Action pistol shooting is a rapidly growing area of the shooting world with many new shooters getting involved in competition shooting for the very first time. While some shooters utilize factory ammunition, reloading your own ammunition can not only improve your match performance but also make the entire experience more enjoyable.

I compete in United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) matches throughout the year. This organization is one of the largest action pistol shooting organizations in existence. There are many different divisions in which a shooter can compete and each division is separated into classes so that shooters only compete against others at their skill level. The scoring process involves points for hitting certain zones on targets with relation to time. The points are awarded based on a ranking system called Power Factor, which comes into play when reloading your own match ammunition.

What is Power Factor?

Power factor in USPSA shooting is calculated by multiplying the bullet by the velocity, and then dividing that result by 1000 to get a more manageable number. To be classified as “Minor” power factor, this final calculation needs to equal or be greater than 125 and less than 165. Anything less than this and the ammunition is ruled to be “Sub-minor” and the competitor will not be allowed to accrue a score for the match. If the calculation number is equal or greater than 165, the ammunition is classified as “Major” power factor. Shooters opting to shooting major power factor will get more points for off-center hits than those shooting minor power factor loads. These extra points are awarded for putting up with the more harsh recoil and blast noise throughout a match.

Reloading for Power FactorWhen I began action pistol shooting, I decided to shoot a .45 ACP 1911 in a division dedicated to that gun design. It is also one of the many divisions that recognize the different power factors and I knew instantly I wanted to shoot major for the extra points that were offered. While factory ammunition was plenty hot enough to earn me the proper power factor ranking, reloading my own ammunition could make a softer shooting load with enough power to still make major.

Load Development/Component Selection

I began my load development with a batch of once fired .45 ACP Winchester brass that I had saved in the previous months. For primers, I opted to use the Remington 2 ½ large pistol primer. I tested 2 different powders initially: Hodgdon TiteGroup and Hodgdon Clays. This initial choice of test powders was based on multiple recommendations from friends and other shooters who had already developed their own loads. I’m currently shooting a moly coated 200gr Semi-Wad Cutter (SWC) from Precision Bullets. This choice gave me a bullet with the price of cast lead but with less smoke and mess due to a lack of a lube ring and the moly coating on them. Another good option for jacketed bullet fan is the Sierra 230 gr FMJ Match bullet.

Remington 2 ½ primers

Hodgdon TiteGroup

Sierra 230gr FMJ (Match)

Using the data listed in the Hodgdon reloading manuals, I made a small batch of rounds at varying powder charges with both the TiteGroup and Clays powder. Because I am shooting a 200 gr bullet, I knew I needed to achieve a velocity of at least 825 fps to qualify for major power factor (200×825=165000/1000=165). I decided I wanted my ammunition to have a little cushion so I tested until I achieved 850 fps giving me a power factor of 170. I began with batches of 15 rounds in the different loads testing not only velocity, but also a general feel of gun’s recoil and smoke/blast. After the initial loads, I made 30 more rounds of the best load from each powder. During that final test I again checked velocity with a chronograph as well as assessed the grouping abilities of the rounds. Both the TiteGroup and the Clays powder grouped well enough for my purposes (2-3” group at 25 yards with a support), but the Clays was far too smoky for my liking. I ended up with a load of 4.9 grains of Hodgdon TiteGroup. It is plenty fast enough to make power, but its recoil impulse is significantly less than that of factory ammo making it much easier and more enjoyable to shoot. At my first match that checked ammunition at the chronograph station, the velocities of my 3 shots for average were 850, 848, and 851 fps. The loads were very consistent and right where I wanted for the proper power. I successfully shot that same load all of last season with similar results-a soft shooting load with enough power to give me an advantage for extra points.

One thing to remember when working up your own loads: Every firearm is different and it is always recommended to use up-to-date loading manuals and start at the minimum charge listed for a given powder. Always work up loads slowly to avoid pressure problems.

Thank you & Good Shooting!

Corey Schwanz
Sinclair Reloading Technician
Indiana State USPSA Single Stack Champion 2010