit the post above, so please ignore it.

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: How low do you want to go? I was using 3.2grain of Tite Group with 165 grain bullets in my Glock 35 at 1.140" OAL. I think it was about 136PF. It was for IDPA ESP. Thanks, Eric

[destmiker]

Hello: How low do you want to go? I was using 3.2grain of Tite Group with 165 grain bullets in my Glock 35 at 1.140" OAL. I think it was about 136PF. It was for IDPA ESP. Thanks, Eric

I'm loading at about a nominal 1.130 OAL. I loaded about 25 test rounds at 4.1 grs and they worked well. Functioned the gun 100% with the stock spring and were more than acceptably accurate.

I think I can go a little lower and still stay with the stock spring, so I'm loading a test batch at 4.0 grs and another at 3.9 grs.

[toddje]

@destmiker - Are you using Gen 3 or Gen 4? Just curious if you're using the Gen 4 stuff if you're using a .40 spring or a 9mm spring. I've thought of trying a 9mm recoil spring in my Gen 4 Glock 22 for Minor loads; wondered if you or anyone had done the same.

Generally, I like what you're thinking. Bigger hole, same recoil as 9mm, MUCH easier to insure you're making (minor) PF. I'm working in the same direction with a Gen 4 G22, I will try to chrono this weekend. Did you chrono the 4.1gr Titegroup loads? I guess you're only looking for about 180fps, so you may get to go even lower, as aircooled6racer did...?

[rocice]

From the Berry's web site "Plated bullets occupy a position between cast bullets and jacketed bullets. They are soft lead, but have a hard outer shell on them. When loading plated bullets we have found best results using low- to mid-range jacketed data in the load manual. You must use data for a bullet that has the same weight and profile as the one you are loading. Do not exceed mid-range loads. Do not use magnum loads." If you look at the Hodgdon manual http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp there is data for loading 165gr for S&W 40 and TiteGroup