[ss+P]

I am new to the whole forum thing so bear with me please.
I have been shooting competitively for 2 years. Mostly IDPA and recently USPSA in the production division.
I am making the jump to Limited and I am having a 2011 built for me in .40. I am also thinking about starting to reload.
What is the best powder and bullet weight to reload for the softest feel.

Any input on purchasing ammo from Atl. Arms

[ss+P]

My buddy just informed me of the search function so if that is your answer, just tell me where to go.
I'm not good with forums

[redwoods]

Go down to the "Reloading" section and click on the 40/10mm. You can breeze through all the good threads in that section and find more info than you can absorb. I posted a bunch and have read tons there. To give you a start, go to that section and go to the bottom where the search box is and type in 180 moly and Solo 1000 or....180 and titegroup or......"soft"

[ss+P]

redwoods, on Oct 22 2009, 12:47 PM, said:

Go down to the "Reloading" section and click on the 40/10mm. You can breeze through all the good threads in that section and find more info than you can absorb. I posted a bunch and have read tons there. To give you a start, go to that section and go to the bottom where the search box is and type in 180 moly and Solo 1000 or....180 and titegroup or......"soft"

thanks redwood, i have been reading since you posted this and there is a lot of data, and a lot of stuff that i don't understand yet, but i am learning.

it seems that most shooter are using VV (with some number), tightgroup, and universal clays,and some other types of powder.

I am getting confused with the whole clays thing. wish they would name them something else

is universal clays a good powder for reloading .40cal to major power factor out of a 5" 2011 with a kart barrel.

where do you guys purchase your components from seems like everyone is out of stock

[wkj4567]

ss+P, on Oct 22 2009, 03:35 PM, said:

I am new to the whole forum thing so bear with me please.
I have been shooting competitively for 2 years. Mostly IDPA and recently USPSA in the production division.
I am making the jump to Limited and I am having a 2011 built for me in .40. I am also thinking about starting to reload.
What is the best powder and bullet weight to reload for the softest feel.

Any input on purchasing ammo from Atl. Arms

I have used the .40 Minor ammo from Atlanta Arms and it is very soft. Their .40 Major is "soft" for a major load, barely makes major. I would test the minor first before buying too much to make sure it feeds. Some Limited guns I've had like the longer, 1.18 OAL ammo, they sell much better. In any case, Atlanta Arms are great to deal with, quality products and service. If you ever have any issues, they will fix it.

This post has been edited by wkj4567: 23 October 2009 - 07:16 AM

[Merlin Orr]

Powder..? I would suggest you by 8# of Titegroup and a few thousand jacketed or moly coated 180 grain bullets and load it while you continue to read old posts about the search for the perfect powder. You quite likely will end up shooting Titegroup after you try the other 15 of 20 powders that you "can" shoot..... Many choices but I imagine TG is the most used of all of them.

As for components. IMO - Any place you can find with components in stock is a good place to buy. At the risk of having people call you a "horder" ..if you find someplace with primers in stock buy all they have or all you can afford to buy... Saves the angst of running low and not being able to find them when you are nearly out. A quick search in the .40/10mm reloading section will give you an idea of which primers are the most popular. About any small pistol will work and a lot of guys use small rifle also. IMO it's really hard to go wrong with components if you keep your choices "mainstream" and use what most people use. Get a decent stock of commonly used components and then you have time to ask questions and search around for that "perfect" combination.

Avoid the exotic until you are more experienced as a reloader.

Enjoy!

YMMV.

[zhunter]

Merlin Orr, on Oct 23 2009, 10:19 AM, said:

Powder..? I would suggest you by 8# of Titegroup and a few thousand jacketed or moly coated 180 grain bullets and load it while you continue to read old posts about the search for the perfect powder. You quite likely will end up shooting Titegroup after you try the other 15 of 20 powders that you "can" shoot..... Many choices but I imagine TG is the most used of all of them.

As for components. IMO - Any place you can find with components in stock is a good place to buy. At the risk of having people call you a "horder" ..if you find someplace with primers in stock buy all they have or all you can afford to buy... Saves the angst of running low and not being able to find them when you are nearly out. A quick search in the .40/10mm reloading section will give you an idea of which primers are the most popular. About any small pistol will work and a lot of guys use small rifle also. IMO it's really hard to go wrong with components if you keep your choices "mainstream" and use what most people use. Get a decent stock of commonly used components and then you have time to ask questions and search around for that "perfect" combination.

Avoid the exotic until you are more experienced as a reloader.

Enjoy!

YMMV.

