Do You Reload .40 S&W?
- Thread starter Gary H
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NavajoNPaleFace
Member
Thank ya, 66.
atek3
Member
I too am just getting in to loading for my XD40. I want a pussycat minor PF load for IPSC. My goal is to shoot a west coast plated 180 gr. bullet at ~800 fps. (assuming that will function in my gun). People have said great things abouct CLAYS powder.
If I want to load for 40 S&W what do I need besides my dillon 550. I need dies (are dillon's carbide dies good?) and a tumbler (to clean up once fired brass). Anything else I need? Will dillons standard powder measure go down to 3 gr. of powder?
thanks,
atek3
If I want to load for 40 S&W what do I need besides my dillon 550. I need dies (are dillon's carbide dies good?) and a tumbler (to clean up once fired brass). Anything else I need? Will dillons standard powder measure go down to 3 gr. of powder?
thanks,
atek3
Rabid Rabbit
Member
- Joined
- Aug 19, 2004
- Messages
- 464
I haven't seen any loads for 135gr yet so here is mine. I developed this at the request of my wife, she didn't like how the glock recoiled with the 155 or 180s.
8.0gr Unique
135 JHP
This turned out to be the most accurate load and I tried dozens of combinations for 155, 180 and 200.
Just got through shooting and tried WWB, I think I'll stick to the the 180 and 135 I've been reloading. WWB was better than the remington bulk but still lacking in accuracy. Is it too much to ask all the shots group smaller from the bench than the black of a 25 yd target at 25 yds?
8.0gr Unique
135 JHP
This turned out to be the most accurate load and I tried dozens of combinations for 155, 180 and 200.
Just got through shooting and tried WWB, I think I'll stick to the the 180 and 135 I've been reloading. WWB was better than the remington bulk but still lacking in accuracy. Is it too much to ask all the shots group smaller from the bench than the black of a 25 yd target at 25 yds?
Gundog8082
Member
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2009
- Messages
- 1
40 S&W with 155 gr Ranier Bullets
Help! I reloaded 100 rounds of Rainier Ballistics 155gr FP using 5.5 grains of IMR PB powder. They shot as if they were +P rounds! I switched them out with some of my duty ammo, (Speer Gold Dot 165gr) and found that yes in deed, my reloads were a very hot so I stopped and went home.
I called Rainier and they said call the powder manufacturer. I called IMR and was told to start at the bottom scale of the load manual.
Problem is, I have no data for 155 copper plated bullets using PB. Can't even find lead bullet data. Any ideas?
Help! I reloaded 100 rounds of Rainier Ballistics 155gr FP using 5.5 grains of IMR PB powder. They shot as if they were +P rounds! I switched them out with some of my duty ammo, (Speer Gold Dot 165gr) and found that yes in deed, my reloads were a very hot so I stopped and went home.
I called Rainier and they said call the powder manufacturer. I called IMR and was told to start at the bottom scale of the load manual.
Problem is, I have no data for 155 copper plated bullets using PB. Can't even find lead bullet data. Any ideas?
155 GR. HDY XTP / IMR PB / .400" /1.125" / 5.2 / 1030 / 28,100 PSI / 5.7 1084 / 32,400 PSI
From Hodgdon online data.
5.2 Grs PB should work well.
I don't use PB with plated bullets, but have used other powders with the Ranier 155 Gr bullet in .40. I use starting to middle of the road or so jacketed data for plated bullets in .40 with good success.
Doublecheck your scale/charge weight.
From Hodgdon online data.
5.2 Grs PB should work well.
I don't use PB with plated bullets, but have used other powders with the Ranier 155 Gr bullet in .40. I use starting to middle of the road or so jacketed data for plated bullets in .40 with good success.
Doublecheck your scale/charge weight.
Historian
Member
I haven't seen anyone mention W231. I load for my .40 M&P. A 180g plated bullet over 5.2g of W231. This is not a mild load and has a pretty good snap to it but it is really accurate.
Historian
Historian
StuntHeavy
Member
I reload for .40. For a Glock 23. Don't have an undersizing die. Use a Lee press. And I'm a new reloader this year, with .40 being the first caliber I ever loaded for.
With all those things, I surely should have experienced a Kaboom, blown off both my hands, killed my dog, and crashed the stock market by the way people talk.
In reality, I think just being sensible goes a long way. Common sense isn't common anymore. This, and staying attentive to what you are doing should steer you clear of most problems that people run into.
.40 isn't some mystical cartridge that is playing russian roulette every time you squeeze the trigger. Yeah, its higher pressure than most, but if you stay smart, you get to keep your fingers.
With all those things, I surely should have experienced a Kaboom, blown off both my hands, killed my dog, and crashed the stock market by the way people talk.
In reality, I think just being sensible goes a long way. Common sense isn't common anymore. This, and staying attentive to what you are doing should steer you clear of most problems that people run into.
.40 isn't some mystical cartridge that is playing russian roulette every time you squeeze the trigger. Yeah, its higher pressure than most, but if you stay smart, you get to keep your fingers.
GW Staar
Member
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2009
- Messages
- 3,736
I think it's great all of you have reloaded so long and successfully for the .40 S&W. I hope it stays great as you keep using that reloaded brass, pick up range brass with who knows how many reloads behind it, and keep shooting unsupported chambers. The .40 is a hot high pressure round. A little safety research is prudent in all reloading, but perhaps more so with this round.
