Lube Recommendations for M&P .40

[BulletFactory]

Im about to get an M&P.40 Pro Series in 5", and wanted to get the best lube for it. As some of you know, I've been working on a leading issue in an XD.40 for a long time, and I'd like to rule out lube as a problem before I start trying to make ajustments for the M&P.

The XD barrel will need to have the throat cut before it will ever work, a project that I just cant afford to do, it will just have to lead. I'll just put my efforts into developing a load for the M&P, and put the money I get into the reloading tools and components for the .308.

[geargnasher]

I doubt lube alone will help a whole lot if you have fit issues, but I had the best luck using White Label Carnauba Red for the hot loads and a blend of C.Red and BAC for milder stuff. My harder, summer version of Felix lube worked great for midrange stuff (900-950 fps) or so. By best luck I mean the cleanest gun and best accuracy, most of my load workups were centered around getting that little plastic pistol to shoot straight, and when I was done it would put 14 rounds in a two inch group at 25 yards from the bench. My softer version of Felix lube was printing about three inches, it was just to slick for the loads I was using.

Gear

[popper]

I load for and shoot an XD .40 with no leading problem, don't know why you have one.

[NuJudge]

I have a .40 Beretta barrel that Leads like mad, and another that does not. The difference is in groove diameter.

In your pistols, is it Leading from chamber to muzzle, or just near the muzzle?

[BulletFactory]

Thanks gear. I haven't got the gun out of layaway yet, 540$ paid so far, so I dont know the diameter, Im just trying to rule out the lube. Im currently using WW, air cooled, at 12.1 BHN. Should I be ok with WST powder? Or do you have a better idea.

I had the XD working once, then I broke the barrel. Once they installed a new one, all hell broke loose. Tried different lubes, different powders, different diameters, every different hardness you can think of. The throat seems to be the problem.

Leading starts pretty close to the chamber, and goes down hill from there. The bullets are too small, but if I get them any larger, they start shearing off at the chamber. Search Chamber Shearing, there's a thread on it.

Since I went through so much with the XD, Im not sure where to start with the M&P, so I figured I'd find right lube, slug and size to .001 over and go from there.

[BulletFactory]

right now, Im loading 4.8 WST, Winchester small pistol primers, air cooled wheel weights, 12 bhn, mixed brass, 1.123 OAL, trimmed to .840 (most brass never touches cutter), and a pulled diameter of .4005 Accurate molds 40-160b they weigh 165 grains. I deburr with a Lyman VLD, so the bearing surface of a pulled bullet doesnt show any galling. I use a custom expander that deltaenterprises made, and have removed the ring from the factory crimp die. I only crimp enough to remove the bell, it does not leave a mark on the pulled bullets.

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx294/stainless1911/40-160B.png

[thegreatdane]

...slug and size to .001 over and go from there.

Go .002.

.002 is only .5% over. Proportionally, as the diameter goes up, the proportion over oversize becomes less significant. I run everything .002 over except for the smaller stuff. Seems to help and partially alleviate other sources of leading (boolit swaging, casting voids, etc).

My .02 er.... .002.