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Walther PPQ Q5 Match - Loads?


saibot

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I ordered a Walther Q5 Match and need to develop a load for it, but thought I'd ask the forum if they had already had a favorite recipe(s) I should consider. Since I have about 10K of SNS 125's, I'll likely use those unless you guys think I should look into another weight. I'm new to the platform and didn't know if there was a "de facto" bullet weight it liked.

And for what it's worth, I plan on shooting it in USPSA Production, so looking to be above 125 PF.

 

Thanks!

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15 minutes ago, SCTaylor said:

What powder(s) do you have available?


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Mostly Tite Group, but a few lbs of Prima V that I haven't had a chance to try out yet. 

CCI 500's if that matters. 

Thanks

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2 hours ago, SCTaylor said:

About 3.6 of TG at 1.10 will net you 131/132 pf with a 124/125. But make sure to chrono in your gun!


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Thanks, Scott!

Looking forward to building up some loads and comparing them. I have quite a bit of TG left, but I do keep hearing great things about the PV.

Cheers!

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7 hours ago, BillGarlandJr said:

I've got a Q5 too. The Blue Bullets 135gr over 3.6 of Prima V shoots really well out of it. Goes for about a 135pf.

Bill, you have a Q5? Was that Pre-320? 

Honestly surprised it fits in your hands. Like shaking hands with a pack of bananas.

;)

Shooting it this weekend at Albany?

 

Thanks for the info!

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I do have a Q5. I’ve only had it a few months. I was curious about it, and wanted to run one through its paces so I picked it up. Yeah, the grip could be a little longer. Reloading it is literally a pain. I’m impressed with how it shoots, but because it isn’t quite the right fit I’ll probably end up selling it.

 

If you’re shooting Albany next Saturday I can bring you some 135s if you want to give them a try.

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The top recipe featuring a 125 BBI is the only load I’ve run through my Walther as of yet. I am sure 3.65 - 3.70 grains will make 133 PF or so just fine. The Walther has a pretty fast barrel.

 

Eventually I’ll do some group shooting with various OALs and charge weights in search of an optimal load, but right now I’m in “I have these leftover and they work” mode.

 

E53F4B7D-796D-4A8B-A219-2CE183A6BDE9.thumb.jpeg.4c92d75144d6fc8639208800a8553698.jpeg

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14 hours ago, BillGarlandJr said:

I do have a Q5. I’ve only had it a few months. I was curious about it, and wanted to run one through its paces so I picked it up. Yeah, the grip could be a little longer. Reloading it is literally a pain. I’m impressed with how it shoots, but because it isn’t quite the right fit I’ll probably end up selling it.

 

If you’re shooting Albany next Saturday I can bring you some 135s if you want to give them a try.

Bill-

I'm sure you've seen it, but they do have 17rd mags with an extension on them for some extra real estate. I ordered a couple to try out and I can bring them to Albany if you'd like to borrow them. 

It's killing me, I have all of the new gear I need to switch platforms ready to go...except the Q5!! Bought it online and wondering if I'm ever going to see it.

 

Other than loads, did you try any other aftermarket parts? 

 

Ya, if it is absolutely no trouble for you, I'd try a mag of your 135's.

Thanks!

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10 hours ago, MemphisMechanic said:

The top recipe featuring a 125 BBI is the only load I’ve run through my Walther as of yet. I am sure 3.65 - 3.70 grains will make 133 PF or so just fine. The Walther has a pretty fast barrel.

 

Eventually I’ll do some group shooting with various OALs and charge weights in search of an optimal load, but right now I’m in “I have these leftover and they work” mode.

 

E53F4B7D-796D-4A8B-A219-2CE183A6BDE9.thumb.jpeg.4c92d75144d6fc8639208800a8553698.jpeg

Wow, you guys are so organized!

:)

 

Did you seat at 1.110 just to be safe? Or did the profile of the bullet dictate that? I've read that the Q5 has a bit of a short chamber.

Thank for the info!

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4 hours ago, saibot said:

Wow, you guys are so organized!

:)

 

Did you seat at 1.110 just to be safe? Or did the profile of the bullet dictate that? I've read that the Q5 has a bit of a short chamber.

Thank for the info!

 

The Q5 chamber is really short, and this round fails to plunk & spin at around 1.123” - 1.125.” 

 

My stated OAL is the shortest of my rounds, and my 650 actually produces ammo between 1.110” and 1.118” in this setup, so my longest cartridge has .005” of wiggle room.

 

There’s no need to load the relatively short 125gr TC bullet any longer than this - I’m at a safe pressure and the gun feeds it well and shoots it straight.

 

For some reason we’re all attached to loading long ammo as if it’s somehow better.

 

Unless you’re shooting a 1911/2011 platform that wants really long ammo in order to feed reliably, or you need the case volume for a fast powder under a long 147gr bullet, there’s no reason to push for the longest possible ammo.

 

Edited by MemphisMechanic
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12 hours ago, LeviSS said:

 

Can you please explain what you mean here?

