lighter bullet slower powder?

[tk4]

I have been using 185gr moly coated and titegroup for major 40. Due to the high price of bullets I have ordered 155gr bullets to save $. I know the general consensus is the lighter bullets will be too snappy. I have also heard that the faster powders like titegroup are snappier than the slower burning powders. Should I try using a slower powder with the lighter bullet to offset the snappier less controllable effect of the lighter bullet?

[HSMITH]

It boils down to personal preference, but generally I prefer the same powders with 155's that I like with the 180's. The only thing that matters is that the load works for you. Pick up a couple pounds of powder and shoot them, see what makes the best hit factors. Don't necessarily go by feel, what feels best isn't always what we shoot the best. The timer and points are THE best way to evaluate equipment changes.

[tk4]

It boils down to personal preference, but generally I prefer the same powders with 155's that I like with the 180's. The only thing that matters is that the load works for you. Pick up a couple pounds of powder and shoot them, see what makes the best hit factors. Don't necessarily go by feel, what feels best isn't always what we shoot the best. The timer and points are THE best way to evaluate equipment changes.

How much difference should I expect going from a 185 to a 155 given the same pf and everything else remaining constent? Do you notice a significant difference in times/points if you switch from 155 to 180?

Thanks,

Todd

[HSMITH]

Todd, if you are really calling shots and shooting the front sight the difference is very small if there is a difference at all. I am a pretty mediocre shooter but if I am on the front sight hard I don't see much if any difference. If you are shooting based on timing the difference could be significant. Depending on powder used you should lose 5-15 power factor by switching bullets. Use your current 185 charge as your starting 155 charge, load 3 or 4 test sets in .2 grain increments and chrono from there, should take a bit of pain out of finding a new load. That will get you going, testing new powders is a lot like work and nothing much you can do will help there.

[Tokarev]

5.4 of Titegroup should be about right, depending on your gun, loaded OAL, etc...

[bwit]

Don't believe what Howard tells you - - He's a much better shooter than I am but then again that isn't saying a lot. He's good!

[bwit]

and knowlegeable and an overall nice person. But don't tell him I said that.

[sargenv]

One thing you will notice with a light bullet and slow powder is inefficient burning, usually louder and more blasty than the heavier bullet - fast powder. I was loading 140 gr RN 40's to major using 8.5 gr of Power pistol.. and man they felt a LOT hotter than 180 TC bullets with 5 gr of 231.

while YMMV, this has been my experience.

[Sean Gaines]

does anyone have any experience with hotter powders and light bullets, like vv310 or titegroup with 165's. If so how was the recoil?

[HSMITH]

165's and Clays feels pretty good. I think I like 180's better though.

Thanks bwit!

[Tokarev]

does anyone have any experience with hotter powders and light bullets, like vv310 or titegroup with 165's. If so how was the recoil?

5.1 of TG and a 165 Berry's is pretty soft. So is 5.7 of Ramshot Zip and a 155 Federal JHP. I tried 9.3 grains of AA#7 and a 155 and it did have a little more muzzle rise than the Zip load. But it was also a little faster and I attributed the added rise to the higher velocity.

For factory ammo, I really like the Speer Gold Dot 165 load. It runs at just over 1,000 fps out of my 5" limited gun and is very clean and accurate. A much cheaper alternative is the Independence 165 FMJ loading.

I've been shooting 165's for a couple years and really like them but, in all honesty, I can't tell any difference in the 165's loaded to major and a 180 loaded to major.

[Harmon]

i can see a big change in the way the gun handles when going from 200s to 180 and 180s to 165s and them down to the lighter bullets.

Oddly enough, there is not a significant change in my scores..

In my gun, Win 231 works great...especially with the lighter bullets.

some powders give wider spreads than others, 231 seems to be Good in that respect.

I am shooting a 6 inch glock 24 with 170 grain bullets @ 1000 FPS now...and they seem to shoot as good and soft as anything else.

FWIW im using WST because it produces less smoke with lead bullets.

Harmon