First reloading effort: .40 s&w range ammo. Component Suggestions?

[FlaBoy]

Hey guys,

A little background:

I have recently decided to get into reloading. I am 99% sure I will be getting most of the necessary equipment as Christmas gifts from my loving family (a lee classic turret press and necessary accoutrements). I would love to be able to start trying my hand shortly after I get the gear, so I am shopping for components now. I imagine buying at a gun show or local store would be cheaper (save on hazmat fees) especially since I'm not gonna be getting a huge bulk supply. This brings me to my question.

There is a gun show coming up shortly, and I was hoping to get a starter supply of primers, bullets and powder, but don't know what kind to get. I don't have any manuals yet (they will be coming for xmas) so I don't have a specific recipe to reference (though I will when it comes time to actually load). I don;t have any experience to base my choice on, so I was hoping you guys could recommend a brand/line of powder that would be good for a beginner loading in .40 S&W. I assume this would be one that is bulkier, making an accidental double-charge easier to detect (but again, I'm a newb, so maybe I completely wrong). Also, if brand/type of primer is important, please let me know. It is my understanding that it takes a small pistol primer, but if there's more to it than that, I'd love any information.

Also, is any particular weight/style of bullet easier to load for beginners, or recommended for relatively affordable range/plinking ammo?

Again, I'll reference a specific published, double-checked recipe when it comes time to load, but I was hoping to get some recommendations on components that will serve me well in my first attempt at reloading. Thanks!

-Corey

-Corey

 

[zxcvbob]

Good powders, in order from weaker-but-economical to stronger: Red Dot, Bullseye, Unique, WSF. (note, Bullseye and WSF measure a lot easier than RD or Unique) I'm not recommending Universal because it can pressure spike easier than its ugly sister Unique, and .40SW is bad about that. I would start with Bullseye.

Any small pistol primer will work. Graf's has CCI on sale right now for $115 per case of 5000, and you could add a couple of pounds of powder to the order to help pay for the hazmat.

I may add to this post later...

 

[rcmodel]

Standard Small Pistol primers from CCI, Remington, or Winchester.
Do not pick up Magnum SP primers by mistake.

I'd probably suggest plated Rainer or Berry bullets for cheapest shooting, but you can find similarly priced bulk jacketed bullets many places.
I'd probably go 180 grain, as that was the standard .40 S&W bullet weight when it came out, and is likely what a fixed sight gun is sighted for.
All the light for caliber 135 - 165 bullets now seen came along later.

Powder?
Alliant Unique will load about anything and is easy to find.
There are many other faster powders that will work and would be more economical because the charges are smaller, but they will not fill the case as well.
http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/RecipeList.aspx?gtypeid=1

Here is a good link to look & dream!
http://www.powdervalleyinc.com/

rc

 

[MtnCreek]

Bullseye

I would have thought this would be a little too touchy?

IMR SR4756 would be a good starting powder IMHO.

 

[Sin City Shootist]

I'll the choice of bullets to you and the other guys. As far as powder goes, the WSF in the equipment you are getting works very well. The primers, well I accidentally ordered magnums for my 40. I used them all, just knocked the load down 10% and worked it back up till the gun functioned correctly, but yes, do what RC said and don't order the magnums. I use mostly wolf/tula primers(the same thing).

 

[chrt396]

CCI small pistol primers, AA#5 powder and 165g Xtreme plated bullets have done awesome for my shooting habit. Very accurate. I load on the low to mid end of the range of charges. Keeping it safe and still maintain accuracy. Very easy to meter out of my Dillon.

 

[FlaBoy]

As an addendum, I will be using a Lee Auto Disk Pro powder measure, if that influences powder choice (and verifying with a calibrated scale of course).

 

[wingman]

I use winchester small pistol primers, AA5 and Berry plated 180gr. provides accurate loads,meters well, plus I prefer the recoil of the AA5 and 180 gr it gives me the 45acp push in recoil that I'm use to.

 

[Striker Fired]

I definately agree with AA#5,SR4756,WSF and will add Silhouette for powder choices(not Bullseye for begining).Bullets=155/ 165 gr has less KB issues from mistakes in seating debth.Plated is good but so would Hornady XTP/ HAPS(155gr) or Nosler bulk JHP's(150gr).

 

[Josh45]

For me, I would have to say that Power Pistol was very good for the .40 S&W and Unique seems to be very good in catching a double charge.

