Below the Book Loading

[spencerhut]

Lots of people load at, near or over the max book loads. I tend to load a lot of light stuff for Steel Challenge usage. I've done some pretty light stuff in 9MM, .38 Super, .40S&W and .45ACP.

This all in semi auto guns with non stock (light) springs.

So I was just wondering what folks have done in the way of really light loading?

Maximum usage is 45 yards.

 

[CBS220]

4 grains of red dot with a 230 cast or plated bullet in .45ACP is an awesome, accurate, and very low recoil load that I enjoy.

 

[David Wile]

Hey folks,

I had a modern Walther P-38 9mm that had a really narrow range of function when it came to powder charges. I don't remember off hand exactly what the specific powder charge range was, but it seems like it was somewhere about at the 3/4 level of Lyman's data, and the spread was only perhaps a grain or less from top to bottom. Go too low, and it would not load the next round. Go a little higher, and the slide would start making slam bam noises that seemed to say it was ready to come apart.

Then I bought my first generation S&W 9mm, and what a difference it was. If Lyman's data said 3 to 4 grains of Bullseye, I found the S&W would continue to function perhaps down to 1.5 grains of Bullseye. I also tested it going up and found the slam baming would not start to perhaps 5 or more grains of Bullseye. Later I got a second generation S&W 9mm, and it also had a wide range of powder loadings that would function the action reliably. I always liked that P-38, but it sure was picky with the ammo it wanted. I also found my S&Ws would function quite reliably with bullets from under 100 grains to bullets up to 155 grains.

I think a lot of how low you can go depends on how well a particular gun will function with a variety of loadings.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

 

[Quoheleth]

This may be common sense, but if you load extra light loads be careful that the bullet leaves the barrel and doesn't squib on you. I was trying some uber-light loads and after each round, I physically checked for barrel obstruction with a wooden dowel before firing the next round. It was an interesting exercise, just seeing how low I could go.

Q

 

[Doug b]

Spencerhut I'm a revolver guy but I sure do like trailboss for reduced loads. Cast only but tons of fun.

 

[spencerhut]

I physically checked for barrel obstruction with a wooden dowel before firing the next round. It was an interesting exercise, just seeing how low I could go.

Okay, lets not get silly.

I'm using the guns to fire ~300 rounds at a sitting, rapid fire, very rapid.