.40 S&W load questions

[korben88]

I'm looking for a practice load.
springfield XDm .40

Powder: Unique
Primer: wsp
Bullet: 180 gr. Berry's flat point

and

Powder: Unique
Primer: wsp
Bullet: 180 gr. Bumble Bee round nose

My lymans has info for 180 gr. jhp 4.9-5.6 and 175 gr. cast 4.7-5.8
what would be a good start point for those 2 bullets?

Thank You,
Troy

 

[68wj]

Interested too. I am fix'n ta start on .40 and will be starting with Unique. I just need to make USPSA major.

 

[noylj]

Don't know Bumble Bee, but Berry's are thinly copper-plated bullets that are loaded the same as lead.
In general, you would look for a couple of manuals and what they show for similarly constructed bullets of the same weight. Most bullets are either lead (cast, swaged, moly-kote, or thin copper-plate) or jacketed (gilding metal or very thick "bonded" copper plating over a lead core).
If you can't find loads for the same weight, look for a heavier bullet and use that starting load.

I have compiled all the data in the manuals I have. Attached is my compilation for 180gn bullets in .40S&W for Unique (includes lead and jacketed data). I always start with the lowest starting load shown and work up.

 

[CZ57]

I would try going .1 gr. below the 175 gr. Lyman cast load data. That would give you a start charge of 4.6 grains. Lyman also has another 175 gr. cast load that runs from 4.8 to 5.8 grains. It is the older style bullet developed for the .38-40. Both loads run just over 23,000 CUP.

 

[Motownfire]

I load my 180 grain lead @ 1.125 oal with 4.7 grains of unique. Great round for training and no leading in my Glock 27.

 

[korben88]

noylj,

Thanks for sharing the file.
Whats the difference between a lead and cast bullet?
Your 180 gr. lead shows a 3.8 and 4.8 is that a min/max?

 

[korben88]

I load my 180 grain lead @ 1.125 oal with 4.7 grains of unique. Great round for training and no leading in my Glock 27.

Is that a round nose cast bullet??

 

[LiveLife]

Whats the difference between a lead and cast bullet?

Plated lead bullets are often swaged from lead wire which then are copper plated and cast lead bullets are made from molten lead alloy of various metals (lead, antimony, tin, etc.) poured into bullet molds.

 

[mxjunky78]

I've used 5grains of unique under a 180gr rainier with good results with a G22. Nice light manageable load.

 

[[email protected]]

I have been running my 180gn berrys with an average of 5.1gn unique. these are seated at a col of 1.130 which gives an average velocity of 928fps with mixed brass and my glock22

 

[Minnesota Wild]

I've usually loaded the 180s with 5 gr of Unique, but I stopped using Unique in 40. For 68wj Unique doesn't work very well for major loads. I would look at either Tightgroup or VV n320.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I've used 5grains of unique under a 180gr rainier with good results with a G22. Nice light manageable load.

We've almost used the same load out of my brothers G22 and my Sigma .40VE with good results. I believe we went with 6 grains if my memory serves. I have to say though, I prefer Bullseye for .40. That's just me though.

 

[mxjunky78]

We've almost used the same load out of my brothers G22 and my Sigma .40VE with good results. I believe we went with 6 grains if my memory serves. I have to say though, I prefer Bullseye for .40. That's just me though.

I was thinking about trying Bullseye next time I buy powder. Now I'm definitely going to try it.

 

[LiveLife]

For me Bullseye is too fast for 40S&W and recoil too snappy.

I have used 180 gr bullet with 4.1 - 4.7 gr of W231/HP38 with excellent accuracy and mild to moderate recoil.

 

[popper]

MBC 180 lead or Xtreme 180 plated with 6 gns Unique works fine in XDM. 5 grns will cycle OK, 4.5 was iffy. Grouping isn't bad shooting one-handed. I tried the HP38 with lead 180, but didn't like it.

 

[Busta Prima]

I've been very happy with my .40 load. I use Rainier 165 truncated nose with 5.5 gr win 231. I use win 231 for all of my handgun loads.

I recently tested some future carry ammo: Ranger 180 grain T-series. In one mag I alternated (and otherwise randomized) those handloads with the factory loads in an effort to invite any kind of feeding problems. Not only didn't I have feeding problems but I couldn't even tell them apart in my G22.

 

[korben88]

MBC 180 lead or Xtreme 180 plated with 6 gns Unique works fine in XDM. 5 grns will cycle OK, 4.5 was iffy. Grouping isn't bad shooting one-handed. I tried the HP38 with lead 180, but didn't like it.

Whats MBC??

 

[CZ57]

Missouri Bullet Co.

 

[GLOOB]

I use 6.3 grains Unique behind a Berry's 180 plated out of a G27. All good. No bulges. If I wanted to shoot a low recoil round, I'd shoot 9mm and save 30% on the cost of bullets.

 

[korben88]

I use 6.3 grains Unique behind a Berry's 180 plated out of a G27. All good. No bulges. If I wanted to shoot a low recoil round, I'd shoot 9mm and save 30% on the cost of bullets.

Isn't 6.3 a pretty hot load?? Above max even??

 

[[email protected]]

As bds said bullseye is a fast powder. My load of 4.5gn capped with a berry 180gn rs gave an average velocity of 893.5fps out of a glock22, but the recoil was more snappy. My load of 5.1gn unique averaged at 947.7 with the same bullet but the recoil was not as snappy. I like the low charge weights of the fast powders like titegroup,bullseye, and acc2, but i have found that usually i get better preformance out of the slower powders. What works for someone else may not suite you so dont just try a powder just because. The first thing that i consider is what i want from the load. If it is just to go boom and put a hole in paper near where i aim (combat training point and shoot) then i opt for the less expensive and easiest route. If i want to mirror my duty ammo then i use the unique powder because it gives me the same point of aim and recoil. After many and many and plus a few more rounds i have setteled on acc # 5 for the 40. It meters better than unique and recoil is similar to duty, but with less velocity.

 

[GLOOB]

Isn't 6.3 a pretty hot load?? Above max even??

According to Alliant's website, 6.7 grains Unique behind a 180 gr Gold Dot, seated to a compact 1.120" is the max - good for ~1000 fps. eam3clm's findings make me wish I had a chrono. Berrys recommends low to mid jacketed data. 5-10% off max would give a range of 6.0 - 6.4 grains. So I don't see how this is beyond max.

My load was 6.3gr Unique behind a 180 gr Berry's plated HP, OAL of ~1.137". I have 50 left on my shelf, meaning I have shot ~200 of them without any issues. Accuracy was good. I didn't see any bore fouling, but I clean my guns regularly. The recoil was on par with the factory FMJ I've shot (180 gr WWB, 170 gr Fiocchi). I still haven't seen a bulged case or a flowed primer coming out of my G27, factory or reloads.

6.3gr Unique is what I happen to use for my 230gr 45ACP loads. This is how I settled on it. Although for my next batch of 40SW 180's, I'm going to be trying out Auto Comp.

 

[Redneck with a 40]

I'd run 5.8-6.0 grains Unique behind a plated 180 grain.

 

[MulticalinMO]

I use range pickup brass, 5 gr. of Bullseye, and http://www.missouribullet.com/details.php?prodId=79&category=5&secondary=11&keywords= which is a 180 gr. TCFP. I can get you the OAL if you like, but it is out in the loading area and it is snowing here now with 6 inches expected. Snappy load and not the max, but pretty good and hard hitting. I wanted a load that would work in just about anything.

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