Interesting reloading experience

[AZrider]

I started reloading my .40 S&W cartridges. I asked about powder and bullets from someone who shoots IDPA. He recommended X-Treme 155g cast/plated bullets and Unique powder.

I reloaded about 300 rounds and over the course of a month began to shoot them in my SIG229. The groups weren't that great but I chalked it up to my inexperience. I was using 6g of Unique.

About the same time I bought a box of 100 Speer Gold Dot 155g HP. I loaded these at 7.5 because the chart said 8g was max and I thought I would see how this load worked for PP rounds. Interestingly these reloads produced a very tight and well patterned group that made the copper plated FMJ target loads look really bad.

I thought perhaps it was the powder load and so I loaded up 25 each at 6, 6.2, 6.5, 6.7, 7.2 and 7,5 grains of Unique. The patterns really didn't change or improve with a varying load. The same day I did this test I also shot another set of Speer 155g Gold Dot HP loaded to 7 grains. Amazingly the Speer group was tight and well patterned.

I was pretty perplexed? How could different bullets with the same brass, primer and powder perform so differently?:banghead:

One theory I have is that the HP load are "rear weighted" that is because the front of the bullet is hollow the center of mass is more towards the rear and would produce a more stable flight. Maybe I'm full of hot air?

Any thoughts on this. Have any of you experienced better groups with HP rounds over FMJ?

AZ

 

[LHB1]

Many years ago, Handloader magazine ran a series of articles on which components most affected the accuracy of handloads. Result: FAR AND AWAY the most important factor was the bullet. Differences in weight, shape, bearing surface, diameter, sectional density, concentricity, jacket material and hardness, etc. all play a part. When a handload doesn't work in gun X, the first thing to try changing is the bullet.

Good shooting and be safe.
LB

 

[HSMITH]

HP will usually be more accurate, but the difference isn't very big when good bullets are used. Out of an accurate gun you would need to be an extremely good shot or use a machine rest to quantify the difference.

Plated bullets are VERY finicky when compared to a good jacketed bullet. Try backing your crimp off to where it JUST pushes the case mouth back against the bullet. That is where it should be anyway, but very few seem to know that. Plated bullets are incredibly sensitive to crimping, no crimp into the bullet at all works best in 99.9% of the ammo you will load with plated bullets.

Others say all the time they get plated bullets to shoot well, I can't approach the accuracy I get with a good jacketed bullet like the XTP with them. Might be my guns, reloading practices and/or my person is defective. I don't know and don't really care, plated bullets are for short range blasting ammo IMO, they won't get the job done past about 20 yards in all but a few loadings I have tried.

 

[AZrider]

Thanks

Thanks for the comments and information. I ordered some 180g HAP-FMJ rounds from Midway and will give them a try. Apparently these are HP bullets without the canules.

Chart says I should back down to 6g-6.4g of Unique. Will let you know how they work out.

AZ

 

[Walkalong]

they won't get the job done past about 20 yards in all but a few loadings I have tried.

I have to agree. It is harder to get plated bullets to shoot real well at a distance. They have to be JUST right. I have had some success with them, however. I have several loads which seem OK close up which just will not do well at long distance though. HSmith is absolutely right about crimp. It will ruin a plated bullet real quick. I cannot see my crimp with the naked eye. I have to check it with a magnifying glass or loupe.

The Hornady 200 SWC (FMJ-CT) is very accurate and hard to beat in the .45 at any distance. It makes a good "standard" to go by. If it won't shoot well in a certain barrel or with a certain powder charge probably no bullet will.

Bullets make the biggest difference in accuracy next to quality barrels. That is why the "match" barrels shoot most any decent bullet well and good bullets shoot well in most any decent barrel.

I am playing with the 200 Gr. Precision Moly Plated SWC and feel like it should do well. Preliminary tests show they can shoot real well up close. These bullets might be the answer if you do not want to shoot lead and like to shoot more cheaply than jacketed/plated and also like to shoot at a distance with your handguns.

Most of us say our load is accurate and we mean 7 to 15 yards or a bit more. Most don't shoot any farther than that very much.

Barrel quality, bullet makeup/type, coating/jacket concentricity, ES and SD, etc. start getting more and more important the farther out it gets.