First time reloading for Ruger KP944 (40s&w)

[peaceviddie]

I bought a Ruger KP944 (40 s&w) before I got into shooting and didn't even think to research whether the gun had adjustable sights. Over the past half year I've grown accustomed to sighting my guns at the 6 o'clock (bullseye target) at 25 yards; to my happiness, my fixed sight Ruger was dead on according to this using Winchester 165 gram USA ammo (with wicked recoil I might add).

Lately I started reloading my own (180 grain Camp-pro CMJ Flat Point with 4.5 grains Hodgsons HP-38). When I shot for the 6 o'clock with this load, I'm shooting 4 inches low (I've shot 100 rounds using this load).

This is making me wonder whether Winchester Ammo was shooting high or my load is shooting low. Any comments?

 

[BHein]

kp944

I have a KP944 and I have loaded everything from powderpuff to full power rounds and have not noticed any significant difference on point of aim/point of impact. It hits where I point it.

 

[peaceviddie]

I have a KP944 and I have loaded everything from powderpuff to full power rounds and have not noticed any significant difference on point of aim/point of impact. It hits where I point it.

I guess my gun is doing what it should be now.

My next challenge is deciding on what load to use.

I'm trying to keep my pressure to a minimum because I'm terrified of a kaboom. Initially I loaded 4.5 grains of HP-38 behind an 180 grain Cam-pro bullet and this seemed to work, but now after reading so many cautions, I want to go to the minimum load (min load is 4.1 grains and max is 5 grains).

I tried 4.1 grains of HP-38 behind my bullets and they wouldn't cycle the action (some spent casings were getting jammed in the slide, some didn't eject at all, and some just barely fell out of the chamber).

If I load 4.2 or 4.3 grains, would this be enough to cycle my gun reliably do you think?

 

[peaceviddie]

I guess my gun is doing what it should be now.

My next challenge is deciding on what load to use.

I'm trying to keep my pressure to a minimum because I'm terrified of a kaboom. Initially I loaded 4.5 grains of HP-38 behind an 180 grain Cam-pro bullet and this seemed to work, but now after reading so many cautions, I want to go to the minimum load (min load is 4.1 grains and max is 5 grains).

I tried 4.1 grains of HP-38 behind my bullets and they wouldn't cycle the action (some spent casings were getting jammed in the slide, some didn't eject at all, and some just barely fell out of the chamber).

If I load 4.2 or 4.3 grains, would this be enough to cycle my gun reliably do you think?

I answered my own question today. 4.3 grains doesn't cycle the action and 4.4 grains ejects the shell most of the time but won't lock the slide open most of the time (firing 1 at a time).

Can 0.1 grains really make that much of a difference or did I likely load more than 4.5 grains with my first working batch?

 

[BHein]

loads

Yes, .1 grains can make that much difference. It is all relevant to the powder you are using. if you compare min to max and consider what percentage .1 gr is it can be significant. There are powders that minn and max are the same or almost the same.