Case Filling 40 Load

[EricW]

Anybody have a pet load for .40 that fills a substantial portion of the case?  I'd like to actually be able to clearly *see* the charge at the bottom of the case before I put the bullet in.  Right now, the Titegroup is just a little dab waaay down at the bottom.  Tough to see down there with the press up on a strong mount.  Right now I'm open to anything:  slow burning powders, Gucci powder from Europe, whatever.  It all seems worth it after the near KB on Sunday.

I figure this will have to be my "safety" system until I can upgrade to a 650 or a 1050 with a powder check station.

Thanks!

E

[ErikW]

Clays is bulky and light in color. My 180 gr load fills the case about two-thirds.

3N37 is fairly visible and good with 200 gr bullets.

[Tree Rat]

What are you loading for?

155/125PF loads, I'd go with 3.6 - 4.0 of Clays.

180/165PF loads, I'd go with 5.5 - 6.0 of WST.

155 and 165 Hi-performance loads, I'd go with 7.4 -7.8

and 6.7 -7.5 of Power pistol respectively.

Work up any load slowly.....your mileage may vary.

TR

[EricW]

I just want to load for Major PF.

Thanks for the input!

E

[Patrick Sweeney]

Be careful with that approach.  If the case is filled too much, and your press operation is jerky, you'll be spilling enough powder to make the press hard to operate after a few hundred rounds.  Stopping every 200 rounds to strip and clean the press sucks.

Perhaps a mirror and light setup, to get a good view into the case?

(Edited by Patrick Sweeney at 8:06 am on Sep. 4, 2002)

[A33435]

I am shooting a G35 in standarddivision.

Reloading on a Dillon SD, for visual checking of the powder charge i placed a spotlight next to the press.

Rounds :

- once fired Winchester brass

- Federal SP200mag. primer

-  6.5 grain VV3N37     or  5.5 VV340

- bullet 180 grains FPRN Frontier (actualy 177 grains)

- O.A.L.  between 28.6 - 28.7 mm

Both powdercharge produce in my gun PF 178

Case is well enough filled to notice double or no charges

[EricW]

Pat,

I'm hip to the light & mirror.   I've been fooling with a Sears, mechanics one wth limited success.  I just want a double charge to be visibly obvious until I can upgrade to a better press.  

E

[Chris]

look at IMR's website.  They have some 'bulky' powders.

http://www.imrpowder.com/handgun/40sw-3.html

7.2 grains of 800-X is alot.  I know 800-X is about the size of corn flakes and burns pretty slow.  It may leave a big mess after a few shots.  It does in my 12 GA OU!

I would go with 700-X myself.  I'm actually going to try that for my 135gr production loads.

(Edited by Chris at 12:33 pm on Sep. 4, 2002)

[Skywalker]

ErikW,

try with Nitrokemia Rex 3 (the green can) powder.

It's a fairly slow burning powder, and it is quite bulky too. It's not as clean as Vihtavuori, but it's cheap (at least here in Italy).

My training load is the following:

- Fiocchi Brass

- CCI 500 small pistol primers

- 4.8 grs Rex 3 powder

- 200 grs lead FP-BB bullet

- 1.200" O.A.L.

- 175 P.F.

this should give you the visual help you're looking for.

For more info on reloading with Rex 3 powder, visit my web site (www.teamoffire.it), in the english section, reloading page, Infinity file.

[Jon Merricks]

EricW, I have just started using 5.8 of Universal at 1.200" around 939 fps. light color and easy to see.  

I do have to work the press slower than I did with TG.  Cuz what Pat said.

(Edited by Jon Merricks at 12:54 pm on Sep. 5, 2002)

(Edited by Jon Merricks at 4:14 pm on Sep. 5, 2002)

[EricW]

Jon,

By "Universal" we mean "Universal Clays" right?  If so, I've got an 8 lb can just itching to be used.

 

Thanks for the help, everybody!  This is such a great forum.

E

[skeeter]

a second vote for univresal clays. i use 4.6 grains loaded to 1.125 with a 180 for my glock it almost over fills the case with a double charge and wont set a bullet. clean and consitant.

[Jon Merricks]

Yep thats right.  I'm going back to edit my post. It's 5.8 @ 1.200 to make 170.

[TBeazlie]

FWIW just finished shooting Area 8 Race Gun Match shooting limited with a P 16 40.  Used 5.1 gr U. Clays under a Precicion Bullett 185 gr TC. loaded 1.190.  Little smoke, easy to see a double charge, soft recoil.  Made PF 175.  Only stage I did well in.

[Jon Merricks]

Maybe I shoud try a diffrent chrono. At 5.8 gr out of my P16 I'm getting around 941 fps.  I did measure the OAL and some how that batch was at 1.230.

TBeazlie would your bullets make that much of a difference .  I'm shooting MG 180gr JHP's.

[skeeter]

jon your loads seem right with what other guys here seem to get. my loads are out of a glock 24 with the six inch barrel i usally get what i need at around the starting loads some times  under them

[paranoid]

my load for universal was 5.0 grains @1.135 with a 180 grn plated berrys, would chrono at 950-975 fps out of a 5 inch bbl.

[TBeazlie]

Jon, I confess the bulletts sat in my truck for about three hours before the match ( getting warmed up) and the chrono was the second stage i shot so likely still warm.  The precision bulletts are lead with a moly coating of some sort and may move along a little faster  down the barrel  than jacketed ones.  I was alittle worried before the match and thought that I should crank up the charge a coulpe of tenths but had alredy made up 500 of them so decided what the hell if I made minor I would just shot all A aone hits

[gm iprod]

And go really, really, really fast.

I use TG or Clays. A double charge of either is really going to fill the case. Even when I make light loads for the lady of the house.