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Low recoil powder for .40 S&w


lablover

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Need to load some low recoil rounds for my wife to shoot the .40 Glock. It's the 22c (ported) Being new to pistol reloading (loaded rifle a lot) I'd like to find a safe soft shooting powder for the .40 for her. I was thinking of going with a 165 gr bullet but not sure what type yet.

I have some titegroup but am looking for other options. Perfect world the powder would load 9mm as well, but not that important than being the better powder for the .40

I did a search but could not seem to narrow one down.

Thanks in advance

Joe

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First think heavy bullet with fast powder. Clays is very soft shooting maybe a bit too soft but if you have any WST around 3.8gr of WST with 185gr Precision Moly is very good Teddy Bear Fart load. 180gr is more common, and just put the same 3.8 with it.

200gr in minor works well also, plus you can see it going to the target.

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Joe,

I'm a brand new reloader, and tried shooting lead through my 23C. I was using W231, WSP, COAL max: 1.130. When I even approached 4.6-4.8 gr (still .2gr below recommended max with 180gr Jacketed XTP per Hogdon's online database) I got leading, and quite a bit of lead in my ports/slide cuts. I was finally able to get a round that didn't lead the barrel or the ports with 3.8gr W231, WSP, COAL: 1.130. It was very soft shooting and cycled the 23C fine.

I've since bought a Lone Wolf Barrel which will allow me to shoot lead and not to have to shoot with the "Open" guys in USPSA and SCSA, if I can ever get a round to fit it.

My $.02, but I think many of the replies overlooked the "C" in your post.

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My $.02, but I think many of the replies overlooked the "C" in your post.

I have to agree. But the problem is, most people don't have a C model.

In general, there are several powders that will work well for low recoil .40 and also work well in 9mm. TiteGroup is very flexible, WST is good if you don't expect full power loads.

Unique tends to get dirtier at lower pressures.

Now, to address your C model, it's about hf way between a no ported gun and one with a full open gun compensator on it.

Slower powders with lighter bullets (135gr) will work those guns better, because the extra gas volume works the comp. your ports aren't quite the same, they will primarily only help with muzzle flip, but not the front-to-back recoil in the way a compensator does. So I wouldn't recommend an open gun load. Maybe a "medium" burn rate powder with a 165gr projectile?

MY personal favorite mouse fart load is 3.1 gr of TrailBoss under 180 gr Bear Creek Moly coat lead, & 1.150 OAL. It cycles my G23 and M&P Pro 40 reliably and makes 700 fps and 730 fps respectively.

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Joe,

I've since bought a Lone Wolf Barrel which will allow me to shoot lead and not to have to shoot with the "Open" guys in USPSA and SCSA, if I can ever get a round to fit it.

M

It will be better in the long run to just have the barrel chamber open up. I never found that lead bullet to fit mine

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  • 3 months later...

for light loads I liked 155's over WST.

My formula was always to load for major pf with a 180 gr bullet, then do nothing to my press or powder adjustments and just load a 155gr bullet and end up with a steel/IDPA load that still worked my gun. usually about 140ish pf.

Clays will work best for your application. will also load light to making minor 9mm loads I wouldn ttry it for major pf 40 though. In my guns I never found really accurate clay loads in a 40, but many people do.

WST, gets dirty when loaded light, but I shot alot of 155 gr cast bullets. it wasnt so dirty I couldnt get through a normal match. Not much if any published data for 9mm but I shoot alot of it with cast 135gr bullets.

Tightgroup is a low density powder, doesnt take up alot of room, and I found my groups started opening up when I reduced the charge down to about 130 pf in .40. Now I have read alot of reports of people beign happy with it though. But generally they were using 180's.

Now general rule of thumb is heavier bullets and fast powders, but I dont agree I always liked lighter bullets while staying subsonic for low recoil. The fact that your gun is compensated would lead me to believe you will find the same thing. As the lighter bullet will allow a heavier charge of powder and get more use out of the ports. Without the 9mm in the mix Id go with a 155 grain bullet over enough WST to get the brass to eject reliably..

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