Load Data / Master Blaster Poly M Bullets

[MikeyG23]

Just received my sample pack of the Master Blaster 180 gr Poly M bullets. Looks good so far.

My question is has anyone loaded these with anything other than the recommnded N320 and Ramshot Competition loads ? Titegroup and WST are what I currently have. Per the manufacturer Titegroup doesn't work as well as their recommended powders due to increased smoke and leading. Anyone experienced this first hand ?

WST seems to work well in my buddies S_I's with Precision bullets. Anyone have any experience with the MB bullets and WST ? It seems to meet the criteria for a slower powder.

[Harmon]

wst should work OK with those bullets, universal clays in a glock barrel sucks...with these bullets....be certain to use a chrono, as every load i developed went faster than a plain lead bullet...

medium to slower burn rate ball type propellants seem to work the best with these types of bullets, im not sure why though, maybe the unburnt powder grains work like sandpaper and chase the lead out??

accurate arms 5 and seven work great, WAP/Ramshot silhouette is good too. I remember running quite a few rounds with IMR 4756 and they seemed to be clean,

IF you are shooting a glock 40, watch for barrel leading...

[MikeyG23]

No more Glocks, this is for an STI I have on order.

[twix]

Through my G35 with a Barsto barrell:

5.0 grains Titegroup= 193 pf, slightly faster than lead, about 40fps faster than jacketed.

4.5 g TG was still 178 pf.

My chrono is a cheapy but I don't think it's too far off.

The Titegroup with the moly's is smoky, not quite as bad as lead but close.

I only had a few to chrono so I don't know about leading.

My friend with a Para .40 says with time he picked up 80fps over the jacketed.

I like the bullets alot but I will be switching powders.

[tyro]

mikey

I've been using WST for my .40 loads for the past year or two and I can't say enough about it..... it's great.

I've shot MB and WST out of two pistols... a factory para with factory barrel and another with an ulitmatch barrel.

The factory barrel is a little slower than the ultimatch. The following data gives me about 167pf in the factory bbl and about 169pf in the ultimatch.

.40 cal. Master Blaster 180 gr. bullet

COL = 1.148

Win small pistol primers

WST = 4.7 gr.

As you know... your mileage may vary... so work up your loads carefully.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year,

tyro

[gm iprod]

I think Flexmoney posted or can find a truck load of Tg loadds for 40.

I have seen a bunch of guys here in NZ use 180gr Poly coated bullets and V V N320 and make major easy. They all seem to load to 1.25" in S_I and Para's.

I ran a CZ75ST and a similar bullet and used TG to a maximum of 5.0gr velocity ran to just under 1000fps. Fed Small Pistol primers are fine if you keep a sharp eye on pressure. But most of the guys here use Small Rifle and N320.

[Harmon]

in a non-polygonal barrel, around 4.6 grains of universal clays and the 180 should be sweet.

WST is awesome too.

the .40 doesnt need small rifle primers.

how many of you guys ever blow a small pistol primer in a 40?

if your load is producing primer flow in your gun, look into a longer firing pin...or changing your load.

[konkapot]

I regulalry use Titegroup with Masterblaster bullets; I don't find that Titegroup makes them any smokier.

Ive also used American Select with no problems; didnt notice any less smoke than with TG

TY42385

[ErikW]

IMR SR7625 made a healthy 179 PF with consistent velocities and a decent group on the target with the MBB 180s loaded long. Definately check out 7625 if you also load .38 Super.

[TDean]

I'm curious about CLAYS and the masterblaster .40cal 180gr (actually avgeraging 178gr) bullet. Hodgdon's website claims 152PF with 3.5gr of CLAYS using a jacketed bullet from a 4" bbl.

I'm thinking the max published load of 3.5gr using a Polybullet in a 5" bbl may yeild 165+ PF. That would be one sweet load if it ain't too smokey.

[ErikW]

I'm using 3.4 gr Clays under a long-loaded MBB 180 for only about 750 fps (steel load). I need to go over 4.0 gr to make Major, and it's a smoke generator, and it leads the barrel.

I'm surpised Hodgdon published Clays data for a 180 gr bullet. They had previously they stopped at 155 gr.

[TDean]

That doesn't sound right Erik. With CLAYS, you're loading 3.4gr with a 180gr poly-bullet and getting 100fps slower velocities than the published data using 3.5gr and a jacketed bullet? We're talking straight CLAYS here yes?

[ErikW]

Yeah but the MBB 180s are at 1.234" because I don't want to change my toolhead for MG 180s at 1.20". That has a little to do with it. But Bear Creek 180s (coated like the MBB Poly-M) also required a similar charge of Clays. Two different STI 5" barrels.

[MoNsTeR]

Master Blaster 180gr FP

4.1gr N310, 1.200" OAL

957.3fps avg, 11.88fps SD

Schuemann 6" bbl

USE WITH CARE!

Edited May 23, 2005 by MoNsTeR

[Carlos]

The manufacturer's warning about TiteGroup & moly coated bullets likely comes from the increased heat that TG produces when it burns. That extra heat, in turn, is caused by TG's high Nitro content (~37%; the highest of the double based pistol powders) and its fast burning speed. This figure comes from Duane's article in Blue Press & from Hodgdon.

In general, such heat can be reduced by swithching to a slower burning powder with moly coated bullets (though charge weight & recoil may increase) or, to some extent, using a single based powder. All of the V V pistol powders are single base.

D.C. Johnson

[TDean]

MoNsTeR, that's with what bullet?

Erik, I was thinking that might be the case, but 100fps is more than I thought for long-loaded ammo. That just slows us what sort of animal CLAYS is. Very sentitive to OAL apparently.

Thanks.

[TDean]

Did some chrono work over the weekend. The MasterBlaster 177gr bullet got up to ~850fps (150pf) with the max charge weight of 3.5gr CLAYS. Now that's with an OAL of 1.183". The published OAL for that charge is 1.125" which would surely increase the pressure/velocity.

Erik's load @ 1.234" is .050" longer and 100fps slower than my 1.183" load. If I were to seat the bullet .060" deeper to the published 1.125" another 100fps and Major PF should be achieved.

Now...will my S_I run at 1.130" OAL?

[Harmon]

i have shot the master blasters over 3.5 grains of clays at 1.135 inches.

166 power factor in 95 degree texas heat...

not really anything here worth blowing up a pistol over.

while it will work, nothing is gained over using TG or WST at the same power.

If i just had to have some ammo, and only had clays(suppose you run out of your fav) it could be made to work. seems like WST, or universal clays could be the answer as neither smoke as much as TG or CLAYS..

Im gonna fiddle with some loads loaded with WSF and see how they work.

[ErikW]

I shot 200 rounds of MBB 180s (1.20") over Ramshot Competition today, Major PF. I never noticed any smoke, as I had with Clays. However, the grooves of the barrel leaded up right away.

[splashdown]

Here's my experience as a new reloader. I'm using Master Blasters 180s and Ramshot Competition powder. I've made up 4 different loads and shot them through my Glock 35 with Barsto (the one I bought from twix).

3.6 gr Comp = 154 PF

3.7 gr Comp = 158 PF

3.8 gr Comp = 161 PF

3.9 gr Comp = 163 PF

OAL = 1.140

Random Once Fired Brass

Win SP Primers

I was seeking minor PF. The gun cycles just fine on the 3.6 gr of powder so I'll try less powder and see where it takes me.

splashdown

[ErikW]

Wow, big difference in velocity compared to my 1.20" - 1.23" loads out of a 5" STI barrel. Everybody should be careful with their OAL with Competition, I guess.