I don't know, it just seems to me there's a lot of head-burying going on here...or at least some glossing-over on people's research and information.
Redding makes this die for a reason. http://www.redding-reloading.com/pages/grxpushthru.html
I do own one of these guns and I have dies and components to reload it with. But I'm going to buy the Redding "Thru" Die, and get as much education about loading the .40 S&W as I can. Consider, for example, May/June 2004 Police and Security News reported in a feature entitled, "Why Guns Blow Up!":
One last cause of "blowups:" The simple chambering and rechambering of a cartridge does push the bullet back into its case. Hirtenberg Ammunition Company of Austria (at the request of GLOCK, Inc.) determined that, with a .40 caliber cartridge, pushing the bullet back into the case 1/10 of an inch doubled the chamber pressure. This is higher than a proof load. This "push back" can occur with but one chambering since it is dependent on how well the case was crimped or sealed to the bullet. How many of us regularly chamber and rechamber the first two rounds of our carry loads? (Also, this chambering and ejecting chews up the case rim, which can cause a malfunction. If you are limited to how much ammo you are issued, after cycling the first two rounds a few times, strip the magazine and load these two rounds first so they are the last up in the stick.)"
One web site has gone to an awful lot of trouble to warn people.
http://www.thegunzone.com/glock/glock-kb-faq.html
Lets just get the best information and use it to load safely. Summarizing, it appears that .40 S&W troubles happen when one combines weakened brass with unsupported chambers and/or with insufficient crimping allowing bullets to push into case and increase already high pressures.
I don't know, it just seems to me there's a lot of head-burying going on here...or at least some glossing-over on people's research and information.
Redding makes this die for a reason. http://www.redding-reloading.com/pages/grxpushthru.html
I do own one of these guns and I have dies and components to reload it with. But I'm going to buy the Redding "Thru" Die, and get as much education about loading the .40 S&W as I can. Consider, for example, May/June 2004 Police and Security News reported in a feature entitled, "Why Guns Blow Up!":
One last cause of "blowups:" The simple chambering and rechambering of a cartridge does push the bullet back into its case. Hirtenberg Ammunition Company of Austria (at the request of GLOCK, Inc.) determined that, with a .40 caliber cartridge, pushing the bullet back into the case 1/10 of an inch doubled the chamber pressure. This is higher than a proof load. This "push back" can occur with but one chambering since it is dependent on how well the case was crimped or sealed to the bullet. How many of us regularly chamber and rechamber the first two rounds of our carry loads? (Also, this chambering and ejecting chews up the case rim, which can cause a malfunction. If you are limited to how much ammo you are issued, after cycling the first two rounds a few times, strip the magazine and load these two rounds first so they are the last up in the stick.)"
One web site has gone to an awful lot of trouble to warn people.
http://www.thegunzone.com/glock/glock-kb-faq.html
Lets just get the best information and use it to load safely. Summarizing, it appears that .40 S&W troubles happen when one combines weakened brass with unsupported chambers and/or with insufficient crimping allowing bullets to push into case and increase already high pressures.
Jeremy Y
Member
180 Gr. plated HP by HSM
I shoot a Beretta 96 Centurian. I have reloaded many bullet types, and I have only found one load from the manuals that did not work for me. Loading HSM 180gr electroplated HP's I tried 4.7gr of Hodgdon's TiteGroup using both CCI550 primers and Federal SP primers. This did not generate enough pressure to properly cycle the pistol's slide. I carefully increased the load to a maximum of 4.9gr, and it cycled the slide very well, with clean burns, but the bullets started tumbling at 3 yard ranges. I have since tried 8.0gr of Blue Dot, with the slide operating well, no tumbling of the bullets, bu very dirty burns. The 4.7gr of TiteGroup works extremely well with Hornady 180gr XTP hollow points.
I shoot a Beretta 96 Centurian. I have reloaded many bullet types, and I have only found one load from the manuals that did not work for me. Loading HSM 180gr electroplated HP's I tried 4.7gr of Hodgdon's TiteGroup using both CCI550 primers and Federal SP primers. This did not generate enough pressure to properly cycle the pistol's slide. I carefully increased the load to a maximum of 4.9gr, and it cycled the slide very well, with clean burns, but the bullets started tumbling at 3 yard ranges. I have since tried 8.0gr of Blue Dot, with the slide operating well, no tumbling of the bullets, bu very dirty burns. The 4.7gr of TiteGroup works extremely well with Hornady 180gr XTP hollow points.
Captcurt
Member
I shot a ton of 170gr lead SWC thru my Hi-power without any problems. Used Win. WSP primers and 4.7 gr. of Universal. Chronos around 940 and is very accurate.
Sin City Shootist
Member
Holy bump Batman.
giggitygiggity
Member
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- Mar 18, 2009
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- 2,258
I shoot 180gr Zero bullets out of Federal cased and CCI primed loads filled with 4.7 grains of Titegroup out of a Beretta 96 Brigadier. Awesome, zippy, and accurate rounds. Much better than factory ammo. I highly recommend this load for its performance as well as its cost efficiency. I have not had any problems or malfunctions yet.
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