Power Pistol in a 40

Poconolg

New member
I just got a good buy on Power Pistol. I use an X-Treme 165gr bullet. I have looked up loading data and the numbers that I got are very different. They go from 6gr starting to 7gr max another chart says 7gr starting to 7.8 max. which is it? Any help would be great. Thanks now to any help out there. I shoot the 40's out of a Glock 23.
 
I'll start by saying I don't load 40 S&W. I do load 10mm however.

Speer #14 has it from 7.0 to 7.8 grains. It specifies the 7.0 as the "FBI load." Whatever that means.

If it were me, I'd load up a few at 7.0 to see how they do.

I like the combination of 165gn bullets with Power Pistol. But I'd like it a lot better if they were jacketed and not plated. 40Cal/Power Pistol can be a bit of a rough environment for a plated bullet. It would be easy to overdrive them to plating breakdown using PP.

In 10mm Auto, I use 180 plated bullets for my basic range shooters. But I'm using the much less energetic AA#5 propellant, and charge weights are tame. Power Pistol is really spunky.

After all that chatter, my recommendation is to keep 'em to the tame "range ammo" side. If you want to make 165's go fast, switch to a jacketed bullet.
 
The only test I did with Power Pistol with 165 gr jacketed FP bullets in my G23 with a starting load at 6.5 grains for 940 fps.
6.7--1010 fps
7.0--1030
7.2--1065 fps. Didn't go any higher. Using 165 Rem Golden Saber BJHP at 7.0 grains of PP they did 1028-1036 fps. All using CCI 500 and Win cases at 1.125" oal. Not the same bullet as yours but maybe some help for comparison.
 
Speer #14 has it from 7.0 to 7.8 grains. It specifies the 7.0 as the "FBI load." Whatever that means.
The 40SW was spawned by downloading 10mm for less recoil. Alliant lists that 7.8 in current data on their website. Speer's data for 165 is identical to Alliant (7.8 for 1081 fps), start at 7.0. FBI Load? 7.0 is a starting/target load, maybe appropriate for range practice for the recoil and muzzle blast shy. Remember, the 10mm scared them.
Power Pistol makes significant muzzle flash. BE-86 and Silhouette don't.
The Extreme load is for plated bullets? I found Rainier and Berry's to have strong plating, undisturbed by Glock polygonal barrels; even a squib I hammered out of a barrel looked new. I cant speak about Extreme plating.

Berrys says you can use jacked bullet data as is.
"Question: Do you have load data available? COL or OAL?
Please consult load data books or your powder manufacturers' website for load information. You can use any published data as long as it is the same weight (FMJ, Lead, Plated, etc.)
-Standard Plate Bullets max velocity- 1,250 fps.
-Thick Plate Bullets (TP) max velocity- 1,500 fps.
For SAAMI MAX COL specs or OAL of the bullet please click HERE.
We recommend a light crimp on the bullet, just enough to put pressure against the bullet without denting or deforming the plating. If you were to pull the bullet out of a case with the proper crimp you would find no more than a scratch on the surface of the plating. If you are denting or deforming the bullet, your accuracy will suffer and the bullet may start to tumble before it hits the target.
Here are websites with load data information,
https://www.hodgdon.com/basic-manual-inquiry.html
http://www.accuratepowder.com/wp-contentuploads/2010/09/WP_LoadSpec_1-23-14.pdf
http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/default.aspx"
This does NOT mean you can do the same with other brands of plated bullets. So if you have Extreme bullets you need to use their data (or buy Berrys next time).
 
Manuals will vary due to them reflecting averages of tests down on a specific day using specific components and barrel lengths. It's usually best to use the powder maker's data. In this case, Alliant shows 7.8 of Power Pistol as the current MAX for a jacketed 165 grain bullet. (You do not require bullet specific data. It's the weight and jacketed or cast that matters.) Reduce by 10% for the start load. 7.0 for a jacketed 165.
6.5 grains is below current minimum, but not enough to matter. A change of powder lot can change that.
Book velocities don't mean much unless you're using the same barrel length and rifling twist as was used in the tests.
"...the "FBI load."..." Means nothing at all. Except to the marketing department.
 
First of all - what GEN is your glock? 3 or below, google kaboom and glock smile - then undercharge your rounds.

Next - what powder?
I assume the powder is "power pistol"? - not familiar with it.

I use H Titegroup and I load my .40 S&W to 4.7 grains typically for a 165 to a 187 gr round. When I'm doing cast lead - I bring that down to 3.8 gr powder to prevent leading.
 
Just loaded another 1,500 rounds of 165 grain Rocky Mountain plated at 7.3 grains of Power Pistol. Kind of a middle-of-the-road round for range use. I've loaded them as high as 7.6 grains of PP without issue, but 7.3 will run the gun consistently, and 7.6 is high enough for my powder measure to sometimes drop more than 7.8 grains which is the max load according to Alliant, and I don't load my range ammo at or above the recommended max.

Note: according to Alliant, Power Pistol doesn't like to be loaded too low, which is another reason I load mine in the middle.
 
Grey_Lion
http://www.alliantpowder.com/products/powder/power_pistol.aspx

Power Point is an excelllent powder for 40SW and 9mm. It does produce muzzle flash. It was available by 2002, and has not gone away. http://www.castpics.net/LoadData/Freebies/RM/Alliant/Alliant_2002.pdf . It is slightly slower than Unique, but faster than Blue Dot. Those are only a few of Alliant's current powders. Others include the very fast Bullseye (which has been loaded in more pistol cartridges than all other powders combined: 38 Special and 45 ACP), Herco, the other Dots.

I have Gen 2 G26 and a Gen 3 G23. Neither bulge cases noticeable. I reload the brass repeatedly, and do not own or use a bulge buster. There is a photo floating around of three different Glock barrels over 20+ years. I know I posted it once, but cannot find it today. Early Glocks bulged cases, but the feed ramp, and support have been improved and current Glocks are not nearly as bad. I would say Gen 3 is good. Earlier, then you should examine your feed ramp and cartridge support.
Gen 4 are NOT the only Glocks that have better support.
 
I've had great luck with Power Pistol in the .40, 9mm, and .45 ACP cartridges with regards to accuracy. I've found that it produces less recoil but still great accuracy at the lower powder charges.
 
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