Fast vs Slow burning powders question?

[FF112173]

I’ve been told for steel challenge, open gun, that fast burning powders and light bullets were key. I’ve also been told heavier bullets with slower powders to work the comp. what’s your opinion? Your go to reload?

[jripper]

Depends on how your open gun is set up.  Some guns won't run well minor with fast powders.  Slower powders will run the comp better in general.  I think really depends on your own equipment and personal preference.

[Yeti]

Reliability is numero uno. 

Light bullets & fast powders may not make enough gas to work the comp.  Not only does it render a comp'd gun pointless, but it may also be unreliable.  Test, test, test.

[IDescribe]

6 hours ago, FF112173 said:

I’ve been told for steel challenge, open gun, that fast burning powders and light bullets were key. I’ve also been told heavier bullets with slower powders to work the comp. what’s your opinion? Your go to reload?

 You were told by idiots.

You MOST DEFINITELY do NOT want fast burning powders for open guns.  You want gas to work the comp, you want slower powders that require higher charge weights for more gas, and you want slower powders that allow you to achieve the higher velocities needed to make major power factor.  Fast powders are the least things you want for Open.  Light bullets are, however, preferred.

For Steel Challenge, there is not a minimum power factor, so for people looking to game the load for Steel Challenge, you can achieve the softest loads with light bullets and fast powders.  This is the opposite of Open.  MANY people, however, treat Steel Challenge like practice, and they use whatever their typical competition load is in whatever division they shoot.

You don't want heavier bullets with slower powders to work the comp because heavier bullets mean LESS powder, and you want more powder to work the comp.  
 

[Hi-Power Jack]

I shoot mostly USPSA with a comped TruBor 9mm Major -

 

I use 124 gr bullets and c.7 gr WAC to make Major, and

for steel I either use the same ammo (loud and too powerful)

or I have dropped to 115 gr bullets and 5.5 gr WAC - makes a

nice soft light load for steel - POI isn't too far from the Major

loads, either.

 

But the lighter load/bullet is a pleasure to shoot.     

[gerritm]

I have been playing around with this for my 3-gun Glock 34 open comp gun. So not worried about PF. Started at 6.7grs HS6 with a 124gr Everglades plated RN. Very harsh, but controllable. Worked my way down to 4.8grs HS6 with same 124gr RN. Shoots soft and enough gas to work the comp. Dot barely moves, and that is saying a lot for such a light gun. Not too smokey or dirty. Very accurate. Still throwing the brass a long ways. Did have to keep re-zeroing the red dot. POI changed.

 

Try some different loads. May have to swap recoil spring out. I am running a 10# spring. Was told slow powders don't work well for minor, but I am pretty happy with this setup.

 

gerritm