Jump to content
Brian Enos's Forums... Maku mozo!

.40 180gr Tc, Win 231 Major Load


ExtremeShot

Recommended Posts

I didn't have access to a chrono before going to the SS Classic so I just winged it. Below is what I had and the resulting power factor. Thought I would share this for anyone using 231 and 180 grain bullets. Needless to say, I had too much powder.

Darren

.40s&w 180gr TC

5.5 grains of Win 231

OAL: 1.150

Resulting Avg. Power Factor of 3 rounds: 185.5

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Darren,

Don't you consult a reloading manual before you load? The Winchester-Wester 14th Edition lists 5.0 gr. of W231 as MAX for the 180 gr. JHP with a velocity of 950fps and 33200psi. Hope you enjoy a long life but your current practise makes me doubt it.

I didn't have access to a chrono before going to the SS Classic so I just winged it. Below is what I had and the resulting power factor. Thought I would share this for anyone using 231 and 180 grain bullets. Needless to say, I had too much powder.

Darren

.40s&w 180gr TC

5.5 grains of Win 231

OAL: 1.150

Resulting Avg. Power Factor of 3 rounds: 185.5

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What's up with the insult?? Hell yes I checked my reloading manual. MY manual says 5.6 grains of 231 is the max load for a 180 gr .40sw.

Darren

Darren,

Don't you consult a reloading manual before you load? The Winchester-Wester 14th Edition lists 5.0 gr. of W231 as MAX for the 180 gr. JHP with a velocity of 950fps and 33200psi. Hope you enjoy a long life but your current practise makes me doubt it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The overall lenght saves him a little on the pressure. compared to CLAYS major 40 loads, i wouldnt say he was doing too bad.

btw, what manual did that load come out of? sierra?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I used the Lyman 48th Edition (page 342). For the 180 gr. JHP it lists an OAL of 1.115 and 5.0 gr. of 231 as the sugg. starting grains and 5.6 as the max load.

As I said, I didn't have access to a chrono so I just guessed based on what I saw in this manual. If you run their published numbers, the 5.6gr load (with a published velocity of 1015fps) would give you a powerfactor of 182.7. I backed off on this by 0.1 gr and used that load at the SS Nationals.

I'm fully aware that there are a lot of other variables that affect velocity/power factor (your gun, humidity, etc.). If there weren't these other variables, I should have gotten a power factor of something less than 182.7. However, as I discovered after the chrono, I was actually 185.5 even after backing off a tenth. Oh well, at least I wasn't under 165. Live and learn.

Darren

The overall lenght saves him a little on the pressure. compared to CLAYS major 40 loads, i wouldnt say he was doing too bad.

btw, what manual did that load come out of? sierra?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...