And that is why Merlin is a genius

[ss+P]

thanks for the responses. merlin that is the route i was oging to take, whereever i can find the mainstream stuff. thanks for the info on TG. I live in md and can only buy 4 pounds though. it sucks.

[calishootr]

tho im a big fan of VV powders in my open guns I do have to bow to WST in my limited gun, its extremely clean burning and has the softest felt recoil of any ofthe powders(I know recoil is basically subjective) jusst my opine....annnnnnd beforethe whole components blow up it was only 10 bucks a lb. vs. VV 24+ per....that combo with any 180 or 200 gr pill and your good to go, I am using bear creek moly lead, laser cast lead and montana gold jacketed

[bbbean]

ss+P, on Oct 23 2009, 10:12 AM, said:

thanks for the responses. merlin that is the route i was oging to take, whereever i can find the mainstream stuff. thanks for the info on TG. I live in md and can only buy 4 pounds though. it sucks.

4 lbs should load 5600 rounds at 5.0 grains per load, so that should certainly hold you long enough to settle on a load or try other powders.

[CocoBolo]

Softness is a preception at best. The Basic principal in limited is to reduce the abount of gas pushed out the muzzle, to reduce flip and recoil.

Merlin is spot on with TiteGroup however his choice of bullet is off, the 180 is snappy when compared to the 200 gr. My personal recommendation since you are having an STI built is to yes go with TiteGroup and Zero 200gr bullets. Montana Gold are good bullets but take more powder to push so they wind up in 3rd place behind Zero, and Hornady.

My TiteGroup load for 200gr is 4.3gr with an OAL 1.185 to 1.20. This load makes major easily and will cycle your gun well.
The reply on WST is also true but with Lead/Moly bullets, I use WST with Precison 185gr Moly coated bullets. That recipe is 4.8gr at 1.185 (171 pf). For jacketed 180gr bullets it takes 5.1gr to get to major.

Since you are new to reloading go with jacketed for a while because its hard to mess up a jacketed bullet. It will also break you gun in better and the inside of the barrel will get smoother with every shot, and your ability to handle recoil will improve as well. When you have a few thousand rounds under your belt you can try the Lead or Molly coated.

Should you reload, if you have a maid, butler, and someone drives you around then obviously not, you've got the resources to have them loaded. I load 40's for $150 per thousand at todays cost. That is $7.50 a box and it is loads you can't buy at Walmart. If you are apprehensive about it get a Dillon Square Deal B $329, a Lee Safety Scale $21, Caliper (?$20.00?), tumbler (?$50?), and $8.00 for a SAMMI Check aka (Drop Check). All this stuff will pay for its self in about 3000 rounds and if you are a shooter that is 3 months or less. A Redding GRX is the ticket for having your reloads run perfectly.

Note on TiteGroup when it gets cold it gets hot. A 168pf load at 90 will turn into a 180 pf load at 40. VV N320 is also a very good powder but costs more and is hard to find at times.

[Classic_jon]

ss+P, on Oct 23 2009, 08:39 AM, said:

redwoods, on Oct 22 2009, 12:47 PM, said:

Go down to the "Reloading" section and click on the 40/10mm. You can breeze through all the good threads in that section and find more info than you can absorb. I posted a bunch and have read tons there. To give you a start, go to that section and go to the bottom where the search box is and type in 180 moly and Solo 1000 or....180 and titegroup or......"soft"

I am getting confused with the whole clays thing. wish they would name them something else

From my understanding through the "grapevine".... They are in the process/thinking about renaming them "clays", "universal" and "international"

Take that rumor with the normal grain or 12 of salt though

When I got into reloading I was lucky to have a friend teach me and I noticed the can looked a little different than what he showed me and I called him just before I bought a can of regular Clays instead of the Universal... I was lucky because that could have ended very VERY!! badly

[Morgan]

wkj4567, on Oct 23 2009, 08:15 AM, said:

Their (Atlanta Arms) .40 Major is "soft" for a major load, barely makes major.

Funny, at L Nationals this year on the "board of shame" was a 163 ish power factor - next to it was "Thanks, Atlanta Arms!" They do have a stellar reputation, however.

As for the original question - go with Clays (loaded long - over 1.20") or VV320 - that's where you'll end up eventually. When I was newer I liked the softer push of the 200gr bullets, but as I improve I find 180gr, for me, make the sights track MUCH better. The 200gr now seem slow and sloppy. To each his own...

