Want to Know Reasons for Loading with Light Powder Charges

BAMO · Post by **BAMO** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 9:59 pm

I've noticed a lot of the load data recommended by forum users is near, at or below the various reloading handbooks' suggested minimum powder starting charge weights. Would like to know what the reasoning is for using such low powder charge weights for Bullseye match shooting?

I've only recently started shooting in Bullseye matches and have only used commercial ammo and iron sights with my .45 and 9mm. I've seen a lot of other shooters using optics on their .45 cal. and 9mm match pistols and am wondering if that is because the bullet drop that results from loading with minimal powder charges is such that you can't effectively rely on iron sights?

Isabel1130 · Post by **Isabel1130** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 11:09 pm

The reasons for using a fairly light charge are mostly for recoil reduction and quick recovery in timed and rapid fire. The short line is at 25 yards and there is little reason to shoot hot loads and expensive bullets except at the fifty yard line where you may need them for accuracy. A well built wad gun is machined to function with those light loads and a lighter recoil spring. Expecially if you are older shooting hot loads can injure your wrist, your elbow and your shoulder.
Also if you shoot light loads, and accidentally double charge one, you probably won't blow up your gun. If you are reloading close to the max and double that charge, blowing up your gun, and hurting yourself is a real possibility.

Rover · Post by **Rover** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 7:43 am

What he said. Also, sights do not enter into the question. The Red Dots are easier to use than iron, but can't be used in International (Olympic) pistol shooting.

Isabel1130 · Post by **Isabel1130** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 12:51 pm

Rover wrote:What he said. Also, sights do not enter into the question. The Red Dots are easier to use than iron, but can't be used in International (Olympic) pistol shooting.

Dots are easier to use for some people. They have extended the shooting career of many aging shooters. The problem with irons is that many of us need special glasses to see the front sight clearly and blur out the target. I had a set made in 2008 that are useless now. Both the front sight AND the target are blurry. I am back to shooting irons with my distance perscription sun glasses or bifocals, both of which work fine.

TonyT · Post by **TonyT** » Sat Jun 23, 2012 6:57 pm

For punching paper the minimal velocity accurate load is all that is required. In 45 ACP I use a 185 gr. LSWC at 720 fps for 25 yards and 790 fps for 50 yards. The less recoil the better the recvery especially in timed and rapid fire. I switched to 32 S&W long in the CF to reduce recoil and it sure improved my scores.

BAMO · Post by **BAMO** » Sun Jun 24, 2012 3:36 pm

Rover wrote:What he said. Also, sights do not enter into the question. The Red Dots are easier to use than iron, but can't be used in International (Olympic) pistol shooting.

I've seen a few of the red dot sights out there and and have tried out a holographic one but couldn't hit anything with it. Don't remember the brand name of the one I shot with. What type, make/model of red dot sight would you all recommend I look into buying?

Rover · Post by **Rover** » Sun Jun 24, 2012 4:24 pm

I put some cheap BSA ($25) on some springer air rifles, which usually are pretty destructive of sights. No problems at all with three of them.

I use a Ultra Dot on my .22 pistol. It seems to be OK, but I don't think it's really high quality. They ARE very popular with bullseye shooters, though.

I've also seen a really tiny Barska from Cabelas that seemed decent and cheap ($64).

The point of this thread was light loads. There is no connection with them and red dots as far as I can tell, except for weight added by slide mounted ones causing problems.

oldcaster · Post by **oldcaster** » Sun Jun 24, 2012 8:58 pm

The biggest thing about light loads is the lighter they are the dirtier they are so it is a compromise sometimes. Usually when they are lighter they are less accurate but not 100% of the time.

With a dot on a gun, the difference in impact between 50 and 25 yards is greater because of how high above bore line the sight is and it might be possible to manipulate two different loads so there is no change for the sights between the two distances.

Some of the dots that are made for quick shooting at steel might have such rough adjustments and severe parallax that they won't work well for bullseye.

Quite a few older shooters that really don't have good eyesight go back to iron sights because they are starting to shake more and a dot shows this up more and can make for bad trigger pull so for some people dots can be worse than irons. For me, my longline shooting suffers with irons over a dot and improves at the short line. -- Bill --