I have a Springfield XD-40 4" service. I was just wondering if anyone has done any light loads in this gun. If so is ther anything I should know about before I sart experimenting, lighter spring etc...?

Any and all comment welcome and appreciated.
Thanks
Anthony

I don't have the answer, but it is a question I've pondered.

I watch some of the "practical" shooting and know that they're downloading their ammo. One competitor hinted by saying that he had put in lighter springs to accommodate the "competition" ammo.

But that's the very thing none of the shooting shows seem to delve into: The ammo that's being used. I'd love to know what weights and velocities they're using.

That said, those may be the places to look for your info. The action shooting forums. IDPAUSPCAXYZZY whatever the various initials are.

Most pistold require a spring change if you are going much below std. vel. loads. GLocks are pretty foregiving w/ light loads. The only way to tell is try some. I've run my 45XDTAC w/ stock springs & 200gr bulelts @ 800fps & it worked fine.

quote:

Originally posted by alfsauve:
I don't have the answer, but it is a question I've pondered.

I watch some of the "practical" shooting and know that they're downloading their ammo. One competitor hinted by saying that he had put in lighter springs to accommodate the "competition" ammo.

But that's the very thing none of the shooting shows seem to delve into: The ammo that's being used. I'd love to know what weights and velocities they're using.

That said, those may be the places to look for your info. The action shooting forums. IDPAUSPCAXYZZY whatever the various initials are.

In USPSA Limited and IPSC Standard, most .40 shooters use heavy bullets with fast powders and often a little lighter spring than normal.
In STI/SVIs the ammo is also often loaded long for better reliabillity. A very popular combination is a 180gr bullet, small rifle primer, VV N320 powder loaded to about 1.17" OAL. Some even go to 1.2". Start with around 5.0gr (DO NOT START here at standard .40 OAL!) and chrono it. load up untill you have reach Major powerfactor. In IPSC this means 970-1000fps. Powerfactor is found by (bullet weight x mv) / 1000
In IPSC major pf is 170 in Standard division. USPSA has a slightly lower powerfactor, 165, or 917fps being minimum with 180gr bullets.
Some also use 200gr, but most seems to prefer 180.

Brian Enos' forums' reloading section are about the best I've found. (The USPSA forums probably has some to, but have to be a member to access them). When you look at loadingdata, be sure to check which OAL is used!.
http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showforum=4

Ofcourse you can load weaker loads than the ones used in IPSC/USPSA if you wish.

Cardinal,

Thanks for the references and links.

I know that some competitions, e.g., IDPA, have minimum power factors, however others do not.

I was specifically watching the S&W Laser and Light shootout. They were pretty much using stock guns though one or more indicated they had purchased a new 9mm just for that competition since it had no ammo requirement. One shooter mentioned he had put in weaker springs in his Glock to accommodate the ammo.

So, I'm thinking of doing the same. Having one weak spring'd gun with under powered loads for those casual competitions.

Maybe the Para 1911 LTC I've got coming in soon.

IPSC/USPSA also has a minimum PF. Its 125 and 125 - 160/165/170 is known as Minor while above is Major. (160 is IPSC Open div., 165 is USPSA major and 170 is IPSC Standard/Modified)

Those shooting a minor caliber like 9mm (one can load 9mm to Major only in Open division) usually load to about 130 PF

I belive Steel Challenge use very light loads and therefore light springs.