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: I will convey some info I was given 3 years ago when I started. Use one powder and stick with it. I use Tite Group for 40 and have been very happy with it. You can find it most places and there is alot of load info about it. It is a safe powder compaired to some others and is cheaper than most. I use the Precision 185's in my 5" guns and have been happy with them. You can load them major or minor. I found the heavier bullets not as snappy as the 185's which I like. I am using up some 170 grain Precisions right now and they are alot snappier but still good. So now start hunting for some Tite Group, Winchester primers, Precision 185 bullets and shag all the brass you can get. Thanks, Eric

[Morgan]

If you're going to use moly or lead bullets avoid Tightgroup - burns hot, smokes a lot. Fine for jacketed bullets.

[Jman]

[mildot1]

At the Ill Sectional chronograph I was kidding Travis Tomasie that I had heard that some of the guys shooting Atlanta arms 40 didn't make major( No truth to that).

The scary part was the load went 165.2PF. That's a little to close for my liking but legal!

My load which went 171 at home with a Ohler 3 stage went 177 there.

I think the chrono is VOODOO.

[NoSteel]

I recently switched my jacketed 180gr load over to WST from titegroup. I've had to load over the "book" specs to make major as others have noted but won't turn back. I find the recoil a nice compomise between Titegroup and Clays without the overpressure risks I've heard about with Clays. No indication of overpressure or case seperation with my load. I'm running a Tanfoglio Limited 5", 180gr Zero FMJ with 5.0gr WST to be over major PF with my 1.190 OAL. I also like how well the WST meters on my 550B. I just recieved 4lbs from Wideners in 3days so at this point availability and price is still reasonable.

[DJM3808]

I'm real happy with WST for both MG 180 grn CMJ and Mid States 180 grn cast lead, 5.2 grns for the MG and 4.8 for the lead bullet, OAL for both is 1.185-1.190.

They both make major at about 170 PF and seem soft in both a Para P16-40 and an STI-Trojan.

[SA Friday]

bbbean, on Oct 23 2009, 11:33 AM, said:

ss+P, on Oct 23 2009, 10:12 AM, said:

thanks for the responses. merlin that is the route i was oging to take, whereever i can find the mainstream stuff. thanks for the info on TG. I live in md and can only buy 4 pounds though. it sucks.

4 lbs should load 5600 rounds at 5.0 grains per load, so that should certainly hold you long enough to settle on a load or try other powders.

If you're in MD, then all the knowledge you need is already there with you.

Get with Jeff Salzburg (MD at Fredricksburg) or Tino or Seth Markowitz or Anthony (MD at St Charles) or Rob Moore. They are all knowledgeable.

Start reloading. Get a Dillon 550b, start with jacketed bullets (Montana Golds are easy to get and easy to load) not Moly's, Titegroup powder, and an EGW Undersized resizing die. Keep it simple. Everything else is personal preference.

Once you get some experience and knowledge behind you, then you can start to experiment with other loads. Moly and lead bullets are cheaper, but take more time and experience to get right. I don't recommend them for beginners.

[gino_aki]

To go back to your original question, the softest shooting load I had was a 200gr cast truncated cone bullet over 5.6 gr of IMR SR 7625. It wouldn't group for beans out of my Edge, though which is why I went back to 155 gr bullets. I have some left over, maybe I oughta try some out of the SS I'm using now to see, since the KKM barrel in that thing is pretty much lights out accurate with anything I've fed it.

[ss+P]

SA Friday, I sit accross from Rob Moore everyday and shoot with him everyday as well.
We share the same knowledge, just not about reloading. Factory 9 has done us great but not in the limited division.

Thanks for everyones response.

[earlbob]

I noticed looking at the Hodgdons information and the 180 grain bullets that the 4756 has the lowest pressure out of the 14 listed powders and comes in with one of the highest velocities. 1018 FPS with 6.6 grains of 4756 while Titegroup maxes out with 978 fps on top of 4.7 grains of powder. Titegroup is also virtually first as far as the pressure readings go.

Is there a reason which I am ignorant of as to why no one mentions 4756 as a good powder for the 40 S&W 180 grain bullet?

thanks, earl

[ebg3]

In my opinion, the softest loads are those that have low charge weights and high pressures. The key is to be able to make major and keep pressures under 35,000 psi without having weird pressure spikes and case head seperations. The slower burning powders look good on paper but tend to be louder and pushier than the faster powders. I have also noticed that flake powders seem to feel a bit softer than ball or extruded powders in the same burn range. It all comes down to picking a good safe load and getting used to it by lots and lots of practice.

[Pezco]

I like most reloaders have tried a bunch of different combination and that is my recommendation to you. I have landed at VV N320 with 5.4 gr under at 180 Montana Gold hollow point at 1.2 OAL in my 5" SV.

This is a very clean burning and temperature consistent load.

Don't be scared to experiment.

This post has been edited by Pezco: 02 March 2010 - 05:57 AM