TargetTalk

1) Is there anyone who uses them?
2) Have you noticed any difference in terms of accuracy as well as recoil?
3) What powder do you use?

To answer part of your question in regards to powder you will find a variety of answers. Given you're in Italy I'm guessing you have access to VV N310 which is an excellent powder. I use 1.1 to 1.3 grains depending upon my pistol , other options include Trailboss, and W231.

Lapua makes excellent bullets that seem to be very consistent, however the lube has a unique feel to it over others.

Accuracy is dependant on many variables rather than just the bullet used. The right crimp, the barrel (each pistol is different), consistency of your powder measure, etc....

You are likely going to have to experiment with a few different combinations to determine what is best for you.

Good luck,

Brian

Most of the bullets used are 98gr. swagged lead hollow base wadd cutters.
Lapua brass is very good. Speer has some nice 98gr. swagged wadds. Also you might try H&R since you are in Europe.

I use 98 gr HBWC with N310. I was just curious to know the impressions of those who use the 83 grain bullets, the speed seems to be quite higher than the 98...

I've used the 83gr. bullet for almost 15 years with very good results. I'm pushing it with 1.4 grains of Alliant Bullseye powder. Since you are in Italy, Fiocchi is my favorite .32 factory loaded ammo. I'm shooting a Pardini.

Yep, we are shooting the 83grs Lapua here, with either 1.4grs N310 (for precision) or 1.1grs N310 (for rapid fire). Excellent bullet, better quality than H&N, very easy to load. MG4 with the 1.1 grs load has muzzle jump like a .22lr...

I would also suggest the Unique tek powder bar for the small loads under 1.5GR I use it for my loads 1.3 N310 with H&N bullets. Ive used the speer as well but found them not quite as accurate and not very consistant in their weights.. Lapua bullets seem to be the best when it comes to weight consistency but H&N are close. Im using a Dillon 550 press and shooting Pardini .32.

Rob

Thanks for the replies.
Greg Derr: Sometimes I use Fiocchi and Magtech, but I prefer to use reloaded cartridges, Fiocchi's are too slow for me.
Tycho: Why two different cartridges in the precision and duel? I think the recoil is not very important as it can be in automatic or standard pistol.
Custom954: I also use the 550 and have the uniquetek micrometer powder bar, but for a match I make my cartridges one by one...

Nah, that's not duel, but stuff like CISM MRF and some local specialities (5 shot series). Sorry about the confusion. In Duel it doesn't matter, the faster ammo is slightly more precise, but then the softer stuff is easier to shoot.

Apparently, Lapua has an approx. 90% market share in Finland (surprise!).

The people with more experience tell me that the light Lapua bullet may not be very accurate in guns whose barrel is short, e.g. Walther GSP (especially bad in this regard from what I have learned), Pardini.
A full 6" barrel gives no problem; e.g. Sako, Unique, FAS.
Handloading may cure this problem.

The lighter bullet is preferred by many e.g. due to low recoil i.e. more comfortable to shoot.
Also, as military discipline we shoot big bore rapid pistol: 10, 8 and 6 seconds 5 shot series. In this discipline, low recoil comes to its own and the light Lapua bullet is much liked.
I use Fiocchi ammo for this very reason: it is slow and hence mild, indeed, in recoil. Expensive, though!

- Lars/Finland

Tycho wrote:Yep, we are shooting the 83grs Lapua here, with either 1.4grs N310 (for precision) or 1.1grs N310 (for rapid fire). Excellent bullet, better quality than H&N, very easy to load. MG4 with the 1.1 grs load has muzzle jump like a .22lr...

Tyco,

What diameters are the two Lapua bullets? Their Web site doesn't show them as .314, .313, etc. and my conversion attempts do not make sense.

Stan

They are sold as .313, and listed as such in the Lapua catalogue. Feels like that, too, but then, they don't have the same surface as the H&N bullets, so they're not really comparable, anyway.