davsco
Ultimate Member
given that i'm using factory ammo, does bullet weight matter much for idpa (9mm glock 34) and uspsa (limited .40 glock 35)? if so, what is preferred? thx
preferred bullet weights for idpa and uspsa
- Thread starter davsco
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jimbobborg
Oddball caliber fan
IDPA, on the higher levels of competition, tests the ammo you use to make sure your power factor is met. 115gr 9mm needs to have a minimum speed to be legal for IDPA. If your ammo meets this spec, use it. I personally use the lightest bullet weight for caliber I can get away with to keep recoil down. I use 165gr FMJs in my .40 Limited gun. YMMV.
Jim
Jim
BenL
John Galt Speaking.
For USPSA, are you shooting Limited Major or Minor?
For Major, you need a power factor of 165 (as of 2008.) I load 180gr JHP with 4.8gr of Clay's (COL=1.210"), which gets me to ~ 925fps; a PF of ~166.5. In my pistol, the recoil is very tame- feels like a 9mm.
If you're shooting factory ammo only, I'd shoot what ever's most comfortable, assuming it meets minimum speeds (~916fps for 180gr and 1,000fps for 165gr.) Do you have a chrony?
For Major, you need a power factor of 165 (as of 2008.) I load 180gr JHP with 4.8gr of Clay's (COL=1.210"), which gets me to ~ 925fps; a PF of ~166.5. In my pistol, the recoil is very tame- feels like a 9mm.
If you're shooting factory ammo only, I'd shoot what ever's most comfortable, assuming it meets minimum speeds (~916fps for 180gr and 1,000fps for 165gr.) Do you have a chrony?
actionpistolshooter
Active Member
Most any 9mm, 40 S&W, and 45 ACP factory ammo makes power factor (125 for USPSA minor and IDPA SSP / ESP, 165 for USPS major and IDPA CDP)
IMHO shoot whatever factory ammo feels good to you, just check it out of your gun(s) to confirm it makes PF.
The benefit to reloading is you can tune / down load ammo to just a bit over PF and get a softer shooting load.
davsco
Ultimate Member
shooting major in Limited / L-10. all the big name (win, fed, speer, cci) commercial loads i saw in .40 from 155g to 180g make major pretty easily (based on their stated velocity). i'm not good enough to tell the diff in recoil though i suspect it does make a diff, hence my question.
sounds like lighter bullet is better than heavier, as long as minor (for 9) and major (for 40 in limited) is met.
sounds like lighter bullet is better than heavier, as long as minor (for 9) and major (for 40 in limited) is met.
300RUM
Custom Member
This is not from personal experience but it is my understanding that in 9mm 147gr has a less snappy recoil than 115gr
I have been shooting 115 but once I'm out I'm gonna try 124 and 147 to compare.
davsco
Ultimate Member
[if] muzzle energy is pretty much equal to or a predictor of recoil, seems the heavier bullets, again in factory loadings, have the lower muzzle energy (e = 1/2mass x velocity squared). the bullet weight only counts for half, but velocity is squared.
hailtoby
Running with the Devil.
Assuming the gun is the same, I think recoil has more to do with momentum than projectile energy, which is m*v.
pop-gunner
Ultimate Member
- May 8, 2008
- 2,272
Factory ammo you won't find much of a difference with the 34. If I were you I'd shoot whatever is cheapest.
When you reload you'll have to do some playing and see what feels best in your gun. I shoot a 124gr bullet in my reloads because I felt the slide was lugging a bit coming back into battery with the 147gr in the 34.
The 147gr does give more of a push recoil impulse but the 124gr snapps that longer slide back onto target quicker.
If I were shooting a 17 I'd probably use the 147gr.
When you reload you'll have to do some playing and see what feels best in your gun. I shoot a 124gr bullet in my reloads because I felt the slide was lugging a bit coming back into battery with the 147gr in the 34.
The 147gr does give more of a push recoil impulse but the 124gr snapps that longer slide back onto target quicker.
If I were shooting a 17 I'd probably use the 147gr.
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