Talk to bullseye match shooters and they will tell you to reduce powder charge until slide won't cycle and they will start reducing recoil spring rate to cycle the slide.
They will conduct load development with published start charge and work DOWN with faster powders like Bullseye, W231/HP-38, etc.
Unlike revolver which leaks a lot of gas through cylinder gap and more likely to stick a bullet in the barrel, semi-auto will usually push the bullet out the muzzle even with low powder charge.
Since I am in pursuit of lighter target loads when conducting load development with new powders and bullets, I usually test powder charges .2 - .3 gr below published start charges and never failed to push the bullet out the muzzle. I have failed to reliably cycle the slide but never failed to push the bullet out of the barrel.
Here's a Guns and Ammo article where light 40S&W loads were tested for USPSA minor power factor and these were WAY below published start charges -
http://www.handgunsmag.com/ammo/ammunition_40lite_091806/