[Jachin]

Greetings everyone,
I'm new to reloading. Being accustomed to the likes of W white box, Blazer Brass, Rem and stuff I buy at Walmart, I have never known a "light load." So, after first loading up some 9mm to match factory loads, I decided to load some 40 lites. I used 4.2 grains of Winchester 231 behind a 180 Montana Gold CMJ to an OAL of 1.128-1.130.
On Sunday at the range, I stacked four 40 lite's under four Blazer B 180's (BB 180's chrono'd at 965 fps average a few months back) in a mag, stuffed the mag in my XDm-40 and fired away. Well, after reading a lot of these threads about "soft" loads, I'm telling you I was outright laughing. These suckers are close to a 22. I loaded a full mag of lites and half way through i had to stop shooting to laugh some more. I loved it. I was thinking if these worked out, I would try them in a production match, now I can't wait.
Of the twenty-five 40 lites I fired, all fired, the XDm cycled perfectly and the slide remained open after the last round. The angle that the cases ejected was different but all ejected.
I'm going to load some more and try them in my XD-40 service model next.
Here's my question.
Is there anyone loading a soft 180 gr. round using W-231 less than 4.2 grains of powder and shooting an XD that cycles reliably? Or, how low can I go and still cycle reliably?
Best regards,

XD-9 S
XD-40 S Black
XD-40 S Dark Earth
XDm-40
XD-45 S

[Storm52]

Starting load of 231 with 180 gr is 4.1 grains. You are pretty much there. What are they chrono'n? Lower and you end up with deteriorating accuracy, cycling issues, etc etc.
I guess I should ask what you are trying to accomplish or your goal?
Right hand pillar?

S

[SuperAWE]

Depending on how soft you go you may need a lighter recoil spring for cycling reliability.

[Jachin]

Storm52, on May 26 2009, 10:04 PM, said:

Starting load of 231 with 180 gr is 4.1 grains. You are pretty much there. What are they chrono'n? Lower and you end up with deteriorating accuracy, cycling issues, etc etc.
I guess I should ask what you are trying to accomplish or your goal?
Right hand pillar?

S

Greetings Storm52,
The accuracy was fine at 10 yards for me. About 2 inch groups shooting two hand free style.
I try to do a local match every Thursday night in Garyville, La and recently squeezed in a run-in-gun match a few Sundays ago. I always use factory ammo, mostly Blazer Brass. I shoot B class Production with an XD-9 or XDm-40.
So, now that I'm reloading, I wanted to see what the talk was all about with soft loads. Hence I loaded some by reading these threads and a fairly safe guess to see for myself. And like I said, I had to laugh they were so "soft." I loved 'em. This stuff is really fun.
Now I want to try them at a match. At this match there is no mimimum power factor that I know of, so I don't think I'm breaking any rules.
Anyway, tomorrow I hope to shoot my first soft loads and see what happens. I hope my scores improve. It seems a little like cheating because I started these matches to improve my defensive shooting ability, BUT I seam to be getting a little caught up in the racing.
So maybe I'll go back to heavy loads that equal Speers Gold Dot + P's and there 40's or Federal HST's, but this week it's off to the races.
Also, the main reason for the post was to capitalize on others experience with my exact load and pistol to possible save me some time and money in determining at what point I'll have trouble cycling the slide.
By the way, thanks for the response and what's a "Right hand pillar?"
Top of the evening to ya Storm,

This post has been edited by Jachin: 27 May 2009 - 06:57 PM

[Beans]

[

Quote

code]May 22 2009, 06:29 AM Post #3


Looks for Match


Group: Members
Posts: 41
Joined: 14-March 07
From: Arizona Territory - Border country
Member No.: 10764



I am running a G35 with a Strom Lake barrel, with the following loads

Magma 180 LFN cast from WW
2.9 Grs of Clays
Mixed range brass
WSP primers

I am getting 735 FPS at 10 Ft for a power factor of 132.

Accuracy is good, less the 2 inches at 20 yards

This is a SOFT load and the brass drops less then 3 feet from the fired position [/code]

[Jachin]

SuperAWE, on May 27 2009, 08:04 PM, said:

Depending on how soft you go you may need a lighter recoil spring for cycling reliability.

I'm not planning to go that low. I just don't want to change the pistol. At least not yet but that racin fever can get cha.

[Storm52]

Jachin, on May 27 2009, 08:41 PM, said:

By the way, thanks for the response and what's a "Right hand pillar?"
Top of the evening to ya Storm,

Your nick reminded me of something I learned years ago.

[Cy Soto]

Storm52, on May 28 2009, 03:09 PM, said:

Your nick reminded me of something I learned years ago.

Storm,
That's the kind of comment that gets a thread closed.




























But it's funny nonetheless!!

[Jachin]

Storm52, on May 28 2009, 04:09 PM, said:

Jachin, on May 27 2009, 08:41 PM, said:

By the way, thanks for the response and what's a "Right hand pillar?"
Top of the evening to ya Storm,

Your nick reminded me of something I learned years ago.

Roger, roger?

[Darrell]

If your load works keep it. Especially in the XD. If your XD would feed SWC's, 3.8 of WSF is the softest I've tested with 175gr cast swc. That's Dave's load. I personally use 3.5 of Tightgroup with a 180jhp. That has always been my minor load and shoots 3/4" groups in all my 40's at 25 yds. You've probably seen me at Nick's. I shoot there too.

[Jachin]

Darrell, on May 30 2009, 10:55 AM, said:

If your load works keep it. Especially in the XD. If your XD would feed SWC's, 3.8 of WSF is the softest I've tested with 175gr cast swc. That's Dave's load. I personally use 3.5 of Tightgroup with a 180jhp. That has always been my minor load and shoots 3/4" groups in all my 40's at 25 yds. You've probably seen me at Nick's. I shoot there too.

Greetings Darrell,
Three or four weeks ago you let me shoot your M&P 9 and 45. Very nice M&P's.
Thanks for the response, I'll give you a shout next Thursday at Nick's.
Charlie

[Darrell]

See you Thursday, I'll let you try some of my 175 swc and see if they feed in your gun, they are loaded longer for my EAA and XD usually have a short freebore. I'm expecting some 180 trunecated cone coated from Donnie and plan to work up a minor load with it. Tightgroup has been my most accurate powder in .40. I've used N320 and WSF also.

[Jachin]

Darrell, on Jun 1 2009, 10:26 PM, said:

See you Thursday, I'll let you try some of my 175 swc and see if they feed in your gun, they are loaded longer for my EAA and XD usually have a short freebore. I'm expecting some 180 trunecated cone coated from Donnie and plan to work up a minor load with it. Tightgroup has been my most accurate powder in .40. I've used N320 and WSF also.

Well Thrusday has come and gone with no joy. I've been stuck at work all week and it's going to be a long one next week. Thanks for the info and hope to take you up on your offer this Thursday.
Best regards,

[Darrell]

Jachin, on Jun 5 2009, 08:58 PM, said:

Darrell, on Jun 1 2009, 10:26 PM, said:

See you Thursday, I'll let you try some of my 175 swc and see if they feed in your gun, they are loaded longer for my EAA and XD usually have a short freebore. I'm expecting some 180 trunecated cone coated from Donnie and plan to work up a minor load with it. Tightgroup has been my most accurate powder in .40. I've used N320 and WSF also.

Well Thrusday has come and gone with no joy. I've been stuck at work all week and it's going to be a long one next week. Thanks for the info and hope to take you up on your offer this Thursday.
Best regards,

I took first place in Master Open and Master Limited Thursday night. Shot 598 open and 596 Limited with my EAA 9mm. Shot perfect 600 wed. in Thibodeaux. Used some new coated 135 lead bullets from BayouBullets.

This post has been edited by Darrell: 06 June 2009 - 11:35 AM

[KyroWebs]

My current load is a 2.9gr Clays under a 180gr lead TAB TC and I'm getting 143 PF out of my G35 with a KKM Barrel (1.133 OAL and .419 crimp). Can I safely drop my powder charge to get 130ish PF levels? I heard somewhere that I can run the risk of incomplete ignition and a squib if the powder charge is too low. What do you guys think?

[ben b.]

I'm loading .40 Lite with 3.4 gr of Solo1000 and a 180 gr lead, for a PF of 136 from a 4" barrel, runs perfectly.