[Boomer967]

Anyone willing to share their success stories and load data for stock Gen3 G21 and G30? I've been reloading for 30 years for bolt guns and revolvers and don't care to spend a lot of money to find out what won't work in a glock. I'm thinking of something 185g to 230g FMJ. Any help appreciated.

[shotgunred]

http://stevespages.com/451p_8_200.html

[Chunky Mayonnaise]

I've been using 230 Rainier plated on top of 6 grains of Unique 1.250 Oal .471 Crimp mixed brass CCI 300 primer. Basically feels like a factory round. I do have chrono numbers on it, but at the moment I don't have my notebook with me.

[Kentguy]

Boomer967,

My method for reloading practice rounds for my Glocks (or any semi-auto pistol) is pretty much the same as with revolvers, that is to take the numbers from a your favorite off the shelf factory ammo and copy it;

Federal .45 ACP Ammunition
230g RN FMJ
Velocity - Box listed @ 830 fps / 797.8 fps my 6 shot average @ 75 degrees
OAL - 1.260"

Casing - Remington (used) stamp - RP (or whatever you have)
Case length - .898" (standard)
Primer - Winchester Large Pistol Primers
Bullet - 230g RN FMJ (Precision Delta)
Bullet length - .650"
Powder - Alliant Bullseye @ 5.0g
Burn rate - #13 (Hodgdon)
Powder range - 3.8g up to 5.3g (Lyman 49th edition)
Bullet seating OAL - 1.260"
Velocity - 783.6 fps my 6 shot average @ 75 degrees
Standard Deviation - 12.44688
Crimp - Light
Test Gun - Glock 21 w/4.60" Barrel (Gen 3)

This is one of my "go-to" loads for my Glock, very manageable recoil, re-acquiring your target is fast, no over/under burn, and out of my G21 in my hand these give me a very tight group out to 25 yards.

Sounds like you have been around reloading a long time but I'll say this just the same; whatever you decide on, ALWAYS start your testing at a low(er) range and work your way up. You know the drill.

Good luck and be safe out there

[GIockGuy24]

I like 6.0 grains of Unique with any 230 grain bullet. I like Federal and CCI primers. Remington primers aren't bad but the others seem better. My S&W 625 revolver has a strong preference for Federal primers but CCI primers work about as well in the Glocks. The current Winchester primers are terrible quality from my experiences with them and I have a friend that is a Winchester dealer. My Glock 21 is not a generation 3 but a generation 2 and I have a Glock 36.

[Colorado4Wheel]

Main thing is to avoid the SWC. Its hit or miss with people.

[F106 Fan]

Originally Posted by Colorado4Wheel

Main thing is to avoid the SWC. Its hit or miss with people.

I have been using the S&S Casting 200 gr LSWC loaded to 1.250" OAL in my Gen 3 G21SF and it works fine with the factory barrel. It also works in my Colts, Sig 1911 and Sig P220.

I came down on the aftermarket side of the "shoot lead in Glock barrels" debate so I am now using a KKM barrel with the same bullet.

I think the trick is to have just a few thousandths of the lead driving band exposed at the case mouth - it's hard to measure accurately but I come up with somewhere around 0.020".

Having a bit of lead exposed makes a sort of soft ramp for the ejecting case to ride on and helps, in my opinion, to prevent stovepipes.

But, yes, try a few before ordering multiple thousands. That the bullet is 100% reliable for me is no guarantee that it will work in any other gun. But it is 100% reliable...

Richard

[unclebob]

For one I would suggest sticking with 185 & 200 grain bullets. They are a lot cheaper.

[Colorado4Wheel]

Originally Posted by F106 Fan

I have been using the S&S Casting 200 gr LSWC loaded to 1.250" OAL in my Gen 3 G21SF and it works fine with the factory barrel. It also works in my Colts, Sig 1911 and Sig P220.

I came down on the aftermarket side of the "shoot lead in Glock barrels" debate so I am now using a KKM barrel with the same bullet.

I think the trick is to have just a few thousandths of the lead driving band exposed at the case mouth - it's hard to measure accurately but I come up with somewhere around 0.020".

Having a bit of lead exposed makes a sort of soft ramp for the ejecting case to ride on and helps, in my opinion, to prevent stovepipes.

But, yes, try a few before ordering multiple thousands. That the bullet is 100% reliable for me is no guarantee that it will work in any other gun. But it is 100% reliable...

Richard

That's great. Many people have issues with SWC in a G30. Even my G34 is not 100% with a 9mm that has a forward driving band. Why risk the issue. He wants simple. Pick a TC or RN.

[F106 Fan]

Originally Posted by Colorado4Wheel

That's great. Many people have issues with SWC in a G30. Even my G34 is not 100% with a 9mm that has a forward driving band. Why risk the issue. He wants simple. Pick a TC or RN.