Sure. I’ve got some big hands, and with the Q5 grip being as short as it is the portion of my hand that spills over the bottom of the grip gets pinched when I seat mags unless I extend my pinky finger and sort of create a gap between that part of my palm and the grip. It slows down my reloads to do that. Unfortunately the 17 rd mags don’t help. All that aside, the Q5 is an amazing pistol. It feels good and points really well, and the trigger is shoot-able out of the box. In fact, I don’t think I’d do anything to it if I was going to shoot it in USPSA. 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Did some load testing today (no chrono) at the range as I have been shooting the 125 gr molys for many years but hoping to work out a load for the 147's with the Q5.

 

125 gr Leatherhead 4.2gr VVN320  OAL = 1.100   (This load shot like a laser out of my Q5.  Is also the load I am using in my Shadow/Stock 3/Stock 2)

147 gr Leatherhead 3.4gr VVN320 OAL = 1.100 (Load is also very accurate but 20 to 30% of the bullets where tumbling out of my Q5.  Was testing groups at 15 yds)

147 gr Leatherhead 3.2gr TG OAL =1.110 (Very soft load and also accurate but again having bullet tumbling at around 15 to 20% when group shooting at 15 yds)

 

Was going to increase my TG load up from 3.2gr to 3.4gr to see if the higher velocity solves the tumbling issues with the 147.  If it does not then I'll likely abandon the 147gr and stick with the 125 gr for the Q5.

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Since the thread title does not include the bullet weight, let me throw my 147gn data in.

 

COL = 1.125"

Brass = Fed once fired

Primer = S&B

Bullet = ACME 147gn FP

 

Tested loads:

Vectan Ba 9.5, 3.58 grains (AVG of ten)

Vectan Ba 9.5, 3.70 grains

N320 3.30 grains

 

All on a hotter side but felt great and very accurate. I have settled with Vectan Ba9.5 at 3.52 grains.

image001.png

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26 minutes ago, jaep1911 said:

Since the thread title does not include the bullet weight, let me throw my 147gn data in.

 

COL = 1.125"

Brass = Fed once fired

Primer = S&B

Bullet = ACME 147gn FP

 

Tested loads:

Vectan Ba 9.5, 3.58 grains (AVG of ten)

Vectan Ba 9.5, 3.70 grains

N320 3.30 grains

 

All on a hotter side but felt great and very accurate. I have settled with Vectan Ba9.5 at 3.52 grains.

image001.png

Nice graph and data!

Did you ever try the 135? 

 

Thanks!

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3 hours ago, Single Stack said:

Did some load testing today (no chrono) at the range as I have been shooting the 125 gr molys for many years but hoping to work out a load for the 147's with the Q5.

 

125 gr Leatherhead 4.2gr VVN320  OAL = 1.100   (This load shot like a laser out of my Q5.  Is also the load I am using in my Shadow/Stock 3/Stock 2)

147 gr Leatherhead 3.4gr VVN320 OAL = 1.100 (Load is also very accurate but 20 to 30% of the bullets where tumbling out of my Q5.  Was testing groups at 15 yds)

147 gr Leatherhead 3.2gr TG OAL =1.110 (Very soft load and also accurate but again having bullet tumbling at around 15 to 20% when group shooting at 15 yds)

 

Was going to increase my TG load up from 3.2gr to 3.4gr to see if the higher velocity solves the tumbling issues with the 147.  If it does not then I'll likely abandon the 147gr and stick with the 125 gr for the Q5.

Interesting that the 147's weren't stable. Try the 135 by any chance?

I just ordered a thousand SNS 135's to experiment with. 

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Shot my Q5 and 4" PPQ yesterday for the first time.  Chronographed my G34/Trojan go-to match load (Precision Delta 147 FMJ/3.3 grains Titegroup/1.135 OAL).  This load passed the plunk/spin test on both guns.  Q5 averaged 946 fps/139 pf and the PPQ went 905/133.  And I thought Glock barrels were fast.  Gonna drop it down to the classic 3.2/147 load and not look back.  Should smack steel pretty nicely.  

Next step, recoil spring. 

Edited by deerslayer
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  • 6 months later...

I just completed my hand loads for my Q5.  I tested a number of different powders, Titegroup, 231, unique, power pistol, and wsf.  I was going for the powder with the most consistent FPS.  I tested 135 grain plated flat nose and 147 grain plate round nose bullets with Winchester primers my length is 1.145.  I found that 231 was the most constant with 135 grain ammo.  With 147 grain bullets titegroup was the most consistent.  The most inconsistent powder was WSF by far.  I settled on the titegroup because the 147s felt like they had less recoil.  I'm shooting IDPA and need to make a 125 power factor.  With 2.9 grains of titegroup my FPS was 875 at 75 degrees and 900 at 95 degres.  I'm happy with the accuracy of the load although after reading this forum a may shorten the length a bit.  I did have one double feed after about 800 rounds, my guess is It was a fluke.

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 10/7/2017 at 8:25 AM, saibot said:

I ordered a Walther Q5 Match and need to develop a load for it, but thought I'd ask the forum if they had already had a favorite recipe(s) I should consider. Since I have about 10K of SNS 125's, I'll likely use those unless you guys think I should look into another weight. I'm new to the platform and didn't know if there was a "de facto" bullet weight it liked.

And for what it's worth, I plan on shooting it in USPSA Production, so looking to be above 125 PF.

 

Thanks!

Should be right around 3.6 with the sns 125gr and tite group.  Load a few then chrono them, but that should put ya just over minor. 

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