Derek1967 Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Hello forum guru's. I'm up late doing a bit of R&D on reloading the 40 S&W for USPSA Major PF (power factor). Tons of great members and info on this site n' I love it. A lot of you have been down this path and have progressed to customizing your own "recipes" for your specific applications, so please bear with a newbie. I am starting with the ideology of using only listed & approved manufacturer data, while also developing something appropriate for "the task at hand". While perusing this forum I determined that as a starting point, for myself, I would focus on a 200 grain jacketed bullet, loaded to the approved 1.125 specification. Just trying to maintain the K.I.S.S. principle for my own sanity. My selection of those parameters is initially based on using the heaviest bullet to minimize felt recoil, using a jacketed bullet as I know I'm not a fan of cleaning, and last but absolutely not least starting with a known and published "recipe" so I don't blow myself up. The Official USPSA Match ammunition available through Universal Ammo is listed as: Minor Major Short 1.125 Long 1.180 I didn't find what exact bullet type and weight is used in this application, hopefully someone can post it. Just for reference, USPSA Major PF is 165. 165,000 / 200 grains bullet weight = 825 FPS velocity In keeping with my own necessary K.I.S.S. principle, that led me to list some of the powders that have a manufacturer listed minimum charge that resides below 825 FPS and a maximum manufacturer listed charge that resides above 825 FPS. Some of these figures are taken from the gunpowder manufacturers and others are taken from the Nosler listing for their 200 grain JHP. This information is in no way meant to be all inclusive, it is only meant to be a conversation starter. Some of the manufacturers have no listing for this application. If anyone has similar information that is remotely applicable and would like to include it, please feel free. Legal speak follows. These figures are for conversational purposes only, please verify all information prior to usage, verify all data with the manufacturer for your specific usage, ect... Fastest to slowest as listed on Western Powders: HP-38 = 3.9 @ 737 - 4.7 @ 857 W231 = 3.9 @ 737 - 4.7 @ 857 Silhouette = 4.5 @ 755 - 5.5 @ 905 True Blue = 4.9 @ 728 - 5.9 @ 876 Universal = 4.0 @ 824 - 4.7 @ 903 Power Pistol = 4.8 @ 850 - 5.8 @ 933 HS-6 = 5.3 @ 798 - 6.3 @ 908 SR4756 = 4.4 @ 743 - 5.4 @ 895 WSF = 4.4 @ 786 - 4.8 @ 867 8# = $156 A-No.7 = 5.3 @ 703 - 7.3 @ 846 Max loads listed just below 825 fps: Both are between Winchester 231 & Silhouette for burn rates. IMR 700-X = 3.5 @ 744 - 3.8 @ 810 Tightgroup = 3.4 @ 744 - 3.8 @ 822 Sorry if the Font is a bit funky, I cut n' pasted the data and was forced to guess at the default. Any opinions or experiences for the listed powders and application? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyOne Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Rule of thumb, use the fastest powder you feel safe with (the lowest charge weight). In this time and age, it's not what powder you want to make major with, it's what powder you can find to make major with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wgj3 Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 None of your "suggestions" in that list are particularly bad. As mentioned, just use whichever you can find at present. Start with a load in those ranges and use a chronograph to make sure your results match the data you have found. Chrono is the only way to know if you're making PF with a given load in your particular firearm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlmiller1 Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Don't forget to give yourself a power factor cushion. All chronos don't read the same. Different ambient temperature, etc all seem to have an affect & there is no "rounding up" done at the chrono. If you are 164.95, that is still minor. Most seem to consider a 170pf absolute minimum to shoot for. MLM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek1967 Posted February 15, 2015 Author Share Posted February 15, 2015 Rule of thumb, use the fastest powder you feel safe with (the lowest charge weight). In this time and age, it's not what powder you want to make major with, it's what powder you can find to make major with. That's what I am "slowly" starting to understand. It's starting to make sense now why some are loading long so they can use Clays or similar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzt Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Derek, some people load long because they are shooting them in 2011 guns and many of them will not feed a round loaded to 1.125". That is why USPSA sells both lengths. 1.180" for the 2011 crowd and 1.126 for the Glock, M&P, CZ, Tanfo crowd. IMO, Clays is not a suitable Major powder for 40sw, loaded short or long. If you are looking for a fast powder without the temp sensitivity and spikey pressures, get some e3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek1967 Posted February 16, 2015 Author Share Posted February 16, 2015 Derek, some people load long because they are shooting them in 2011 guns and many of them will not feed a round loaded to 1.125". That is why USPSA sells both lengths. 1.180" for the 2011 crowd and 1.126 for the Glock, M&P, CZ, Tanfo crowd. IMO, Clays is not a suitable Major powder for 40sw, loaded short or long. If you are looking for a fast powder without the temp sensitivity and spikey pressures, get some e3. Thanks for the heads up. I will throw E3 on my list of things to look at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyOne Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 VV N320 is another to look for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bowenbuilt Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 e3, RS Competition and n320 all work great with a 200 grn. bullet for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dauntedfuture Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 HP 38 and WW 231 are the same powders so you don't need to try both. If you are loading for an 2011 platform then that's when you MIGHT want to load long, you get more case capacity and some guns feed better with long loaded ammo. If you are shooting lead and or coated bullets then smoke, or lack there of will be a factor as some powders smoke more then others. Finding powder will be tough and there are lots of good loads available. I would add SOLO 1000 to the list of things to try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deerassassin22 Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 I have used a few different powders to make major with 200grn if you are interested in the data shoot me a PM with your email. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsg Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 I recently went through a smaller version of this experiment. I had Bullseye, W231, and Titegroup on hand. Loading 200 grain Xtreme bullets to 1.180 in mixed brass with Win SP primers, both Bullseye and 231 made major in the published limits. TG did not make major until I went a bit above published max. When I tried with BBI 200 grain, I knocked each load down .2 and made major using all three powders. If you are loading to something shorter than 1.180 (1.125 - 1.135), I would expect you to make major with all three of those powders within published max charge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJE Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 Some recent testing I did: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaep1911 Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 AJE - thanks a lot for the data! I have RD and BE, and your data comes very handy indeed. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJE Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 You're welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
not4you2know Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 I run 200grn bbi. Im running n320 and wst at 1.80 oal. They run great for me and wst usually doesn't take long to get in stock. I'm switching off n320. It's just too damn expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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