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.40 180 vs 200 / plated vs fmj


Ray_Z

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Here I go. If this doesn't make the perverbial round brown stuff impact the occelating air handeler I don't know what will.

I've got to order a couple of thousand 40 bullets. Several of the indoor ranges I want to shoot at don't like cast or hollow points. Which is better 180 or 200? Raineer plated or Zero fmj's. Keep in mind that I'm a tight ass 'ol German from the capital of the fatherland {Cincinnati}

I'll be shooting them out of 2 different' guns. A stock Glock 22 for production class [minor] and a Para P-1640 for limited {major} that is freebored.

Also how about some loads. I like fast burning powders. Bullseye is what I've been using. I'm afraid of Clays. Way too many KB's.

Let her fly

Ray

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Oh Oh, Maybe tight ass better qualify a bit better. I've got a gaggle of Bullesye and a herd of Solo 1000. A case + of 3n37 {trying to save it for supers} and a couple of pounds of 800X. If I can stick to those powders I'd be smerfeled perfelious" I think I spelled that right!!".

Ray

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OK, it looks like 180gr bullets are the trick. How about jacketed vs. plated? There's about $25 difference in price. Will I see any difference in accracy? Anybody have a pet load using Bullseye or Solo 1000?

Ray

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Some have good luck with plated, some don't. A lot of the difference will be the distances you are shooting. If you never shoot past 20 - 25 yards then I doubt you will notice any difference.

Don't be surprised if the plated play different in different barrels whereas jacketted is just about certain to play well in either gun.

I haven't tried Rainer but have launched a bunch of Berry's down range with mixed results.

There are ample threads here discussing various plated bullets. You might try a search and see what turns up.

Good luck!

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5.0 grains bullseye, MG 180 JHP.

i like to shoot the cheapest loads that work...meaning plated bullets...

in an indoor range, plated bullets will produce less airborne lead..

BTW titegroup and bullseye are pretty close in the 40, so i dont see where a person can say POO on one of them and not the other..

keep in mind that hodgdon shows 822 fps with a 200 grain bullet as a Max load in a 40 with titegroup, and alliant powder show 945 fps to be max with bullseye,

sometimes i wish the companies wouldnt publish relative burn rate charts..

bullseye may be really fast compared to 20mm cannon powder, but its really slow compared to C4 explosive.

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I just found an old reloading manual from the Scot powder Co. It shows the 40 s&w with a 180gr Sierra JHP & Solo 1000. Bottom was 4.3 top was 4.8 velosity/980 @ 28100 cups. OAL was 1.120. That gives a 176 power factor. Will over what I need for major for IPSC. If it's accurate I can get the sharp recoil I'm looking for and use up some of the powder I've got here.

Ray

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Sorry about saying POO on one and not the other. I don't shoot titegroup, but lots of folks do. I only inlcuded it as a fair shake for something other than N320 which is stupid expensive these days.

I'm afraid of Clays. Way too many KB's.

So why would you want to reload .40's with a faster powder than clays??

I'm not saying that you can't reload with the listed powders, but why not use something a little safer? I could have reloaded the 16#'s of N310 for .40 but I sold it and bought something a little safer just to reduce the chance of problems.

PS-I POO POO on both. :lol:

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I have used several 180 gr. bullets for pin shooting (up to 1200 FPS). I get the best price and accuracy combination with Rainier plated. From a rest indoors, Zero gives slightly better accuracy at a higher price. I use Zero JHP because I dont't like the exposed lead at the base of the FMJ Zeros. Berry's platted bullets did not do well in my 40, even at indoor distances.

I do like Berrys 185 round nose hollow base bullets in my 45 because I get very good accuracy at lower velocities.

In my open guns I like to use Vit N350. Tightgroup works great in my limited 40 and the price is good. My advice would to by some Tightgroup and try several brands of 40 bullets starting with Rainiers.

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The two OEM bbls I've had on my Para's both were pretty tight in the bore. They shot fine with FMJs, but would peel back the plating from the local plated bullets I used occasionally (starburst patterted holes from flat point bullets!).

Just my experience with only two Para barrels.

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  • 3 weeks later...
Guest Larry Cazes

I have had good luck with 180gr. RNFP plated bullets from westcoast but some of the people I shoot with regularly have major problems with them tumbling. Nobody has mentioned the excellent Montana Gold JHP 180s which are no more expensive then the zeros in quantities, and they seem to be the best of the cheaper jacketed bullets out there. I like either TG or winchester WST for powders. Either of these pretty much duplicate the VV N320 loads that are popular for a whole lot less money and headaches with finding them. Lots of options.

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In 180's, the Montana Gold CMJ has been great. No soft exposed base like the FMJ and a little more speed with the same charge. The CMJ looks just like the FMJ when loaded. 4.9g of N320 and WSR primers makes one soft shooting load. Last week I did a side by side with Titegroup. The Titegroup was snappier and the muzzel rose higher, but quicker. YMMV

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Just got in from a week of vacation. Thanks for the feedback on bullets for the 40 short and wimpy. It looks like 180's in a jacketed bullet are the perfered.

I'm going to order 3 of 4 thousand and work up a load using the cronograph. That and a target set at 35 yards aught to tell the tale. I'll let you guys know what I come up with.

Ray

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