[cwbys4evr]

So I get to travel to Norfolk next week and when I do, my son and I want to do the range trip we didn't get to do this past Friday. The problem is I am down to exactly 5 rounds of .40 S/W commercial ammo. I just got my scale Saturday so I am planning to load up some 40 ammo. The question I had is, how many rounds do you make before you test that particular load? Can I load up 100 and take it to the range ? My previous plan, when I had all the time in the world, was to load up 10 rounds and test just those.

 

[ChuckR]

Cwbys4evr,
I would say 10 rounds would be enough to check and see if the powder load shoots well in the gun and if accurantcy (sp) is good. If you make 100 and the load sucks then you either have to try and shoot all of them or pull them to reload which for me is a pain. Just my $.02, hope this helps.
Chuck

 

[soundguy]

I usually load 1 round and make sure they chamber.. then I do sets of 3 or so ( i shoot rifle.. ) and work up from minimum to about 3/4 load. in 1/2 grain increments

thus.. no more than about 15-20 rounds.

I then hit the range and simply shoot theose thru and look for odd things like keyholeing.. and pressure signs.. if all works out, I next load up 5 and load from minimum up to 'under' maximum and ladder test with those.

about every 5 I check chambering..

 

[cwbys4evr]

So pretty much I should try to find a box or two of 40 just for target practice, and that way I can bring 5 each of maybe two different recipes just for testing, and not worry about it. I also have to sight in my new optics anyway, so it's not like training on my 40 is the only objective I have.

 

[aandabooks]

I made the mistake of loading up 50 .45 before trying any. They wouldn't run the slide. I shot through them but it was a pain.

My policy is now ten of a load. I usually load from the lower end and do a couple sets of ten inside of the book limits. I shoot a lot of lead and don't want to load all the way up at max.

 

[JLA]

yeah anything over a handful of an untested load is bad juju. Asking for trouble. load a handful and test it. then if it works out, load a bucket full

 

[cwbys4evr]

Thanks guys!

 

[mikld]

For my semi-auto pistols, I like to load up 2 magazines full (unless they're 15 rounders) mebbe 16 rounds like my 1911, so I can test the new ammo/load in more than one magazine along with normal functioning/accuracy.

 

[rsnell]

Load a dummy round to make sure it will chamber. You can start with the recommended OAL. If the dummy round will chamber, use that AOL and load 5 rounds at each powder charge selected. Start with the recommended starting load.

Bob