Are my .40 loads too light?

[Peakbagger46]

I have been loading .40 S&W rounds using the following ingredients: Berry's 180g plated bullets over 4.5g Win 231 for some time now. I recently got the Lyman book and their 180g FMJ lists the powder weight at between 5.1-5.7g for Win 231.

I got my original powder weight from an official (Winchester?) websight. Is this 4.5 grain weight too light? It has been shooting well, but my concern is that the rounds may be moving very slowly out of the barrel; I am using these rounds for practice for my duty gun and want to stay fairly close to our carry rounds.

 

[freakshow10mm]

Range in the Hodgdon manual is 4.1-5gr with a 180gr FMJ. Plated should use lead data, but starting with jacketed and working up will work too. Just be careful near max. 4.8-5gr will get closer to the standard 950fps duty loads.

 

[Walkalong]

That is kind of light. How does it feel compared to your carry loads? I agree with freakshow10MM as to charge weight.

Plated bullet data link - This may prove helpful.

 

[Peakbagger46]

Wakalong,
Actually, I can't really tell a recoil differance from my duty rounds. I have shot many, many rounds using the 4.5g weight. A co-worker shot some as well and said they felt like our factory practice rounds... maybe I should just leave it alone.

 

[RandyP]

if they feed and function well in your duty gun, why change now?

I reload most of my range rounds to be lighter than factory, mostly for the economy factor, and work up to a load that meets the feed/function test.

I too use Win 231=HP-38 and Berry plated in .380/9mm/.45ACp with no negative issues.