Open load for Steel Challenge

[TangoShooter]

Hi,

in a few weeks I shoot my first Steel Challenge competition (not many here in Austria).

I plan to shoot with my full size STI Open gun, which I use for IPSC.

Normally I load 9.9 gr Lovex 37.1 aka AA#7, with a 123 gr bullet, this gives me ~165 factor.

Should I use this load or load for a lower factor?

If yes, where would be a good starting point for the powder charge?

Thanks for your help!

[Philip Dedmon]

Get you some fast burning powder like, VV N320 or TiteGroup and see if your gun will work at Minor PF with the same bullet.

[kneelingatlas]

I recommend simply switching to lighter bullets with the same charge, a 95gr bullet will make that same load shoot dramatically softer and flatter.

I suspect going from a 123gr to a 95gr will drop your load from 165pf to 130gr.

[BeerBaron]

Agree. Use a lighter bullet. It reduces that torquing effect on the gun. It'll be very nice to shoot.

[Mhall]

Using a fast burning powder probably won't work the comp very well either.

[kneelingatlas]

Fast powder and a 123gr bullet will make your Open gun shoot like a Production gun with a dot, if you're going to shoot a gun with a comp you might as well use it!

[Shmella]

I say try a fast-er powder with a 115 or 124-5 gr bullet and don't count it out just yet. I did some experimenting with lower charges/higher charges with a few slower powders trying to work the comp. for a minor steel load I settled on wst which isn't a slow powder by any means. Wst is my new fav because it works good for 40 maj/minor and works good out of my 929 too. It probably doesn't utilize the comp all that much but the load I stuck with for my open gun is soft, easy to shoot, and doesn't have enough umph to worry about dot rise. Just my .02. Try different things and see what you like. For me a 125 ish pf load with a 125gr and a fast powder is my recent go to out if my full sized open gun.... But I am indecisive and that could all change next week