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making major with a P16-40


devildochm2

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My P16 load is 4.5 gr VV-N340 Winchester SP primer, and OAL approx 1.180. PF for this load in my pistol is very consistant at 168

Oooops, I forgot the bullet orginally. This is with a 200gr TC Precision Moly Coated Bullet

Edited by Tman33_99
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.40 SW is VERY length sensitive. If you load at what most loading manuals tell you to use as an OAL you don't need much powder to make major.

My steel load (180gr MG CMJ, 4.1gr Titegroup) will almost make major if loaded at industry spec OAL (1.125 usually) but at the length at which I normally load (1.145) I have to go to 4.6gr to make major (165.2) although I load at 4.8 just to be safely over the power floor given varying conditions.

And you don't need much of a mistake to have a big problem at the shorter OALs.

Loading long allows a bit more leeway and in many cases improves function and accuracy. You just have to know the limits of how long you can load, safely, in your gun.

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I use:

4.7 TG

180 RNFP-Plated West Coast

Win SP Primer

Misc Brass

Seated to 1.175"

I can seat mine out as far as 1.190" in my P16, but I like them a little shorter. I can use book max and still make 170+ PF.

While my P16 has all kinds of aftermarket parts on it, the barrel is stock and I do ok with it.

Vince

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I too am about to start reloading .40 S&W for the first time. How do you figure out what OAL to use? The longest that will feed/function in your gun? Just try different lengths? I've been reloading for rifles for quite a while and have the tools to measure headspace and freebore for rifles and use those to set the OAL, but not sure what to do for semiauto pistols. I do reload cast lead .45 bullets for bullseye target loads but Iv'e never worried about OAL for those.

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You want a length that functions 100% with your bullet of choice. In my Para, it doesn't like anything shorter than 1.16. If I load shorter than that I get lots of nose dives onto the barrel ramp. My Para loves loads around 1.18, but I can go as long as 1.20 w/o problems. I wouldn't want a load that is long enough to touch the lands, because I would expect pressure issues, but I don't know this for sure.

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Anyone using the Rainier 180 Plated hollow point? I'm planning on starting out with these for my match loads. Also will be loading a 178 grain lead TC (Lee mould) for practice.

i am, they work great.

5.0 grains WST give 170 pf in my glock 22,

thats loaded to 1.135 win small pistol primers, Speer nickle brass.

5.0 grains of Win 231 was pretty soft too. but was touch slower at 166 pf.

5.X grains of Universal clays is a neat load to shoot at night, the muzzle flash is pretty cool.

about the bullets though, i dont see enough difference in them to justify the cost over berry plated 180s(or 200s) so when i shoot up this 1000, ill probably go back to berrys.

unless a company starts buying bullets for me... :unsure:

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