40 cal. seating depth?

[coondog_28]

I'm a noob looking for a second opinion.

I am looking to use an ACME 180gr. TCFP lead and 800x powder. I'm a little concerned about creating a compressed load.

I checked (plunk test) and my max OAL with this bullet is 1.115.

Lyman 49 has several loads for similar bullets with 800x.

180gr. JHP at 1.115 OAL 5.9 - 7.4

175gr. Lead RNFP at 1.125 OAL 5.6 -7.4

175gr. Lead TCFP at 1.1 OAL 5.8 - 7.6

I measured 5.6gr. and checked the powder depth in the case and with the seated depth of the bullet and saw I will get slight compression in the powder. Maybe .020.

OAL - Bullet length = Base of the bullet depth in the case

My thinking is that if I can "touch" the powder with my caliper at the calculated seating depth I am creating a compressed load. In this case however light.

Am I correct or is this normal?

My plan is to follow the JHP data above and work up to 6.5 gr.

This load will be for target and I have no intention on loading near maximum.

Am I ok to continue?

 

[ArchAngelCD]

My question would be, why are you worried about compressing the powder charge? Doing so is not dangerous at all as long as your charge weights are correct.

Touching the powder with the bullet does not create a compressed load. even if it looks like you are compressing the powder you usually are not. There is usually a lot of air space between the grains of powder so the powder may look like it's filling the case more than it actually is.

Also, 800X might not be the best powder with a leas bullet in the 40 S&W. something a little faster might serve you better.
Again, what's the problem with compressing powder?

Welcome to the forum...

 

[coondog_28]

I'm just looking for a second opinion to make sure I'm not creating a compressed load by mistake.

If I can find something faster I'll probably buy it but powder's tough to find right now.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I'm just looking for a second opinion to make sure I'm not creating a compressed load by mistake.

If I can find something faster I'll probably buy it but powder's tough to find right now.

Oh I know what you are going through trying to find powder, it's really bad all over. I feel sorry for the new reloaders who are starting out fresh with nothing on the shelf. That has to be terrible!

I'm still confused as to why you seem to think a compressed load is a bad thing?

If you can find powder, W231/HP-38 is a good choice with lead bullets for plinking ammo. Ramshot Zip is too. Unique is impossible to find but Universal might not be as hard to locate. There are others too...

For full power 40 S&W ammo look for Longshot, AA#7, Power Pistol and even HS-6 and Blue Dot. I just don't care for 800x because it meters terribly and I find it to be a little dirtier than some of the other powders mentioned.

 

[coondog_28]

I don't think a compressed load is a bad thing. Unless your intention is not to compress and you end up off the tables.

I just worry about the parabolic curve for pressures as you compress.

Just trying to be careful.

 

[Sauer Grapes]

Depending on the gun, you can load longer. Some chambers are shorter than others.
I load my 40's out to 1.140, except for my S&W 4006. {180gr LRNFP} Heck, my M&P's can go all the way out to 1.160 and still function the gun properly.
Add .010 and do a plunk test in your barrel. That should relieve your concerns about compressing the powder. Unless you actually load out to max, I wouldn't concern myself with compressed loading. If you run across any of the below powders, pick some up. As Archangel listed, Unigue is pretty close to Universal. Win. Super Target would be another nice powder for .40.
Powders I use in .40:
IMR 7625 {full power}
Win Super Field {full power}
Universal Clays {full power}
Win 231
American Select {[email protected] OAL} only data I've found. nice target load. also works well for .45acp {[email protected]} my pet 45 bullseye load.
These all work well for me. I load the top 3 for USPSA. The other 2 make nice reduced power plinking loads.
All of them will make nice target loads. That's what I like about the .40, you can load it down pretty low and still get performance out of it.

 

[coondog_28]

Right now I'm pretty happy with smokeless. :banghead: let alone any type of commonly used pistol powder.