Question about starting to reload .40S&W

G

GSoD

CGN frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
49   0   0
Hey,

So I've reloaded rifle ammo for about 18months now. Managed to work up a very nice hunting load and target load in .308 on a single stage press.

Now, I'm moving onto pistol. Specifically, .40S&W to be used out of a Glock 22. First I'll be developing just a plain paper punching load and then moving on to building an IPSC load.

The reloading will use Titegroup powder, Winchester primers, Frontier bullets, and once fired brass out of my gun being assembled by a Dillion 650 progressive.

My question comes in relation to working up a load and using a progressive.

With my rifle rounds and single stage press I'm used to measuring every load of powder to exact weight. To develop the load I would start at minimum and make batches by increasing by .5 grains until max. Shoot until most accurate load found/pressure signs show.

Now, my concern as I look at the pistol reloading data is that the difference between max and min is only .5 grains in total. (4.2grains min / 4.7grains max) according to Hodgon.

Question a) Do I start at minimum and go up by one or two grains until max? So only make 2 or maybe three batches? Or do you just pick the middle and thats your load?

Question b) How accurate is the dillion powder thrower? I'm assuming it won't hold .1 of a grain. So if it has a tolerance of .3-.5 grains per throw am I better off just picking a middle charge (4.5grains) and call it a day allowing for errors to keep me above min but below max?

Any insight would be appreciated.

ST
 
I started at minimum when I loaded my 9mm with W231, I used a lee powder thrower and scale every tenth charge.

The powder thrower is never off by more than 0.1 grain, usually if its off, its about 0.05 grains.

I haven't shot any of my rounds yet, so hopefully some experienced info can help me out when working up my 9mm loads.
 
I have a Dillon 550 and it has two powder charge bars. One is for larger volume charges, like rifle calibers, and the other is small, for pistol and small rifle cases. I'm certain your Dillon 650 has the same set up. Make sure you use the small charge bar for the 40.
My own experience loading the 40 is that your weight variation is actually pretty small, depending on what type a powder you are using and your "technique". The technique is just making sure your motions in pulling the handle and seating the primers is consistent from round to round. I believe that you should probably be able to hold 2 tenths of a grain, but you should test for yourself what variations you get with your particular powder. I have no experience with Titegroup, but I would expect it meters as well as Unique or Clays.
If it were me, I would pick a weight in the middle of the road, set up your charge die, with a full hopper of powder and crank out 15-20 rounds, without seating the bullets, and weigh them all to get a good average. Then you will know what variations to expect. Then load up a couple of clips and see how they shoot. Adjust from there, carefully.
A couple of other things:
1) Keep your powder hopper full or nearly so. I add more powder when the hopper is about 1/2 empty.
2) Get yourself a small telescoping 'mechanics mirror' and use it to visually check the powder level in every 10th round or so. They are real handy.
Hope this helps.
 
mrd49 said:
If it were me, I would pick a weight in the middle of the road, set up your charge die, with a full hopper of powder and crank out 15-20 rounds, without seating the bullets, and weigh them all to get a good average. Then you will know what variations to expect. Then load up a couple of clips and see how they shoot. Adjust from there, carefully.
Click to expand...

Doing it this way will also include the variation in brass weight no?

When I weigh every tenth round, I scale the empty casing, rezero my digital scale, and then weigh after charged, it always comes to within 0.1 grains of what I was expecting the charge to be.
 
"..and crank out 15-20 rounds without seating the bullets, and weigh them all to get a good average."

I don't care what the case weighs, it is irrelevant for the 40S&W. Just weigh the powder from each casing individually to establish an average powder weight.
 
Dillon, Rick, 155 and Jenna!

The guys at Dillon [with the exception of that old rat who ignored me at the SHOT SHOW in Orlando, and I wasn't the only one either...] make a damn fine product. Their powder measure is the best in the business, but it has the same drawback as every other progressive powder measure.
Its pretty consistent, but out of 100 rounds, 90% will be right on, 5% will measure a little less, and 5% will be a little more. This is critical in smaller calibers like 38spl wadd cutters and 32acp, but not so bad in the bigger stuff.
Cutting costs for the 40S&W cartridge in the G22 means shooting lead. Obtain a Lone Wolf G22 conventional lands and grooves barrel and you can shoot lead.
My pal Rick at RandRbullets@mountaincable.net has a dynaminte 155grain SWC cast lead bullet for the 40. Cuts a nice clean hole, doesn't have the snap of factory 40's and is accurate. The Lone Wolf barrel fully supports the 40S&W cartridge, and if you keep the velocity below 900 fps, that combination is a real tack driver. Just ask my avatar!
 
Last edited:
My favourite .40cal load is 2.8 gr of Titegroup under 180 gr truncated cone lead bullet. Makes minor PF for IDPA and IPSC. Very soft shooting and very accurate. You might not want to shoot lead in your Glock unless you change barrels.

Take Care

Bob
 
Canuck44 said:
My favourite .40cal load is 2.8 gr of Titegroup under 180 gr truncated cone lead bullet. Makes minor PF for IDPA and IPSC. Very soft shooting and very accurate.
Click to expand...

Bob,

My Hodgon manual recommends minimum of 4.2grains. How'd you come upon 2.8g? I'm not criticizing, I'm just trying to get insight into your method of development.

Now that we have the powder measure thing pretty much decided on, could someone recommend how many grains I should start with and by what factor I should increase by per batch?
 
I got the load from Dragoon who shoots IDPA over in Alberta. Great load if you shoot IDPA (SSP or ESP) with a .40cal. Load also works for IPSC Production. Power Factor runs 130. Avg velocity 745 fps. I don't shoot Major in IPSC so I haven't chased a load up to and over 165 using Titegroup. Others have I am sure and likely will post their loads here.

Take Care

Bob
 
All good info - only one safety issue to add...

If you're loading that Glock 22 to major PF, watch your cases closely. Glock 22s have unsupported barrels and as you get to the higher pressure world (IE major IPSC with fast powders like titegroup) - you will start bulging the cases at the bottom. (These cases are then garbage to everyone except someone with a full length case resizer, like Wolf Bullets)

If you do see these bulges, the best thing is to go find another recipe for your major load that has less pressure or back off and be happy in the minor world.

Google "Glock kaboom" for the possible results if you decide to push it. :eek:
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom