What do you feed to your MODIFIED?

[joaquino]

I'm new in the modified business and looking for some good loads.

The blaster is a SPS with a three port 4.5” barrel.

right now I’m using the same stuff which give to my limited 220grain H&N HS KS Bullets with 5grain N340(I just added 0.5grain to my limited load) Federal sp200 primers and OAL of 1.134. This works pretty well in the limited, power factor 186 and still very flat. It works in the Modi. as well but I could imagine that with the ported barrel it's the same like with the open gun - the more power (gas pressure) the better is the compensation effect, right? That's why I'm thinking about playing around with some different loads... any ideas?

Cheers

Chris

Bay the way, that's the load which Guga Ribas uses on his blaster

I used 155 grains HPJ bullet with an Argentinean powder calls A2, Brazilian brasses CBC and Remington magnum primers. Works very well.

[Skywalker]

Chris,

I can offer only second-hand knowledge, because I don't shoot Modified, but have a few friends who do it, and I am fairly close to the reigning European champion in Modified.

Here in Italy the bullet choice is invariably in the 170grs neighbourhood, preferably JTC, but someone uses plated bullets too. A few people go to the light side (145grs), but the general consesus is on 170s. My guess on this is that with lighter bullets you really need to load powder in the brass with a spoon to make major, while with heavier bullets there might be not enough gas volume to work the porting.

Powders are pretty much medium/slow to slow clean burning powders, such as Vitavuori N340 or N350 (the same powders most local Open shooters use in major 9x21mm).

My guess is that a 220grs is too heavy for modified: you need a lighter bullet with a higher powder charge, to let the comp work at its best.

Again, my pick is that you can't rely on Guga's load in your gun, because he explained his barrel porting is not really a porting, but simply a piping to the comp, and this works really different from a conventional ported and comped barrel.

[Dead Buff]

I second Sky's advice. The RSA Mod shooters I know used 180gr CMJ RNFP's in front of 7.55gr S221 (medium-slow RSA powder - a bit faster then N110, lot slower than N340, between HS6 and HS7 according to Somchem). I use 7.6gr of the same stuff behind the same bullet for Std.

For the comp and other holes to work best go for 160 - 180gr bullets with slow powder that burns up in your 4.5" bbl.

My .02

[Skywalker]

I forgot to mention: if you have the chance, try some JHP or TMJ bullets in the 170/180grs neigbourhood. They have the advantage of jacket-enclosed base, thus no lead exposed to the hot gasses: this might help in reducing any dust cloud upon firing...

[Julien Boit]

I was shooting 180s in my modified.

It came obvious, to me at least ) that I needed a fast powder because of the short barrel.

Slow powders like SP2 did not gave me good results and light bullets neither.

I finally set my choice on the same load I had for my standard gun, but with a 180 instead of a 170.

I used A1 from Vectan, which is similar with N330 with very good results.

The gun was flat and pretty soft with a comfortable 176 PF.

I found plated bullets to be a little bit less accurate than exposed base bullets such as the Armscor I used in 180s.

I think that after lots of research, most shooters came back to the 180s for the .40 instead of heavier bullets.

My .2 cents

[achard]

Chris,

Don't you think your power factor is too high? Don't you think you should lower your load and atleast @173 power factor?

rich

[Skywalker]

Rich,

I guess that's a matter of personal preference.

A teammate of mines (high A class in Modified)used to shoot @ near 190 PF with 145grs (talk about loud and visible... , we named him "the bomber") because he liked the way the comp worked and the slide cycled at that level of PF.

Moreover, it might be a question of personal confidence in personal loads variations. I shoot standard, the PF threshold for major is the same 170, but I load @ 177/178 because I want to have some cushioning for different chronos, cold days, dirty barrel and whatever else can affect my loads performance.

The same rounds have been chronoed in the range 174/179 PF throughout the whole year, and I'm satisfied with this.

[Dead Buff]

That why I run ±180 PF

[achard]

sky,

I always have my power factor from 173-175. thanks for the info.

[joaquino]

Hi rich,

I tried a lower factor for my limited 5" but I lost precision and the chamber gets earlier dirty.

the next is like sky sad - a reserve on cold days

Cheers

Chris

will try some loads with 180 bullets, let you know the result when finished testing

[achard]

Chris,

I guessed this is what causes with my current steel frame set-up (1.2+- oal). I noticed my ramp gets dirty even less than a two hundred rounds and cause the jam. I have to keep on cleaning the ramp @ safety area every 100 rounds.

[joaquino]

try to add a bit more powder so it burns better or try magnum primers thats what I do. I use the federal sp200 the are very soft to which gives me the advantage to lower the main spring without malfunction.

Cheers

Chris

[joaquino]

As promised,

tested two loads with PMC TC-FMJ 165gr bullets, Federal SP200 Primers, OAL 1.160(1) 5.9gr N320 PF178 nice and Flat (2)7.1gr N340 PF 180 nice and flat too but very load.

Cheers

Chris

BTW Guns was the SPS Modified 4.5" 3 ports