powder-puff loads for hardball

Just curious, what do shooters think they are gaining by shooting powder-puff loads in a leg match?

Just the use of the words "powder-puff" shows your bias and I doubt this thread will go well.

EIC matches are between the best non-distinguished shooters in attendance.  In my mind, the only people that should be frustrated are those that are not distingushed yet and spent good money on a gun specific for EIC matches where now they could have used their wad gun.

Its simple physic's Lighter loads are more manageable under recoil and some feel this gives them a better chance at a higher score. Its all a mute point now imo since the variety of guns allowed went from two to nearly two hundred and several calibers, something for everyone to like I guess is the goal

Last couple years have experimented with "powder puff" loads in the 9mm for the short line.
My normal load is 4.8gr N340 under 115gr Sierra.
Loaded 3.8-4.0 of N340 for testing.
You could feel the difference.
A couple of good shooters at the club wanted to try them out and I loaded for them.
One shooter used them at Perry in 2013 and one in 2014.
Their scores and my scores using these "powder puff " loads were no better or worse in our scores at the short line.
I have abandoned the idea entirely since there is no difference in score.

Just my honest opinion.

Clarence

Clarence, you nailed my "bias" right on the head.  Felt recoil and recovery are a small small part of the equation.  Trigger weight is what throws shooters off.  The heavy pull affects the timing, it affects the shooters attitude, and it affects the ability to pull the trigger straight back. To prove this put a 4 lb. trigger pull on your 22 and see if the score is substantially improved.  The only thing weak loads will accomplish is to increase your "frustration" level with a bunch of refires.

I actually never cared for the extra recoil of the 230 ball load.  Recovery times was my hangup.  Kinda like the difference between a 173 and 168 a when shooting a M14 sitting rapid.  The extra recoil and recovery slowed the cadence.

I've been shooting my .22 stage with a conversion on my ball gun lower for over a year now.  My .22 scores are nothing to complain about.  Low 280s/upper 270s.

tierney wrote:Clarence, you nailed my "bias" right on the head.  Felt recoil and recovery are a small small part of the equation.  Trigger weight is what throws shooters off.  The heavy pull affects the timing, it affects the shooters attitude, and it affects the ability to pull the trigger straight back. To prove this put a 4 lb. trigger pull on your 22 and see if the score is substantially improved.  The only thing weak loads will accomplish is to increase your "frustration" level with a bunch of refires.

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!