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Long story here, but I think it comes to reloads. I'm open to all suggestions, though.

Back in 2003, I picked up a Sig P229 in 40 cal. Great gun. I was working in southern Louisiana (based in Houston), so I kept it under the seat in my car when I would make the drive on the weekends. Love the fact that there's no safety. But the gun always shot a bit low. I started with factory UMC ammo at 165 grains. I learned to shoot on a 1911, so I always used the "6 o'clock" sighting, which certainly contributed to the low shot placement. But it always shot consistently.

After about 1000 rounds of UMC, I started to use my dad's Dillon RL550B for reloading. Finally settled on 175 grain lead semi-wad cutters (LSWC) with 5.0 grains of Winchester 231. Don't recall the OAL right now. Now, for reference, I'm pretty good with my dad's firearms; Colt Gold Cup 45, Para Ordnance 45, browning Hi Power, and even my Browning Buck Mark 22 LR. In fact, the Browning Buck Mark is certainly the most accurate pistol I've ever shot. I can even get good groups with my Sig, but they're always low. I finally did some looking and discovered that Sig sights their firearms for "combat sighting", which would place the shot higher than the sighting I was taught to use.

So last weekend, I go out and do some shooting. All the shots (10 yards out) were LOW. Like, I put up a 16X22 inch target with the "bulls eye" about 5 inches from the top. Shots were 8 to 10 inches low. So I started thinking that perhaps it was my reloads. I don't recall the velocity of my rounds, but I'm wondering if anyone here sees any problems. We've used 231 for handgun reloads for years, since it worked with 45 and 9 mm, which my dad had before I got my 40. Any recommended changes in powder? I've got 1000 more of the 175 grain bullets, so I'd prefer not to change those.

Thanks.

Reed

...do you have a chance to fire it out of a rest, so that the human element is removed??? That's a lotta low at close range...maybe it was owned by a female officer who had an attitude!!!! At such short ranges, I wouldn't suspect the ammo...or the reloading...do you get the same low groups single-actioning as double-actioning???

Did shoot from a bench, but the results were essentially the same.

Gun was purchased new.

All shots were single action.

...if the factory ammo didn't print low, and the reloads do...I'd have to give it up that it was the ammo...but I can't imagine why that much at that short a range...

So any suggestions on what to do differently with the reloads?

Hoping to throw some factory stuff down the range soon and chrono it, so I can at least compare my reloads to something.

...I've heard of someone leaning in as they anticipate recoil...I've never heard of POI dropping at close range like this...but I'm not a target shooter nor have I studied physics...we'll have to wait on the pro shooters for this one...