40 major/minor question

[Garmil]

I'm going to be loading major and minor for my 2011 .40.

Just bought vv n320 to use and am thinking to simplify things I'd like to use the same die settings and charge weight for major and minor.

Was thinking xtreme 220 grain for major and 180 grain for minor. Both at around 3.4-3.6 at 1.20 oal or whatever it takes to make 170ish pf with the heavier bullet and stay above 125 with the lighter.

Are these weights a good plan for doing this? If not what do you think would be?

[OPENB]

A popular option is to work up a 180 major load, then substitute 155 bullets for minor, leaving the powder charge the same.

[jmbaccolyte]

I have a 1988 Dillon 550RB. I load a few hundred or several thousand rounds and then adjust the the powder measure or change powders and crank out a few more. The die settings stay the same until I have to qualify with the contract pistol.

[zzt]

I bought a micrometer adjustment for my powder bar from Uniqueteck. It takes less than 5 seconds to dial from my Major load to my Minor load, and it is exact.

Personally, I think 220gr is too much in 40. 200 works okay, but I don't see a big difference between that and 180. My pistol does not like light bullets, so I use the 180 @ 175PF and 140PF. If I go lower than 140, accuracy and consistency start to suffer. I also load the Xtreme 165gr HP HPCB bullet to 140PF and like it a lot.

[peterthefish]

I bought a micrometer adjustment for my powder bar from Uniqueteck. It takes less than 5 seconds to dial from my Major load to my Minor load, and it is exact.

I don't use a Dillon but also use a Micrometer powder adjustment. I don't know why anyone who loads more than one type of ammo would use anything else.

[Garmil]

I have a micrometer adjustment as well that's not an issue.

If I went with 200 instead of 220 would 155 or 165 be a better choice at the same charge for minor?

[zzt]

I don't see the obsession with the same charge, but if that's what you want to do, 200 and 155 would work. You will end up with about 170+a and 145PF respectively.

[b1gcountry]

I like my 180gr minor load a lot. It is also pretty accurate in my Trojan.

[b1gcountry]

What I'm saying is that I won't trade that for a slightly quicker change over. Plus it is nice only having to stock one bullet weight.

[Garmil]

Thanks for the responses.

[EkuJustice]

It all depends on what you like feel wise. Some like the soft loads which are your 200 grain loads while others like a snap to them so for them a 165 grain is better. I use 165 for mine both major and minor. At minor 135 PF the 165 with clays is soft and feels better than 9mm minor

[gng4life]

Take extra precautions when loading that heavy of a bullet, there have been numerous case head separations with really heavy bullets in .40.

I also do the same thing about going from Major to Minor if you didn't want to change the powder setting. I do it in 9Major a lot, I use 8.3 of HS6 with a 124gr JHP for a Major load and then substitute that with a 95gr JHP and it's a great Minor load.

Also, wanted to make a comment about the micrometer powder bar...I almost never get the same readings if you change from one setting to another. It's close but it's not exact most of the time. I keep a spreadsheet with all my settings for the powder bar and the competition seater and I have found that those settings for the powder are almost never the same. The seater die is always the same for me so far.

[Garmil]

Thanks for the info. Ended up going 200 and 180 working good so far.