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Open pistol load development theory?


Tattoo

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Hey all,

I am new to Open and was curious to know about the zen theory of load development in a Open gun? I came from shooting Limited and just tried to make major and shoot soft. What are we trying to do in Open? I am loading in 9 Major if it matters with no holes. Obviously flat is good. But what power factor?

Or what else? Can you get flat and soft?

Thanks!

T

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What's been said above; many Open shooters will never fully realize the potential of the comp because they get a load which makes major/cycles the gun and stop experimenting.

There is a lot surrounding the design of your particular pistol/comp design and pistol selection.

As a rule of thumb: lighter bullets/more powder shoot flatter but there's a limit to how much gas your particular comp can utilize, also there's a limit to how much powder you can burn before you start sending unburnt powder downrange.

There's a lot to be gained by standing on the shoulders of the giants around here so read about their experiments but in the end it's about your personal preference.

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Hey thanks guys! I got it up to make major ( 168pf), but it shoots "better" to me at 178pf. Seems flatter or faster back on target. I will text Dan and see what he recommends too. Shot it in my first match today and it ran perfect. Just trying to tweak a load to make it "feel" it's best. Thanks!

T

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My Cheely is much much flatter at about 175-178 or so as well. It's all about dot, feel, reliability, accuracy, etc.... all working together.

And Atlas is right about many guns not reaching their potential. I have had shooters tell me their gun was not flat and they shot mine and bingo. Then I just gave them a handful of my loads and their gun was still flat, etc. Some guys are actually quite shocked at the difference once they are shown both sides of the equation.

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Here is my theory, FWIW.

1. Chrono. Does the load make major

2. What do the primers look like

3. What is the dot doing

4. Bump charge up or down and watch dot until it moves the least.

5. Repeat 1&2. Doesn't make major, try different powder. To hot, try different powder.

6. Try to give a least 5PF cushion.

Don't care what your book say's, what your old gun liked, what your Buddys gun likes, it's all irrelevant. Every barrel is different depending on the phase the moon was in and weather or not the makers wife was amourous the night before.

Good Luck to ya!

Mildot

Good Luck

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It's hard to experiment with a lack of powder availability.....

T

What do you have to work with? I have used HS6 and SP2 with great results and I recently got a pound of Longshot to play with although I have yet to send any over the chrono yet. You will shortcut much trial and error (and $$$) if you try to stick with some favorites:

-SP2 (widely hailed as THE powder for 9 Major although no longer imported to the US...)

-HS6

-AutoComp

-Silhouette

-3N38

-Longshot (although I think it's right on the edge for 9 Major)

-True Blue???

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Hey all,

I am new to Open and was curious to know about the zen theory of load development in a Open gun? I came from shooting Limited and just tried to make major and shoot soft. What are we trying to do in Open? I am loading in 9 Major if it matters with no holes. Obviously flat is good. But what power factor?

Or what else? Can you get flat and soft?

Thanks!

T

Soft is not always the best, sometimes soft equates to "sluuugish" and that can be slow! What you are trying to find is the perfect combination of gas and spring to reduce the splits between A's. I would much rather shoot a "sharp" gun that is back on target in.12 than a soft gun that takes .16 to get to the same place. Some times it takes MORE gas sometimes LESS and believe this. YOU have a lot to do with it!

Cheers

Mildot

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-SP2 (widely hailed as THE powder for 9 Major although no longer imported to the US...)

-HS6

-AutoComp

-Silhouette

-3N38

-Longshot (although I think it's right on the edge for 9 Major)

-True Blue???

I've hear that there is a limit on how many grains of Longshot you can use before you just don't get any improvement/higher velocity. Not recommended for 9 major.

True Blue works fine for 9 major.

3N37 and IMR 7625 will work too, but I hear 7625 is being discontinued.

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It's hard to experiment with a lack of powder availability.....T

What do you have to work with? I have used HS6 and SP2 with great results and I recently got a pound of Longshot to play with although I have yet to send any over the chrono yet. You will shortcut much trial and error (and $$$) if you try to stick with some favorites:-SP2 (widely hailed as THE powder for 9 Major although no longer imported to the US...)-HS6-AutoComp-Silhouette-3N38-Longshot (although I think it's right on the edge for 9 Major)-True Blue???

As of now I have 3n37 and Shiloutte. Using 7.9 gr of Shiloutte. Not use what recoil spring is in it..... Looking to replace it so I know.

T

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Hey all,

I am new to Open and was curious to know about the zen theory of load development in a Open gun? I came from shooting Limited and just tried to make major and shoot soft. What are we trying to do in Open? I am loading in 9 Major if it matters with no holes. Obviously flat is good. But what power factor?

Or what else? Can you get flat and soft?

Thanks!

T

Soft is not always the best, sometimes soft equates to "sluuugish" and that can be slow! What you are trying to find is the perfect combination of gas and spring to reduce the splits between A's. I would much rather shoot a "sharp" gun that is back on target in.12 than a soft gun that takes .16 to get to the same place. Some times it takes MORE gas sometimes LESS and believe this. YOU have a lot to do with it!

Cheers

Mildot

Good post. Thanks! I do need to experiment with my inputs to the gun. I am not getting the tightest A's all the time yet...

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