.40 ammo

[Okiegunner]

While at the local gun range, I ran across some ammo I was not familiar with.

Plain white box, marked Federal Ammunition, .40SW, 180gr. HST, JHP XM40HC.

Bought 50rds. for $18.99 on sale. My Sig 2340 loves it (then again, it eats anything), but what really surprised me was that my Tanfoglio Force had no problem with it either. Really blunt nose hollow points will occasionly cause some failure to feed in this pistol. No problems at all with this ammo.

Did some online research, and supposedly this ammo was an over-run from a border patrol contract (don't know??)

Anyone have any experience with this stuff? I am out of town right now, but when I get home this weekend I am going to buy a couple of hundred dollars worth of this stuff. If the gun range has any left.

Gunner

 

[Gtscotty]

I just ordered 3 boxes of the same stuff, sadly my local gun stores don't generally have good deals on LE marked ammo, so I had to turn to the interweb.

My research brought me to the same conclusion as you: its LE contract over run. It should be the same ammo as normal 180 gr HSTs just without the fancy box.

The HST in 9mm seems to be one of the best SD rounds available, and is pretty much all I carry (I will pick up some Gold dot 124 gr +P if I see it though). The tests and write ups I've been able to find on the internet seem to suggest that the HST is an equally excellent choice in .40... especially in the heavy 180 gr flavor. I haven't received my order, so I can't really contribute any first hand experience as of yet.

I have found that the 9mm HSTs are an excellent (if somewhat pricey) tool for battling the hoards of nasty armadillos currently invading Georgia. I'm sure the .40's will prove to be just as viable an option.

 

[LiveLife]

I am out of town right now, but when I get home this weekend I am going to buy a couple of hundred dollars worth of this stuff. If the gun range has any left.

Buy 10 boxes and you can have them for $16.95/50. Their shipping is very reasonable. Shipping charge for my last order of several 50 round boxes was around $8 - http://www.sgammo.com/product/feder...hst-180-grain-government-contract-ammo-xm40hc

40 Cal Federal HST 180 Grain Government Contract Ammo. Brass case, reloadable with one of Federals most popular defense / law enforcement bullets, the HST. This ammo came from a government contract overrun and is ideal for personal protection, and currently available for about the same price as a lot of target loads.

 

[exavid]

What do you think of this article. I post the link because it's related to .40S&W. DHS and ICE must be planning a heck of a lot of target practice. Buying this much of any caliber is likely to raise the price soon. Makes me glad that I reload and can cast bullets if needed.
http://www.businessinsider.com/us-i...many-as-450-million-new-rounds-of-ammo-2012-3

 

[firesky101]

I think large open ended contracts like this drive price down. "Up to 450 million rounds over 5 years." I am sure the contract has stipulations as to how much they have to have available in any particular buying cycle. If they do not buy the total amount, the ammo comes to us. I could be wrong, but it seems like this is why we have all this 420rd cans of 5.56 right now.

 

[exavid]

I hope it doesn't drive 5.56 and .40 up but it's hard to see how it won't. Usually increase in demand drives prices. I still wonder what DHS and ICE is doing that uses up more ammo than an infantry battalion. Just looked them up and discovered that the USCG is in DHS now and not treasury like they were for many years. I suspect the big share of that ammo will go to the Coast Guard.

 

[ku4hx]

I cringe ever time I read posts like these. I started hand loading circa 1970 and the 40 S&W about 1990. I just loaded 500 (175 grain hard cast; very accurate, no leading) at a total cost of about $40. Equipment cost was amortized between 1970 and 1980 so all I have are component costs.

With plated bullets cost jumps to about $90/500 but still; I can live with that.

If you shoot a lot, consider hand loading.

 

[Gtscotty]

In case you're interested, here is a link to a video test of the ammo you ordered:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWy2AB_AQYo

The video poster tnoutdoors9 makes some good videos with solid, methodical tests.

 

[trex1310]

I shoot the Federal XM40 180gr all the time in my Glock 22. I have
never had a problem with it. My Sig P226 likes it as well. SGAMMO.com
sells the XM40 for $19.95 I think. Case lots are less of course.

 

[NG VI]

That's an outstanding price on one of the best defense bullets available. Even without the even cheaper SGAmmo link.

 

[NG VI]

As far as supply and demand goes, I don't think a large fixed contract with a Federal entity really affects market prices in the same way that open market forces normally do. I mean this is a well-planned out, dedicated, and long-term purchase of this ammunition. That makes it worth it for Federal to maybe increase production capacity for those rounds or even set up a whole new set of production lines just for that contract, which I think would result in a lot more HST down the road. I can easily see it getting scarce for a while, until production starts to get even with all of its contract obligations, but I bet it won't last more than a year.