Sanity check on my new .40 load

[Bovice]

I have recently started loading my .40s using Universal Clays. Prior to this, I had good success with Titegroup and it's my fall-back if everything just falls apart. I got a case of the "what if's" and decided to try another powder.

Currently, my charge weight is 5.7 grains of Universal Clays, using an OAL of 1.135 with a 165 grain X-Treme Plated Bullet. From what I've read and been told, the X-treme has such thick plating that it can be treated like a traditional jacketed bullet.

Everywhere I look, the load data for 165s and Universal is different. My Lee manual doesn't have 165 data, but DOES have 170 grain XTP data and suggests 5.6-6.3, with the length at 1.125.

Speer suggests something like 5.7-6.3.

Hodgdon suggests 5.0-5.6 as a max if I remember it right. However, the overall length for this load is 1.125. Having my length longer, I know that I can bump up the max just a tad.

I have tested my 165/5.7/1.135 load and it groups decently, doesn't seem to recoil too harshly, and isn't launching my brass into orbit. Am I making a safe load? It feels fine to me, but Hodgdon's lower charge data makes me wonder.

 

[CZ57]

Universal Clays is a good .40 S&W powder. You get more case fill vs Titegroup. If you observed no adverse conditions on the spent cartridge cases/primer you should be good to go. I would be more inclined to use the SPEER data. Hodgdon data has always been a bit conservative, but then again it's free.

 

[LiveLife]

but then again it's free.

Price of load data does not indicate how current the load data is.

Do you know when the specific load data in your load manual was tested last? What if powder manufacturer varied the powder formulation since the testing (happens all the time)? Powder manufacturers' load data do change over time ... for reasons specific to their powders.

Given several different load data of varying publication dates, I would feel more comfortable using the most current published (paper or web) load data from the powder manufacturers.

 

[Bovice]

I'm not so sure that hodgdon's data is correct. The recoil that I get from my 5.7 grain loads of universal is similar to that of factory 165 grain loads, such as WWB. and the grouping is good, albeit an inch low. Basically, when I make my sight picture on my P229, the bullets impact just slightly below where the front sight dot is positioned on the target at roughly 12-14 yards. I'm talking the difference of maybe an inch. With the consistency it gave, I wouldn't mess with it personally. I'd be perfectly happy with it. I don't consider my .40 as a target pistol, and I am not an IDPA gamer. I try to make it as "real" as I can to myself. That's an entirely different argument altogether.

I have heard that the lighter bullets impact a bit lower, and the heavier bullets impact a bit higher. If that's true, then I'm spot-on with the load. I'm trying to get this all sorted out before the end of the month, when I have my next IDPA match.

What im basically asking is if this load of 5.7 grains of Universal and a 1.135 OAL with a 165 grain bullet is completely too overloaded. It seems fine to me, but I'm positive that some of you veteran loaders can tell me what you think, based on your experiences.

 

[hapidogbreath]

As others stated if the cases do not show signs of pressure should fine.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

What im basically asking is if this load of 5.7 grains of Universal and a 1.135 OAL with a 165 grain bullet is completely too overloaded. It seems fine to me, but I'm positive that some of you veteran loaders can tell me what you think, based on your experiences.

You're charge is only .1gr over the Hodgdon Max recommended charge but like you said, your OAL is also longer than called for in the data. I don't think you will cause any harm with such a small charge weight difference especially when many other data sources list higher charge limits. Also, the Hodgdon site lists a pressure for that load of 32,900 PSI and the limits for the 40 S&W are 35,000 PSI. Not a ton of headroom but surely enough to cover your load, especially with the slightly longer OAL you're using.

Funny thing is, on the Hodgdon site they list the Max charge for a 155gr XTP bullet as 6.2gr but more curious is the charge for the 180gr XTP, it's actually 5.8gr Universal. It's obvious the XTP bullet has a different profile than the Sierra bullet they use with the 165gr load data. If your bullet is more like the profile of the Hornady XTP bullet than a Sierra JHP bullet you have no problems at all with your powder charge weight.