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Thread: 40 s&w

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
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    40 s&w

    I don't have one, but my friend does and he wants to reload for it. He is not highly skilled at reloading now but is learning fast and safely. The question I have is what boolit is the most common in this caliber, I am thinking 175 grains?? If so I believe Lee makes a 175 TC, correct?? I am sure someone has experience with it, what do you think of it???
    Paul G.
    Once I was young, now I am old and in between went by way to fast.

    The end move in politics is always to pick up a gun.
    -- R. Buckminster Fuller

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    It's funny that Lee makes a 175.. common weights available from bullet casters are 135, 155, 165, 180, 200, and I have seen 215 and 220's. Bear creek makes a 140 gr RN and I think Nosler or Sierra make a 190 gr J-word for it. Likely Lee claims it is a 175, but dependng on your alloy, it could come out to 180 or more. Lasercast has a 185 gr 45 acp profile bullet also..

    so um.. anything from 135-220 are "standard".. more common are 155-180 ish.. the heavier bullets generally are seated to Max OAL for the firearm in question.. for a Glock or Sig that is about 1.135", for my P16, depending on bullet profile, that might be as long as 1.190" - 1.260". 1.190 is usually a truncated cone or RNFP, 1.260" is for my semi-pointed RN that I mainly use in my 610 that also happens to fit the magazines and chamber of my P16. As with any of these high pressure rounds, start at the minimum load and work up in your gun.. Max loads and deep seated bullets have ruined a fair # of handguns..

  3. #3
    Boolit Master GabbyM's Avatar
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    I like a 155 grain SWC from a Magma mould. Lee shows a 145gr SWC. Springfield XD pistols don't like to feed SWC bullets so if you've one of those foreign do dads stick with a RN or TC design with no shoulder. 175 and 180 grain TC bullets seam popular. I have a Lyman 175 grain truncated cone. That will weigh almost 177 grains from 2/6 alloy. It has a slightly larger meplat than the Magma 180 grain Lyman also makes a 150 grain TC bullet that should be a dandy.

    I like a combat pistol to yield 1200 fps plus and the 150 to 155 grain is as heavy as the 40 S&W will get their with. Hence my preference for the 155's.

  4. #4
    Boolit Bub
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    I am casting and shooting the Lee 175 TC, works great in my Glock 22.

    Using 5.8 grains of Unique and a CCI Small Pistol Primer to push em.

    Glenn
    ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master
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    I prefer a lighter boolit for the .40. I have a trimmed LEE 175, bevel base milled off. 158 gr lubed weight. The 175 seems to be more suited to a 10mm.

    Shiloh
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  6. #6
    Banned
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    I like it. I have worn out two 6 bangers from Lee and am on my third. I've cast in excess of 25,000 of these and have shot over 10,000. Nothing but love for this bullet. Load: 3.6 gr TiteGroup, small pistol mag primer, 1.10" LOA. It is my primary IPSC Prod load.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    I like shooting the 180's thru a 40, makes it feel like a 45

    I shoot a load similar to Bwana's; 3.5 of TG very little recoil and really accurate. About 750fps with the 180 if I recall

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    Notes in my manuals say the 200 gr projectiles are best suited to the 10mm. Seems they have to be seated so deep that there isn't much room for powder, not to mention the case may wrinkle at those seating depths.

    Most factory loads that I have seen are 165-180 grain, though I have seen ads for 155 gr and lower. I loaded up a few jacketed 155 gr HBRN and they seem to work well.

    The 175 TC in either the TL or standard should work well. Going to order a mold for my birthday if the SWMBO lets me.

  9. #9
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Back in the dark ages, (before I cast my own), I had a couple of .40S&W's. I liked 155gr SWC in front of an appropriate load of Green Dot or 231.

    Robert

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check