What is a good load for major 40 open

[maxpower]

I am just starting to reload for my open 40. What powder and bullet does everyone suggest. I have seen everything from 135gn bullets to 200gn bullets being used. I just trying to understand the benefit and disadvantage of each. Any help would be great.

[Hi-Power Jack]

To make the compensator "work" you want a lot of gas -

large volumes of slow powder, behind a very light bullet.

[kneelingatlas]

Like Jack said, use the 135gr bullets, heavier bullets will require less powder to make major, hence less gas for the comp.

With regards to the powder the question is really going to be: "which slow powders can you get?"

HS6, AutoComp, Silhouette, VV3n38 are popular powders in 9/38, fortunately for you you have more case capacity so you can try slower powders still, but I think there's a point of diminishing returns when you're just blowing unburnt powder out the comp.

I've never loaded 40 Open so this is pure speculation on my part, but there are a few 40 Open threads kicking around here which can help you.

[maxpower]

Ok thank you. I have heard a lot of people using hs6 but some of the threads I have searched though were pretty old so I wasn't sure if there has been another powder that has been found that performs better. For 40 does the shape of the bullet make that much of a difference? Whether it be round or flat nose. Should I look more for the weight or the shape?

[kneelingatlas]

Weight, the lighter the better. I shoot 9 Major and in the Beginning I played around with 135s thinking they'd be softer; the were, but with less gas for the comp they also had more muzzle flip. I use 115s now.

[ChuckS]

I have been into 40 open just about 10 years. A light bullet with a slow powder is the answer for comp efficiency . I use 135 grain bullets (Rainier) over ~7.9 gr of N-340 at about 1.155" OAL. In a 5" barrel that gets about 173 PF, I did some test loads with Autocomp and it looks like 8.1 gr should do it. I found a bunch of Autocomp, not so N-340. I tried N-350 and silhouette some years back and got some unburnt powder.

Be sure to visit the mother of all 40 open threads: http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=77956&p=902806

The Rainiers shoot well. Don't worry too much about bullet shape since there are not many to choose from . Nosler 135 JHPs are real nice but they are very pricey...

Enjoy,

Chuck

[maxpower]

Wow how did i miss that thread. thank you ChuckS. Have you tried using hs6 in your journey of 40 open? Seems its the powder of choice in 9 major. The reason i ask is a friend that is actually doing the reloading has a couple pounds he said i could have and try.

[ChuckS]

Wow how did i miss that thread. thank you ChuckS. Have you tried using hs6 in your journey of 40 open? Seems its the powder of choice in 9 major. The reason i ask is a friend that is actually doing the reloading has a couple pounds he said i could have and try.

I never tried HS6. The hodgdon burn rate chart has it next to Autocomp and Silhouette so it should work. Try it. One outstanding quality of a powder these days is availability.

[triplesinglestack]

take a look at blue dot, makes a ton of gas, I was running that with bear creek bullets (155?) I think and was a lot of fun

[pbc44]

I've used HS-6 for quite awhile, shoots good but dirty. Used 10.0 gr. at 1.18 aol with 135 Rainer FP with a PF of 172.

Good luck.