Light & Fast vs. Heavy & Slow

AS a general rule, the lighter the bullet, the less recoil and, theoretically, the more controlable.
I used to have a Ruger Super Blackhawk 10 1/2"; I could shoot it all day with a max load in the 180 gr. weight, but 40-50 rds of max load with the 240 gr. bullets was all I could take.

Nemo said:

…there's a growing trend of Limited Division shooters moving their .40S&W loads from the classic 180 grain bullets to 155 and even 135 grain. The lighter ones have to be pushed fairly fast to make power factor. I've tried the 155's and they have a snappy feeling to them but nothing uncontrolable.

What would be the advantage of moving to the lighter projectiles?

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First and foremost in my mind would be stability and accuracy, although at today's IPSC distances, I'm not that sure that increased accuracy is that compelling a reason to "switch." (The very first stage of the 1979 or 1981 World Shoot… and this was in the open iron, 5-inch, .45 ACP era… was head shots at 60 yards! The competitors whined then, but then went to the line and did it… what sort of wailing and gnashing of teeth do you think you'd hear on today's IPSC circuit?!?)

I don't know that you'd have to go all the way down to a 135-grain projectile due to pressure considerations, but something in the 155-to-165 grain weight class might be a productive exploration.

When I last followed IPSC Standard (USPSA Limited), shooters were experimenting with heavier than normal bullets. Shooters were running 200gr and even 220gr bullets in .40 S&W and 10x25mm. Folks with .45 ACP were playing with 250-260gr bullets. When interest ran to IDPA, one of our former match directors, a very competitive fellow, kept trying to find a 158-160gr RNL that he could run in his Glock 34.

The featherweight bullet - high velocity - high pressure loads are the rage in Open/Modified because the expansion chamber comps work better at higher gas pressures. In Standard/Limited, there isn't much of a need to do this unless you simply prefer the way your pistol cycles with the different load.

sure makes a diff when the targets are flesh and blood,

tho. The slow, heavy bullets don't expand in flesh, regardless of what they do in water or jello. That means that they overpenetrate and waste some of their energy. In view of the fact that energy is so limited in a controlable, ccw pistol, you want ALL of it put to work causing shock and damaging tissues. About the only standard type of bullet and load that can really do this is the Double Tap, 1500 fps, 10mm 135 gr jhp, and it's just barely controlable in a lw, compact pc.

You have to get into the REALLY fast, really lw bullets to really notice these effects. By that I mean 50-70 gr bullets, at 2200+ fps. Such will probably never be offered to the public as loaded ammo, however, because they zip right thru soft body armor.

Stick to the mid-weight rounds and you'll get the best of both worlds.

I.E. 9mm = 124-gr.; 40 = 135 to 155-gr.