First 40 S&W loads..

Doby45 · March 6, 2009, 04:45 PM

Well, I got my first loads made. I am using a Loadmaster more or less as a turret press for now. I load one case in station #1 and run it through, depriming, and then sizing and priming in station #2, powder drop and belling in station #3, and then when it rotates around to the 4th station for seating I pull the shell out and inspect the primer and weight the powder charge. If it mets the requested charge I place it back in station #4 and seat a bullet. Then on the way back down I remove the round and make sure the OAL is correct and then put it back and let it ride around to station#5 for the FCD and then a final inspection upon being spit out.

I loaded 5 rounds of each

165gr FMJ TC Precision Delta
Winchester Brass Once Fired
Win Small Pistol primer
1.125 OAL
7.3gr HS-6 (Starting Load)

165gr FMJ TC Precision Delta
Winchester Brass Once Fired
Win Small Pistol primer
1.125 OAL
7.4gr HS-6

165gr FMJ TC Precision Delta
Winchester Brass Once Fired
Win Small Pistol primer
1.125 OAL
7.5gr HS-6

165gr FMJ TC Precision Delta
Winchester Brass Once Fired
Win Small Pistol primer
1.125 OAL
7.6gr HS-6

I will be taking these to the range to see which I like the "best" and then tune the LM to that powder drop.

Any suggestions or ideas for what I might be missing?

SL1 · March 6, 2009, 06:39 PM

It sounds like you have the right attitude - - go slow and check everything.

With respect to things you may have missed: Did you check that your bullets are gripped tightly enough by the case that they are not pushed back when chambered by an auto-feed cycle? I usually do that with dummy rounds. If you did, good job. If not, it isn't too late. When you go to the range, take your calipers. Measure one round's COL and then put it (only) in a magazine and hand-cycle the slide to feed the round into the chamber. Don't fire that round, yet. Eject it and measure COL again. If it is more than a few thousandths of an inch shorter after the hand-cycle feed, you have a problem that needs to be addressed. If it is OK, then put two rounds in the magazine, after measuring the COL of the BOTTOM round, hand-cycle one into the chamber and fire it. Then eject the second (which has been auto-fed into the chamber) and measure its COL again. IF setback on that round is also a few thousandths or less, you are probably good to go with your loading setup. (You may want to try a few to be sure.) But, if your bullets are being set-back too much, you really need to address that issue before you start firing your loads. Suprising small amounts of setback can cause surprising large increases in pressure for SOME loads.

However, I did check your 7.6 grain load of HS-6 (with a FMJ different bullet and assumed COL) in QuickLOAD, and it doesn't seem to be very sensitive to setbacks on the order of 0.010". It seems to be a moderate load. So, don't feel like you are taking your life in your hands the first time you pull your trigger.

Enjoy your new hobby.

SL1

Doby45 · March 6, 2009, 08:19 PM

I did take a finished round and push it against the bench and it did not budge. I have been reading on here that is a good test to make sure your crimp is enough. I will STILL be taking the calipers with me and I will load a magazine of 5, fire 4 and measure the final round. If it has not moved after 4 rounds it should be good to go. I will update with range report when I get back tomorrow.

SL1 · March 6, 2009, 08:30 PM

Doby45,

In a pistol, it is not the recoil affecting the cartridges in the magazine that causes bullet set-back. It is the impact of the bullet on the ramp when it is cycled into the chamber that has by far the most effect. (It is exactly the opposite on high power bolt-action rifles. I'm not so sure about high-power autofeeding rifles, because I have never ahd any.)

That is why I suggest checking setback on the FIRST handload autocycled into the chamber. If you have a significant die dimension or setup problem, it can be the FIRST autofed round that gives you a safety problem.

SL1

Doby45 · March 6, 2009, 08:35 PM

Then I will check that round. Thanks for the heads up.

Steviewonder1 · March 6, 2009, 09:08 PM

Also see if you can run them across a Crony to check speed of bullet. That will also give you more info in the development of your load.

Doby45 · March 6, 2009, 10:34 PM

I wish I had a chrony.. I plan to get one on down the road just for load development but I currently don't have one.

Doby45 · March 8, 2009, 09:05 PM

Well I would say that the starting load of 7.3 works just fine. The loads of 7.4 and 7.5 shot just as well but naturally a little more recoil. Slide cycled well and was very comfortable to shoot.

Tex S · March 8, 2009, 10:06 PM

Looks like some good shootin!

Doby45 · March 8, 2009, 10:12 PM

It was nice enough that I went ahead and cranked out 500 rounds on my LoadMaster and refilled my range ammo box with it. :-)

That'll Do · March 9, 2009, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doby45

It was nice enough that I went ahead and cranked out 500 rounds on my LoadMaster and refilled my range ammo box with it. :-)

I've really good success with HS-6 and 40 S&W too–right around the same charge weights as you. Are you experiencing much smoke with this load?

Doby45 · March 9, 2009, 11:04 PM

No smoke or flash to speak of.. It is a very good target load.

March 6, 2009, 09:08 PM	#6
Steviewonder1 Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2009 Location: John's Creek, Georgia Posts: 328	Precision Loads Also see if you can run them across a Crony to check speed of bullet. That will also give you more info in the development of your load.

