Light Loads for Glock 17 competition shooting

[swan hunter]

My wife is wanting to shoot in some local informal 25 yd centerfire competition shoots. Most of the shooters use double action revolvers. It is timed shooting.
She has no problem with factory loads except that it takes longer to get back on target after recoil with factory's.
I haven't started loading light for her yet. Not sure how much power needed to cycle the action.
Does anyone have a starting load? Does anyone shoot lead through these pistols? I load ball and hps now but, no light loads.

Thanks

 

[WESHOOT2]

specifics

Please specfy bullets used, powders available.

 

[swan hunter]

Components

Unique, Red Dot, and Bullseye

Bullets 125 rn lead & 115 JHP.

I haven't ever shot lead through my glock...Not sure if it will like them...

thanks

 

[Jayman]

Heavier bullet with lighter charge of powder always equals the softest recoil, in my experience. I've heard mixed things about shooting lead in Glocks though. I've never done it. Many will give you advice on that topic.

If there's no power factor/chrono involved, I'd just load to the lightest charge that will cycle the action reliably. Alliant has data for all three powders and 9mm loads on this page:

http://recipes.alliantpowder.com/rg.taf?_function=pistolrevolver&step=1

I'd start at the starting load value, and work DOWN from there.

 

[swan hunter]

I was hoping that...

someone had done the math to get me close to the min. load needed to cycle the gun...Would save the trial and error.

Thanks

 

[Rockstar]

If you're permitted to reduce the recoil spring weight in your Glock, go to an aftermarket steel guide rod with a 15# spring and tailor your loads so that your brass is ejected four or five feet.

 

[GunAdmirer]

I found the following load to be the minimum to cycle my new and rather stiff stock Glock 17:

3.8 grains of Bullseye powder
124 gr. Berry's Round Nose Copper Plated Bullet
1.150" OAL
CCI small pistol primer

Chrono'd just over 1000 fps. Your gun may perform a little different of course.

I think the practical range for this combination is 3.8 - 4.5 grains of Bullseye. I would probably settle on 4.0 grains of Bullseye for a reliable light load. I use 4.5 grains of Bullseye for a factory equivalent load (just over 1100+fps).

My Springfield XD-9 Service would cycle with as low as 3.4 grains of Bullseye. I didn't test any lower.

I know this is not the load combination you specified but it is nice to have some data for comparison.