Lower recoil loads for competition

[Rig Magician]

I am loading 9mm and 45acp right now that I shoot in USPSA and IDPA at home. I want to find out what is the best combination to lower felt recoil to allow quicker shoots for double taps and such. I also plan on changing out my recoil springs to help out with this.
Would a lighter bullet with faster powder be better than a hevier one with slow powder? Do some powders yeild a lower recoil? I had one guy tell me that a lower weight bullet with a faster powder is better.
SO what is some of the compition guys thoughts on this?
Thanks,
Mark

 

[altitude_19]

Other way around. Light bullets with fast powder are snappier and require higher velocities to achieve minimum power factor.

 

[earplug]

I think its subjective

Revolver shooters feel all the recoil. We use 230 grain bullets. But! its hard to find a 200 grain round nose that will drop into a cylinder with a moon clip.
So do we use the 230 because it feels good or the shape? I used to use a major load with a 200 grain SWC. But the reloads sucked and the blast was worse then the felt recoil to me.
I have read that most single stack shooters are using 230 grain bullets because of the softer push of a heavy bullet.
But I see many with 200 grain SWC in competition.
Hardly any other class of USPSA shooters are using 45 ACP except Revolver and Single Stack.
Magazine capacity is a factor, but in Limited Ten more often then not a 40 S&W is being used. So the lighter is better might be correct.
I think slide velocity combined with correct recoil and main spring weight has a function in the perceived recoil and speed of follow up shots.
A couple of years ago the major power factor was reduced. I think the lighter 200 grain bullets might work better now.
You could go crazy testing powder and bullet weights and what works best.

 

[LiveLife]

But I see many with 200 grain SWC in competition.

I thought many preferred the SWC bullet design because it cuts a nice clean circular hole for better/cleaner scoring.

Round nose bullet design tends to poke a hole/rip paper like pizza slices, but after bullet pass through the paper/cardboard, the cut paper slices move back to reveal a smaller hole that may have just missed the "A" zone. You can argue your case, but some match staff won't care - they wanna see paper missing for scoring, not black smear.

As to lighter vs heavier, for me, I have preference for 155/165 gr 40S&W over 180 gr and 200 gr 45ACP over 230 gr. I use W231/HP38, so recoil is snappier than slower burning powder, but I can get back to my POA/sights faster. For USPSA/IDPA shooting, after a while, you will care less about felt recoil and more about faster stage times.

To satisfy your curiosity, find out what bullet weight the shooters that win the class/stages are shooting. They will gladly tell you why they are shooting their particular load. Network, network!

 

[Minnesota Wild]

I shoot 40 S&W so that's what I know about, but one of the big considerations for games shooting is whether or not you're looking to make major or minor power factor. Either way, most shooters are using fast powders with heavier bullets. The overwhelming favorite in 40 is Tightgroup, N320, or Clays under 180 gr bullets. What Earplug said is correct; the faster powders with the heavier bullets tend to be more accurate and create a more manageable push type of a recoil than the jumpy, snappy recoil of lighter bullets.

All said, it all comes down to preference. There are a lot of professionals in 40 shooting 135 and 155 gr bullets. I know the same is true in 9 Major (meaning light bullets, not those weights). I would check out http://www.brianenos.com. It's a sight dedicated to forums for games shooters. There are excellent forums dedicated to reloading 45 ACP and 9mm specifically for games, and most of the shooters there are shooting IDPA or USPSA.

Whatever you choose, have fun shooting!

 

[Rig Magician]

Thanks everyone for the info. I will be playing around with it some soon. I am currently loading with Hp-38, I do have some bullseye that isa tad faster burner that the Hp-38. But i may also try some WST out. I believe it is between the Bullseye and the Hp-38 if the chart I have is correct.
I may try some SWC for the 9mm, but I can't with my XDm. They say it will not feed correctly due to the desifn of the slide.
As for springs on the Glock. I am loading the 124g flat points with 4.?G of hp-38, would a heavier or lighter spring be better?
Thanks for the help and info guys.

 

[atonguis]

why is that site brianenos.com always down?

 

[Canuck-IL]

I read it daily - hasn't been down since last Dec.
/Bryan

 

[atonguis]

I read it daily - hasn't been down since last Dec.
/Bryan

I keep trying to go to it and all I get is oops message from 5 different pc's as well

 

[dave from mesa]

Worked for me just now.

 

[atonguis]

I think it is being blocked by Cox Internet down here, because I have just tried 8 diff pc's and they all display the oops message.

 

[CatsEye]

To your question Rig. Heavier bullets with faster powders give the lowest perceived recoil. The heavier bullets make power factor at a lower velocity which gives more of a push and less of a snap than lighter bullets at higher velocity. That means 230gr for .45 and 147gr for 9mm. For jacketed or plated bullets Titegroup works great. Lead or coated bullets perform well with Solo 1000. Both of these powders are very popular with competition shooters using reduced power loads.

 

[Rig Magician]

I will try to pick me up a couple of different powders to try and see what works best.
I am thinking about WST, N310, Solo 1000. Any others?
Mark

 

[LiveLife]

W231
Hp38

Same powder

 

[ron59]

For 9mm and 147gr bullets, I think WSF might be better fit than WST. I used Solo 1000 for awhile, but their lots can be very inconsistent. The first 8lb can worked great, but with the second I could not even reach 125PF and I prefer to load to 130PF. This is a known issue with them.

I've been using N320 recently, but going to go back and give TiteGroup another try. You'd be fine with any of these (assuming the Solo would be okay).

For reduced recoil, the 147gr bullet will be far "softer" than 115gr or 124gr at comparable power factors. They are more expensive though, it's worth it to me.

Get some 147grainers and load some at 130-132PF. Then put them in a magazine and alternate them with WWB 115grainers (one 147, one 115, repeat). Then shoot them. I've found this alternating method the best way to compare them. It will be a night and day difference, I guarantee you.

For your recoil spring question, you will want a LIGHTER spring.
Go to this link, dude has some GREAT info on Glocks, especially recoil springs:
http://anarchangel.blogspot.com/2005/03/how-to-make-glock-not-suck.html