40 s&w

[Lee S. Forsberg]

Hope this is the right place to ask.
Just getting into loading 40 S&W can I get some load information?
What is the best cast bullet weight and style for this round?
How much and what type of powder and primer?
What loading technique works best, full length sizing, heavy crimp/light crimp, best OAL for loaded amo?
Any information will be helpful.
Thanks
Lee

[sargenv]

Um.. there are as many answers and more as there are questions. The question I have for you is, what do you want the cartridge to do for you? Do you want maximum velocity? What kind of gun will you shoot it in (different 40's will allow different lengths). Do you want the hottest fastest thing you can get or the slowest heaviest bullet? Do you want to shoot competition with it? USPSA? IDPA, other?

There are a ton of loads for the 40 S&W. My current favorite is the 185 gr RN utilizing 3.6 gr of Solo 1000 clocking about 750 fps out of a 6.5" S&W 610, loaded to minor power factor for ICORE and USPSA with an overall length of 1.260". I can likely take that same bullet and push it over 900 fps to make major to shoot in a Para Ordnance Limited race gun with 5 gr of Win 231 seated to 1.175".

My best bit of advice is to look around these forums for the answers as they are already here. If you want to find out about competitive uses of the 40, you can head over to the Brian enos forum and that information is shared ad nauseum.. Some people like Vitt N320, Vit N310, I like Solo 1000 and Ramsot Competition, and still others like Unique, power pistol and even Blue Dot. It really depends on what you want to load it for.

[Trey45]

PLEASE buy a reloading manual, thats the safest and best way to get accurate load data.

[Lee S. Forsberg]

PLEASE buy a reloading manual, thats the safest and best way to get accurate load data.

You are absolutely right a good current loading manual is necessary and I will buy one.

[squid1230]

180gr cast boolit with 4.2gr ( if I remember correctly) Titegroup pushes it at an average 970fps which is major factor in IPSC I believe. It's been a while, but check the books.

[mikeyd499]

I like to shoot 155 gr jfp's in my glock 23 for practice. I use 5.5 grs of 231. It shoots very well in my gun.

[shotman]

Unique was my choice in the 10mm I have not tried it in the 40 yet. This "new" unique is very clean.

[Leadforbrains]

I like HS6, W231 and N340. These powders work well for me with 155 to 165 grain projectiles. I get good accuracy from all three powders in both My Sig Sauers

[6.5 mike]

I also like hs-6. With 165 & 180 gr bullets it shoots to same poi in my sig & my 96
It's clean burning too. I'm using load data from the nosler book. Middle load if I remember right, notes are at home.

[lead slead]

I use 4.0-4.2 gr tite group at 1.28 oal out of my M&P 40 shooting a 175gr swc water dropped. Crimp just enough to take out the belling maybe a smig more. Low recoil and great accuracy. But it smokes some...(could be the liquid alox...lubri sizer is on my list for x-mas.) I have also shot 6.5 gr power pistol....less smoke more flash fun to shoot...a little more snap again great accuracy. I am currently working up loads using American select and H Universal. I have heard great results using Solo 1000 and lead but I haven't been able to get my hands on any yet. I load my oal at 1.28 because my M&P didn't like 1.30 much and I try to stay away from min case length unless I am going for a near max load.

[technetium-99m]

I load the Lee 175gr TC to 1.135 with 4.4gr of Solo1000. My crimp is just enough to get rid of the bell. This load makes major comfortably (171-173 PF). For a minor load I just drop the powder charge to 3.6gr and get 140ish PF. My 2011 eats them both without complaint. The more I load 40S&W the more I like it.

[calkar]

My low target/practice load is lee's 175g. tc with 3.8g of unique. Any lower than that and the action of my sigma will not function reliably. In my sigma, very little of the shoulder of this bullet can be exposed from the case or it will jam.

[calkar]

I use unique because I shoot alot, and Im cheap, but there aint nothin clean about it!

[shotman]

Calkar I found that it was much cleaner than bullseye,tightgroup. and E3 which was a mess. I was looking at the inside of New brass

[calkar]

I used bullseye for many years, sometimes the smell would move other shooter farther away a bench or two.

[calkar]

Yes, Your right it really is pretty decent.

[Shiloh]

I used bullseye for many years, sometimes the smell would move other shooter farther away a bench or two.

Try it indoors with TL boolits sometime. I've brought some of the other fellows to tears. An acrid stink to be sure.

Shiloh

[Shiloh]

Hope this is the right place to ask.
Just getting into loading 40 S&W can I get some load information?
What is the best cast bullet weight and style for this round?
How much and what type of powder and primer?
What loading technique works best, full length sizing, heavy crimp/light crimp, best OAL for loaded amo?
Any information will be helpful.
Thanks
Lee

Which model and make?? There'll be different parameters for different makes.
A Glock for instance may require a different barrel and possibly deeper seating than published data suggests. Pressure is an issue for .40 S&W

Shiloh

[calkar]

I see that accurate solo 1000 is right next to bullseye on the burn rate chart and Midway still has some of that in stock. Does anyone have any experience with this powder?

[superior]

I shoot hs-6 under the Lee TL-401-175-swc in my G23. 6.8 grains at about 900fps lubed in LLA, straight ww. I get no leading and minute of beercan accuracy at 25 yards. I crimp very lightly. Another load I use is 3.9gr Bullseye (not as accurate in my pistol).