Best recommended .40S&W Lead powder...

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I have a pretty good selection of powders on-hand for .40S&W - Hi-Skor 700X, Titegroup, HS6, Bullseye, Unique, Blue Dot, Ramshot Competition, and WW231 - but most of what I'm reading from previous posts about loading .40 are about FMJ or JHP bullets. Only a couple mention hard cast, WW or Lyman #2 alloy, which is what I have, but also mostly what I've been finding is about coated bullets, not lubed. I have 1K 10-11BHN cast 180gr. truncated cone flat point wax-lubed bullets and am putting together data for a Springfield Armory XDm 4.5 target load. Not soft but it doesn't have to make major, either - I'm not a competitive shooter.

I plan to run up some low-to-mid-range loads first, starting with some from published data I strongly suspect will work well - 7.0gr. HS6, 8.1gr. Blue Dot, and 3.1gr. R.Comp. - but would very much like to hear what other folks who reload .40S&W with lead are doing that works well in this type of pistol for punching paper. Thanks!

 

[blue32]

RCBS 10mm-170 SWC cast of range scrap (around 9-10 bhn). Sized .401" and lubed with RCBS 80008. 5.4 gr Auto Comp and seated 1.147". 926 fps out of a stock gen 3 Glock 22. W231, HS6, and Blue Dot will definitely get you there. 40SW is a peach with cast.

 

[sparkyv]

I use HP38/W231 and Universal mostly, but Longshot when stretching out the 40S&W legs with Brazos Precision PC cast bullets. With Longshot, I've pushed them to 1,175fps so far, but get the best accuracy from Universal. I've pushed these bullets to 1,333fps in the 10mm and they hold up well.

 

[gunlaw]

Accurate #5 is my go to powder for cast 40.

 

[cfullgraf]

If I was looking for mid range loads with cast bullets for 40 S&W, I'd look at Unique, Accurate #5, True Blue, and maybe HP38/W231.

I use 700-X in my 45 ACP 230 RN loads and it may work fine in a mid-range 40 S&W load. I'm not sure what data is out there with 700-X.

Western Powder data has some lead bullet loads with Accurate #7.

 

[FROGO207]

I got some Accurate #5 specifically to use with lead bullets in my 40 cals. It works great so I never tried experimenting with anything else.

 

[lordpaxman]

My first .40 loads were with Titegroup and cast. You’ll get smoke since TG burns hot and loves to ignite the lube, but it was a very accurate load for my P239. I later switched to WST and found the recoil impulse very pleasant. I just acquired a limited gun in .40 so I’ll be experimenting again, but plan to use either coated or jacketed. Good luck.

 

[KB Hill]

I had pretty good luck with a175gr SWC over 4.3 gr 231. Avg 890fps SD 10 from a 4006 with barsto barrel. Relatively accurate and clean burning. It's a good paper punching load for me.

 

[bigpower491]

Haven't got around to trying the Competition I have had laying around for a while, but have tried Blue Dot. You'll want to be closer to its upper levels, or it'll be a bit dirty.
I'm clean out of cast bullets for 40, and am switching to a 165 plated.

 

[DukeConnor]

I use 4.0 of 231/38 behind a lee 165 gr cast bullet in my M&P.
It's a nice easy shooter.

 

[Kevin Rohrer]

This has been asked before.

Long Shot for full-power loads.

 

[JO JO]

I have used a lot of HS6 for 40sw with fantastic results and I used cci 550 primers, with magnum primers HS6 is much cleaner and works better IMHO

 

[Stormin.40]

I use HS-6 in 40 S&W 180gr Lead loads. Works really well for me, I use standard primers but have heard magnum primers can help

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I use HS-6 in 40 S&W 180gr Lead loads. Works really well for me, I use standard primers but have heard magnum primers can help

Two things I’m seeing that didn’t show up in any of the articles I found: use magnum primers and load longer COAL; up to 1.147”. Does that jive with the experience of the dedicated .40S&W hand loaders?

 

[Stormin.40]

I did load longer OAL but don't recall how much.

 

[Walkalong]

W-231, good stuff in the .40 with lead or coated lead 180 Gr bullets. Accurate, nice recoil impulse.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

W-231, good stuff in the .40 with lead or coated lead 180 Gr bullets.

HS-6, 700-X and W231 are kind of my goto powders for 9mm so I'm well stocked up on them. Not many recommendations for TiteGroup so I'm skipping that one. And of course, Unique works for everything.

 

[GE-Mini-Gun]

What gunlaw said...

 

[BW460]

A lot of powders will work well in 40 S&W. I use WSF.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

The winner’s circle:
Win: 3.1gr Ramshot Competition
Place: 4.3gr Winchester W231
Show: 6.9gr HS-6
Honorable mention: 4.5gr 700-X
Eliminated: Blue Dot, Unique, Winchester white box “target loads”
Not tested: TiteGroup, Bullseye

Winning ticket holders can collect from the window. Next race: 225gr .452” lubed LRN cast twenty years ago by a hand loader who’s giving up.

.45ACP - what’s your best load?
Place your bets!

 

[Dudedog]

My.45 with 230s 4.7 and 5.0gr of W231 will shoot well. 4.7 is a bit softer 5.0 a tiny bit more accurate.
W231 is good stuff for .45
N320 and AA#2 also work well for me in .45.

 

[Blue68f100]

45 acp 4.2 gr WST with a 200gr LSWC is my most accurate load. Will do less then 2" at 50 yrds if you have a gun capable of BE quality.

I don't shoot a 40

 

[EMC45]

I like Unique

 

[Rule3]

HP 38/W 231 there is no need for other powders for any handgun caliber.

Except full house magnums

 

[Trey Veston]

I like 231 for most .40 S&W loads, but did try some WSF and cast bullets and got good results...