March 6, 2009, 04:45 PM	#1
Doby45 Senior Member Join Date: January 19, 2009 Location: Powder Springs, GA Posts: 213	First 40 S&W loads.. Well, I got my first loads made. I am using a Loadmaster more or less as a turret press for now. I load one case in station #1 and run it through, depriming, and then sizing and priming in station #2, powder drop and belling in station #3, and then when it rotates around to the 4th station for seating I pull the shell out and inspect the primer and weight the powder charge. If it mets the requested charge I place it back in station #4 and seat a bullet. Then on the way back down I remove the round and make sure the OAL is correct and then put it back and let it ride around to station#5 for the FCD and then a final inspection upon being spit out. I loaded 5 rounds of each 165gr FMJ TC Precision Delta Winchester Brass Once Fired Win Small Pistol primer 1.125 OAL 7.3gr HS-6 (Starting Load) 165gr FMJ TC Precision Delta Winchester Brass Once Fired Win Small Pistol primer 1.125 OAL 7.4gr HS-6 165gr FMJ TC Precision Delta Winchester Brass Once Fired Win Small Pistol primer 1.125 OAL 7.5gr HS-6 165gr FMJ TC Precision Delta Winchester Brass Once Fired Win Small Pistol primer 1.125 OAL 7.6gr HS-6 I will be taking these to the range to see which I like the "best" and then tune the LM to that powder drop. Any suggestions or ideas for what I might be missing?

March 6, 2009, 06:39 PM	#2
SL1 Senior Member Join Date: November 8, 2007 Posts: 2,001	It sounds like you have the right attitude - - go slow and check everything. With respect to things you may have missed: Did you check that your bullets are gripped tightly enough by the case that they are not pushed back when chambered by an auto-feed cycle? I usually do that with dummy rounds. If you did, good job. If not, it isn't too late. When you go to the range, take your calipers. Measure one round's COL and then put it (only) in a magazine and hand-cycle the slide to feed the round into the chamber. Don't fire that round, yet. Eject it and measure COL again. If it is more than a few thousandths of an inch shorter after the hand-cycle feed, you have a problem that needs to be addressed. If it is OK, then put two rounds in the magazine, after measuring the COL of the BOTTOM round, hand-cycle one into the chamber and fire it. Then eject the second (which has been auto-fed into the chamber) and measure its COL again. IF setback on that round is also a few thousandths or less, you are probably good to go with your loading setup. (You may want to try a few to be sure.) But, if your bullets are being set-back too much, you really need to address that issue before you start firing your loads. Suprising small amounts of setback can cause surprising large increases in pressure for SOME loads. However, I did check your 7.6 grain load of HS-6 (with a FMJ different bullet and assumed COL) in QuickLOAD, and it doesn't seem to be very sensitive to setbacks on the order of 0.010". It seems to be a moderate load. So, don't feel like you are taking your life in your hands the first time you pull your trigger. Enjoy your new hobby. SL1

March 6, 2009, 08:19 PM	#3
Doby45 Senior Member Join Date: January 19, 2009 Location: Powder Springs, GA Posts: 213	I did take a finished round and push it against the bench and it did not budge. I have been reading on here that is a good test to make sure your crimp is enough. I will STILL be taking the calipers with me and I will load a magazine of 5, fire 4 and measure the final round. If it has not moved after 4 rounds it should be good to go. I will update with range report when I get back tomorrow.

March 6, 2009, 08:30 PM	#4
SL1 Senior Member Join Date: November 8, 2007 Posts: 2,001	Doby45, In a pistol, it is not the recoil affecting the cartridges in the magazine that causes bullet set-back. It is the impact of the bullet on the ramp when it is cycled into the chamber that has by far the most effect. (It is exactly the opposite on high power bolt-action rifles. I'm not so sure about high-power autofeeding rifles, because I have never ahd any.) That is why I suggest checking setback on the FIRST handload autocycled into the chamber. If you have a significant die dimension or setup problem, it can be the FIRST autofed round that gives you a safety problem. SL1

March 6, 2009, 08:35 PM	#5
Doby45 Senior Member Join Date: January 19, 2009 Location: Powder Springs, GA Posts: 213	Then I will check that round. Thanks for the heads up.

March 6, 2009, 10:34 PM	#7
Doby45 Senior Member Join Date: January 19, 2009 Location: Powder Springs, GA Posts: 213	I wish I had a chrony.. I plan to get one on down the road just for load development but I currently don't have one.

March 8, 2009, 10:06 PM	#9
Tex S Senior Member Join Date: November 12, 2008 Location: Fort Worth, TEXAS Posts: 909	Looks like some good shootin!

March 8, 2009, 10:12 PM	#10
Doby45 Senior Member Join Date: January 19, 2009 Location: Powder Springs, GA Posts: 213	It was nice enough that I went ahead and cranked out 500 rounds on my LoadMaster and refilled my range ammo box with it. :-)

March 9, 2009, 11:04 PM	#12
Doby45 Senior Member Join Date: January 19, 2009 Location: Powder Springs, GA Posts: 213	No smoke or flash to speak of.. It is a very good target load.