40 S&W suggestions

[Alstep]

What are your recommendations for boolits and loads for the 40 S&W. Will be used in a XDM.

[tazman]

A lot depends on what powders you have and what you intend to use the pistol for.
I don't have an XDM. I have a Taurus 101 with an EFK firedragon barrel. It likes the Lee 401-175-tc with the standard lube grooves. Currently I am loading with IMR 4756, but since that powder has been discontinued it won't be much help to you. The other 3 loads I tested were Titegroup, 800X, and Herco. The Titegroup didn't work all that well. Not sure why, but I didn't experiment with it much. The 800X worked ok but had a lot of unburned powder. The Herco load was great and worked just as well as the 4756. That will be my go to load when I run out of 4756.
175 grain cast boolit-small pistol primer- IMR 4756 6.1-6.5 grains - Herco 5.5-6.3 grains.
I am loading 6.1 with 4756 and 5.8 with Herco.
I tried some lighter weight boolits but could only get semi-wadcutters which didn't want to feed well in my pistol so I am sticking with the 175 grain Lee.
Your mileage may vary as far as how the loads work out in your pistol. I would start lower and work your way up.

[websterz]

+1 on the Lee .401 175 TC. It is my favorite in my .40 carbine.

[scattershot]

I don't load defense ammo, but one of my favorite general purpose loads is a 175-180 grain TC boolit over 4.0 grains of Red Dot. About 950 FPS.

[RobS]

Hard to beat the Lee 175 TC mold and I'm a guy that likes a flat meplat. There are some other nice molds over at NOE as well.
http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.php?cPath=39&sort=2a&page=1

I probably like this one the most and is a 180 grain boolit.
http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/images/N.O.E._Bullet_Moulds_403_180Gr._RF.Jpg

[Jupiter7]

There is a group buy recently closed and soon to be cut by NOE for 170grn TC boolit. Otherwise the Oreo designed mihec 190 WFN is excellent. I also like NOE's other designs, I have the 160rn too. The 180wfn above looks real nice. Here's a link to the NOE boolit.


http://noebulletmolds.com/smf/index.php?topic=488.0

[Alstep]

Thanks gentlemen for your advise. Will probably start out with a lee mold and go from there.
Hope you all have a good New Year, filled with lots of lead & cordite!

[bbs70]

My Glock 22 with Lone Wolf barrel & my S&W M&P Pro 40 like the Lee 175 with HS-6 powder

[petroid]

XD Subcompact. Lee 175 TC. OAL 1.125 700-X, WST, Power Pistol, CFE Pistol all work well for me. I won't give my loads but they are all published and under max by a few tenths of a grain.

[Big Steve]

I like the LEE 175 gr over 5.5 of Unique out of my Glocks. Just got the LEE 145 .401 mold for Christmas but hadn't got a chance to try it yet.

[bangerjim]

I also have the XDM and I load every 40 cal slug Lee makes molds for.

I use TiteGroup for most loads per the published data in the books and the website. Have also used other powders when I had them. All data in the books.

banger

[badbob454]

one more for the lee tc 175 gr mold love the bevel base doesn't shave off the lead when loading .. shoots strait out of a m&p

[badbob454]

I also have the XDM and I load every 40 cal slug Lee makes molds for.

I use TiteGroup for most loads per the published data in the books and the website. Have also used other powders when I had them. All data in the books.

banger
how is the accuracy with the tumble lube boolit , is it as good as the single groove?

[tazman]

how is the accuracy with the tumble lube boolit , is it as good as the single groove?

Some people have accuracy issues with the TL boolit in pistols. I haven't shot any of them in my pistols for that reason. I decided not to mess with something that had a less than perfect record in a semi-auto pistol. They work fine in my revolvers though.

[bangerjim]

I have one 40 microgroove mold left over from my tumble grease lube days. It seems to shoot darn near as accurate in the match grade barrel. I have heard some do see/think there is a decrease in accuracy but I personally have not seen it. Of all the semis I have shot, my 40 XDM is a dead-eye! ( even in my hands!) Others have been impressed also. A buddy has a 40 XD and is not nearly as accurate.

If you do not know already, I PC each and every cal I now shoot. Love it.

banger

[MT Gianni]

Lee 175 tc and power pistol.

[igolfat8]

I have Lee's 175 and 145 and I prefer the 145 LSWC over the 175. The 145 is more accurate out of my my Glocks. I load with Titegroup, BE, Clays, N320 and AutoComp. I shot TG most of the summer months with excellent results.

[MBuechle]

I have an XD40 and shoot the Oreo Mihec 190 WFN bullets. Really like them. Use Power Pistol for medium loads and Longshot for Max stuff. Cast as a shallow HP they drop at 193gr. and Longshot will push these to 1097 fps. I used to shoot the Lee 175 TL and had good luck with these also. Bluedot, HS-6, Power Pistol, HP-38 all worked well and the bullet was very accurate. It's a SWC and seating depth had to be worked at to get reliable feeding but once done they shot well. I sold the mold once I started using the Mihec though.