.40 S&W and 231

[jaholder1971]

I'm new to loading .40 S&W, been loading .38's and .45ACP for years now.

I've got a boatload of Sierra 180 JHP's and several pounds of 231. Anyone got some good loads they can share.

One guy I know is loading 5.5 grains 231 with the Sierra 180. Hodgdon says this is .5 grains over max, but my Sierra book show this as max for this bullet and my Lyman book says 5.6 is max.

Is Hodgdon's data simply too conservative? I'm loading in .38 special 4 grains 231 (.3 grains over their max) with my 158 LSWC's and it's a pretty wimpy load compared to factory loads with the same bullet. I've been using this recipe for close to 12 years now.

 

[Grump]

With a Sierra bullet, I'd stick with Sierra's data.

My attempts to make "old" Major (175) with 180-gr lead bullets in a Glock and 5.2 231 showed high pressure somewhere between 800 and 850 fps. Never blew a case, but I did retire about 20 of them after seeing the smiley-crease on the casewalls. You generally get higher pressures with lead...

Try a few between 4.5 and 5.5 and see what shoots most accurately. 231 is a good powder for standard-pressure loads.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Although W231 will work for the .40 S&W it's not one of the best choices of powders for that round. Longshot and HS-6 are better Hodgdon powders for the .40 S&W and Alliant's Power Pistol is also a very good powder for loading the .40.

I'm only mentioning this because you seem to want a more powerful round than W231 with the current data will provide. Longshot and Power Pistol will provide a .40 S&W round that you won't consider "wimpy" at all.

 

[Walkalong]

It wil work just fine. It won't do quite as well as some other powders, such as Universal Clays, WSF, or AA #5, but it will do fine. It will give you nice accurate plinking loads, which is what it sounds like you are after to shoot up some bullets. If you are looking for full power screamers, then look elsewhere besides W-231. The above mentioned powders will get you pretty close to as good as it gets. Silohuette and True Blue are two often recommended powders, along with Longshot, for full bore screamers. Universal Clays and Zero 165 gr JHP's get me as close to full bore as I want.

 

[Khornet]

way back

I loaded my 180s with 5.5 of 231. Worked fine, no noticeable pressure problems.
Then I saw another manual giving 5.0 as the max. Got nervous, and reduced to 5.0.

I think that with a cartridge like the .40, I'd not exceed 5.0 of 231. As said above, if you need more zip use a different powder. When I want something hotter I use Accurate #5 or Unique. Lots more room at the top with them.

 

[spencerhut]

Look for loads using HP-38 also, it's identical to 231. I think, don't quote me, my last 180 loads for the .40S&W were 5.0 of HP-38. Nothing special, just a light practice load.