Yup!

I know absolutely NOTHING about reloading for a G30 or G36.

Simple always implies LRN or FMJ. I have never tried TC in .45 ACP but I'm about to try it for .40 S&W. I haven't spent much time loading JHP for .45 ACP either. I buy what little I need of JHP.

Given that loading for the G30 is probably more selective than the G21, it would be a good idea to start there. If it works in a G30, it will very likely work in a G21.

FWIW, I have also had good results from the Bear Creek 200 gr LSWC.

I use both Bear Creek and S&S Casting 230 gr LRN in all of my guns but, again, I know NOTHING about how they would work in a G30.

I would probably start by loading FMJ as that is one load that almost has to work. If I had a factory round that I knew functioned well, I would match the OAL and work the powder charge as necessary.

Richard

[Boomer967]

Thanks for all the input guys. I have a little more info.... Picked up some Hornady 230g XTP. I know I was looking for cheap, but right now it's take what you can get. I have some Unique powder and CCI #300 primers. No load data in my old books. Can this be loaded with Speer data for 230g TMJ? 5.9 to 6.9 grs Unique. It's the closest thing in the book. Thanks

[SDGlock23]

According to my notes, 6.2gr of Unique will push a 230gr loaded at 1.240" to around 860 fps from a Glock 21. 6.0gr also works good if you're looking for around 820-830 fps.

6.5gr will do about 920 fps from a 5" bbl.

[F106 Fan]

Originally Posted by Boomer967

Thanks for all the input guys. I have a little more info.... Picked up some Hornady 230g XTP. I know I was looking for cheap, but right now it's take what you can get. I have some Unique powder and CCI #300 primers. No load data in my old books. Can this be loaded with Speer data for 230g TMJ? 5.9 to 6.9 grs Unique. It's the closest thing in the book. Thanks

TMJ would probably be a RN bullet and the XTP is a JHP. The OALs would be different, all else being equal.

But the good news is that the Hornady manual has data for the Hornady bullet!

For the 230 gr XTP, Hornady shows an OAL of 1.230" and somewhere between 5.2 gr and 6.6 gr of Unique. Velocities might range from 700 to 900 fps. I say MIGHT because I never get as much velocity as the manual says.

Military ball ammo runs about 830 fps so, 850 for the XTP sounds good to me. That would take 6.2 gr of Unique and be a good distance away from MAX. I would still start somewhere around MIN and work up!

It would be a good idea to get the manual. You certainly don't want to rely on my failing eyesight and questionable typing skills.

Richard

[dougader]

230 grain LRN and 5.4 grains W231. Shot fine in both a G30 and G21, both Gen 3 guns.

[Zombie Steve]

Originally Posted by Boomer967

Thanks for all the input guys. I have a little more info.... Picked up some Hornady 230g XTP. I know I was looking for cheap, but right now it's take what you can get. I have some Unique powder and CCI #300 primers. No load data in my old books. Can this be loaded with Speer data for 230g TMJ? 5.9 to 6.9 grs Unique. It's the closest thing in the book. Thanks

230 grain XTP, 6.0 grains of Unique, Winchester brass and a Federal match primer got me 872 fps from a 5" 1911. OAL was 1.215". As good a full power load as I've made for .45 auto. They run through my G30 just fine, but I don't have chrono numbers for you for that particular load.

FWIW, when I had a G21, 1911 and G30 the G30 was about 30fps slower than my 1911, and the G21 was about 20 fps faster. That was with a 230 XTP and 6.6 grains of WSF, regular CCI primer, Win brass and loaded to 1.210".

I hope that helps, but even though you want to jump right in, you should still start a little low and work your way up. You might burn through a whole 25 bullets, but your guns might like something different or your barrel might generate higher pressures than I tested...

Good luck.

[dougader]

In looking over some old notes, I burned through a pound of Unique. I loaded for 9mm and 45 auto. I tried 5.9 - 6.2 grains Unique with the 230 grain xtp loaded at 1.225" and settled on the 6.2 grain load. I used to shoot this in a G30 and it was a good load as I recall, averaging 830 fps in a 6-shot string over my little Chrony.

[georgia shooter]

My standard go-to load is 5.5 grs. WW231 under a 230 gr. bullet. Works in everything 45ACP.

[FLSlim]

Hornady 230 XTP ran great through my G30. I now use mostly 200 gr. bullets LRN and jacketed. The XTPs need to be loaded short (I had to go a little below 1.23). My biggest issue with the G30 is that, with the stock recoil spring and slide mass, mine would not reliably cycle with most start loads using 231 and BE. Of course with XTPs you may be planning on mid to upper range loads, so that won't be an issue.