Brand new reloader looking to make .40 major PF, what’s the best bullet/powder combos?

[Obvious]

Through my RIA I was running 220 gr sns casting bullets with I think 3.0 gr of tite group. I’m not home though so can’t verify, but that felt okay. Loaded longggg though at I think 1.250”. I recently just shot some 180 Berrys loaded with 3.7gr of e^3 loaded to 1.135” and it felt super nice. 180s are cheaper too so that might be the load I stick with assuming it makes major. @Guitarmageddon I forgot to quote you so I’ll tag you instead 

Edited September 1, 2022 by Obvious

[Reloader98]

I load with blue bullets RNFP 180 gr and use like 3.4 gr of titegroup, it’s a dirty powder but it’s gets the job done really well for me. If I could buy more Autocomp between my regular 9mm loads and 9 major I would use Autocomp for it as well. If you can get your hands on some CFE pistol that might be a better option. 

[TheHooter]

In my 2011 guns I run 180gr blue bullets @ 1.180” over 4.5gr Titegroup w/assorted brass. I’ve found that Titegroup is temp sensitive.

Cold = Higher PF

Hot= Lower PF

 

4.5gr at 68F yielded 180PF average over a 10shot string, while at 92F 4.5gr yielded 172PF. 
 

I’d like to try something like E3 or N320 but I have 12# of titegroup which equates to 18,666 rounds plus or minus. 

 

 

Edited September 25, 2022 by TheHooter

[Yagi]

On 9/24/2022 at 10:55 AM, TheHooter said:

Cold = Higher PF

Hot= Lower PF

 

 You sure it's not the other way around? 

 

[TheHooter]

Yagi, take a look at my chrono data. 

[Yagi]

16 hours ago, TheHooter said:

Yagi, take a look at my chrono data. 

 

That is first for me. When temps goes up my fps goes up with TG. Tested in Winter and in Brutal Summer here in Vegas. Unless they change some formulation over the years. I always buy my powder, 56# pound at a time with PV back then.

[Chills1994]

I swear I read every single post in this thread.

 

Honest, I did.

 

So maybe I missed it???

 

Not one single mention of Clays???

 

When I first joined this forum (a long time ago), it seemed like you couldn’t swing a dead cat without reading something “Clays”.

 

Down in the “What I hate” sub-forum some guy could post a thread about his wife leaving him…. It was because he wasn’t reloading with Clays.

 

Some guy cured his male pattern baldness…that’s right, it’s because he started reloading with Clays.  
 

I guess it is still that much UNobtanium, still, eh?  
 

And its analog “Clay Dot” is MIA as well?

 

By the way, I have the 2022 Hodgdon “powder manual” in front of me.  
 

Its .40S&W section jumps from 115 grain projectiles straight to the 200 grainers.

 

Huh!?

 

[louu]

51 minutes ago, Chills1994 said:

I swear I read every single post in this thread.

 

Honest, I did.

 

So maybe I missed it???

 

Not one single mention of Clays???

 

When I first joined this forum (a long time ago), it seemed like you couldn’t swing a dead cat without reading something “Clays”.

 

Down in the “What I hate” sub-forum some guy could post a thread about his wife leaving him…. It was because he wasn’t reloading with Clays.

 

Some guy cured his male pattern baldness…that’s right, it’s because he started reloading with Clays.  
 

I guess it is still that much UNobtanium, still, eh?  
 

And its analog “Clay Dot” is MIA as well?

 

By the way, I have the 2022 Hodgdon “powder manual” in front of me.  
 

Its .40S&W section jumps from 115 grain projectiles straight to the 200 grainers.

 

Huh!?

 

It's pretty well known that clays can split 40 brass especially PMC at major PF

[Chills1994]

1 hour ago, louu said:

It's pretty well known that clays can split 40 brass especially PMC at major PF

That’s a new one on me.

 

How about CFE Pistol?

[louu]

I don't know anything about cfe pistol 

[Chills1994]

15 hours ago, louu said:

I don't know anything about cfe pistol 

Me neither.

 

My LGS got in  a bunch of one ponders of various powders at like the height of the covid stupidity.  So when I saw it on the shelf, I snatched some up including CFE Pistol.

 

i just never got around to using it.

 

But I am using Clays for shotgun, so I would  rather save my Clays for that (since I can find Cheddite 209 primers locally ) .

[Chills1994]

Since I picked up a new “toy” earlier in the week, I had to look for my old 550 toolhead for .40S&W.  It still had a powder measure attached:

 

 

So, there you have it.  4.5 to 4.6 grains of TiteGroup under a Berry’s 180 grain round nose plated bullet sseated out to 1.125”.

 

It made major.

 

Then I started wondering why it grouped so poorly.  Those dang Berry plated bullets were sometimes 0.399” in diameter.  Or sometimes 0.400”.  Heck, even 0.401”

 

I gave up on Berry’s plated bullets after that.

 

I always used Winchester Small Pistol primers.  
 

I haven’t been reloading much .223 since the covid silliness began.

 

So I might be using Winchester Small Rifle Primers this next time with the Fo-Tay.

Edited October 6, 2022 by Chills1994