40 S&W accuracy test

[Blanco]

Please keep in mind that reloading ammunition is dangerous and that you should never exceed the manufacturers listed and tested reloading data. The information here is not intended for public use and should you use any data here you will do so at your own risk and peril

After some discussion on here about what would and would not work, I decided to do my own little test.
The gun is a fairly new S&W M&P Pro .40 cal with a 5" barrel
The round is 175 Gr. Lee TC coated with a dry lube.
powder is Unique
OAL 1.124
Primer is CCI 550
Brass is bulk range pickup that has ben cleaned and sized ( by me)
shots were indoor at 10 yds

The only variable in this test is the powder charge.
98856

98855

98857

98858

As you should see as it seems the faster we go the better it behaves
It shot and grouped best at 6.0 gr. Unique
Next

[Blanco]

I intend to load the same bullet with several other powders and see which might produce good results
I have
Unique (tested 6.0)
Bullseye
Red Dot
Green Dot
HS-6
Titegroup

[Bwell]

I would love to see your results with Red Dot.

[Dusty Bannister]

Are you keeping in mind that the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook, 4th edition shows the max charge for the 175 grain cast bullets as 5.8 grains of Unique? Those pressures are at or above 23,200 C U P so with the unsupported chamber you might end up with a handful of surprise.
Dusty

[Blanco]

Thanks for the reminder Dusty
I have always considered the Lyman book to be a bit on the cautious side with their load data.
I will add that the difference between 6.0 and 6.2 was actually pretty obvious.
The funny thing is the pistol was better mannered at 6.0 than at 5.5, which in turn made it easier to shoot well.
I am still having issues with the smoke. leading was not too bad. I was clean when I started, and it did have a couple of small spots near the muzzle when I cleaned.
If I don't get any better results than what I am getting with leading and smoke I will have to give the Hi Tech coating a shot (so to speak)

[Jupiter7]

Coated with a dry lube? Details? Just curious as to what and what method.

[Blanco]

The dry lube is an experiment, so far it has not been effective

[Harter66]

My load development up to 5.7 U w/401-175 TCTL in an XD40 mirrors yours as far as groups go. It is 1 of only 2-3 guns that I have ever had that would shoot max load of anything. Oddly enough 1 of the others went from a good 40yd duck gun to a solid consistant 60 goose gun , w/steel shot no less.......