Most popular bullet weight for IDPA CDP division? 185gr 230gr

[tiger49931]

Simple post with not A SIMPLE ANSWER, what do you feel the perfect grain weight for .45 is to hit 165 PF heavy and slow or more speed and lighter?

Do you get a big difference in felt recoil when you go lighter?

was thinking 230gr and 800 fps but your thoughts?

[mike4045]

I don't shoot IDPA anymore but I do shoot single stack. I use 230 gr bullets. I just like the feel of the gun with them.

[atbarr]

In my Sentry, 230 RN @ 750 fps gives me 172 PF, and with 200 SWC BB @ 865 fps gives me 173 pf. IMO, that's a safe cushion and is not hard on my arthritic hands.

[wgj3]

Mine eats 225 gr TC cast lead like a champ. I went through a couple cases of 185 jhp MG's and finally decided that the price wasnt justified. I tried some lighter stuff too, but that didnt seem to work for me. YMMV.

[cyclelu]

I use 230 gr Bayou and am getting 175 PF from 5" 1911. Nice and soft recoil.

[mcracco]

200gr Montana Gold JFP. Feed and shoot great, very nice recoil impulse with Clays, and you get more bullets in a case compared to 230gr. Which is the real reason I switched; cheaper and my range bag is lighter.

[Classic_jon]

I would say 200gr or 230 in CDP but, a lot of it has to do with what your gun and powder mix like better.

I know some people that shoot 200gr semi-wadcutters because that is what works in their gun. I shoot 230gr RN as it is what my 1911 Springfield Range officer seems to like with N320.

[tiger49931]

the gun for this will be my S&W 625 with a full clark custom compitition job on it and my new STI 1911 single stack. i realize they may not like the same loads for accuraccy reasons. but i hope i can find a speed load for 230 grain that each will like even if i have to load one hotter thatn the other..

I just didnt want to have to do 185 for the 1911 and 230's for the revolver

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: I use 200 grain Precision Moly's with Clays powder. Works great in my STI Spartan. Thanks, Eric

[Derrel]

230gr jacketed round nose w/ 4gr Clays out of my 5" Sig 1911 feels great, is very accurate and makes IDPA power factor all day long.

[superdude]

Testing with a mechanical device used to measure gun movement suggests that heavy bullets produce less recoil (movement) than light bullets at the same power factor loaded with the same gunpowder.

http://38super.net/Pages/Recoil.html

However, a shooter might prefer the "feel" of lighter bullets. This is where personally testing differ loads will help you decide what works best for you.

[RePete]

I use 230's but when I chrono at some matches, I tend to see a lot of 200's, 230's and a few 185's.

Find a bullet weight that your gun likes and go with that.

[Agent #1911]

I use 200gr at 875fps. I prefer the extra fps over the 230gr for moving targets/disappearing targets. quick snap and back on target. plus it punches clean holes

[jcc7x7]

most of the guys I know shooting CDP or uspsa Single stack use 230gr lead rd with 3.9-4.0 gr of Clays. Seems the recoil impluses is soft but fast enough to get you sights back on target quick. Some of the real top shooters will put up with a quicker /heavier recoil impluse to get the sights back on target quicker.

230 and clays seems to do both as several master class shooters use that combo.

(for what its worth)

Shoot straight

[Jaxshooter]

I use 230 gr bullets with Clays for my revolver and 1911 loads. I have never found another combination that is any softer shooting.

[Doc Hunter]

The 230 "may" feel better - the 200 SWC is likely more accurate. A lot of 200 SWCs went down range in the old days for a reason.

[S391]

I use 230 gr bullets in both my 625 and my E Series 1911. Lower velocity to achieve PF, lower felt recoil and they drop steel like a bad habit!

Edited February 7, 2013 by S391