I have used them with 135 and 155 bullets.

 

[LiveLife]

As an addendum, I will be using a Lee Auto Disk Pro powder measure, if that influences powder choice (and verifying with a calibrated scale of course).

Yes it will. W231/HP-38 (same exact powder) are by far the best metering powders for Pro Auto Disk and I like it for accurate lighter target loads for 40S&W (especially if you have any pressure concerns). I prefer WSF for full power loads and it also meters well. For my Pro Auto Disk, small flattened ball powders (like W231) give less than .1 gr variance charge-to-charge and small/medium flake powders vary upto .1+ gr (Green Dot). Unique, Promo, Red Dot and other larger flake powders can vary upto .2-.3+ gr but still produce accurate loads. W231/HP-38/WSF are coated powders and tends to lubricate the hopper wiper/disk surfaces better with black coating that I do not remove and let them remain for silk-smooth operation. If you are starting out with flake powder, I would recommend you lubricate your contact/sliding surfaces with graphite or finely shaved No. 2 pencil lead powder.

I have shot a lot of 40S&W with various bullet weights and powders and lighter 155/165 gr bullets with faster burning powders at high-to-near max load data produce more snappy recoiling loads many find less desirable. As rcmodel posted, heavier 180 gr bullets with slower burning powders (Unique and slower on the powder burn rate chart) will produce more controllable recoil that "pushes" rather than "snappy". For milder recoiling target loads, it's hard to beat 180 gr bullets with start-to-mid range load data with W231/HP-38 that produces less snappy recoil than faster burning powders and accuracy at lower pressures that won't bulge the cases.

Regardless of the scale you end up with, I highly recommend a set of check weights.

I don't have any manuals yet

I highly recommend Lyman #49.

I don't have a specific recipe to reference

With any new bullet/powder, I always conduct a full powder workup (10 rounds loaded at .1-.2 gr increments from start to max load data to determine which powder charge reliably cycles the slide and produce accurate shot groups) using currently published load data (powder manufacturers' website and Lyman #49) after I determine the Max/Ideal OAL for the particular pistol/barrel I am using. The powder charges that work well with Ideal OAL for a particular bullet/pistol/barrel combination, I keep as my recipes. For my M&P40 and Glock 22/27, 180 gr TCFP bullets loaded to 1.125" OAL with 3.8-4.3 gr of W231/HP-38 produces mild 9mm like recoil loads that are very accurate yet reliably cycle the slides and extract/eject spent cases. I usually suggest this load to new reloaders to 40S&W and then have them work up towards max load data before moving onto slower powders for full-power loads.

I don;t have any experience to base my choice on, so I was hoping you guys could recommend a brand/line of powder that would be good for a beginner loading in .40 S&W. I assume this would be one that is bulkier, making an accidental double-charge easier to detect (but again, I'm a newb, so maybe I completely wrong).

When I help set up new reloaders, I have them develop a reloading check list (like a pre-flight checklist pilots use) and have it taped right above the reloading press so they follow every step and not skip any. Using bulkier powders that will overfill the case when double charged maybe good but I don't want to be limited by that reloading variable. Instead, I have the new reloaders focus more on safe reloading practices to ensure consistent production of reloads (like the reloading check list).

is any particular weight/style of bullet easier to load for beginners, or recommended for relatively affordable range/plinking ammo?

I recommend 180 gr TCFP or 165 gr RNFP plated bullets as plated bullets tends to run cheaper than jacketed bullets. PowderValley and TJConeveras (TJConeveras pricing includes shipping) have good prices on Berry's/X-Treme plated bullets. For most affordable range/plinking ammo, you can't beat lead bullets, but you may want to practice loading plated bullets first. Missouri Bullet offers THR discount and Powder Valley also carry Missouri Bullets at very good prices.

For range/plinking loads, most primers will work. I prefer Winchester/CCI primers. Wolf/Tula primer cups are slightly larger in diameter and make it difficult to seat fully in the primer pockets (.004" below flush).

 

[zxcvbob]

Bullseye

I would have thought this would be a little too touchy?

It's surprisingly not touchy, even at the upper end. There might be better choices though.

 

[FlaBoy]

Wow guys, thanks for the very informative, very rapid responses. Guess I found my go-to source for reloading questions I'm sure I'll have a whole slew of them once I get my gear set up and start actually trying to make ammo.

 

[rcmodel]

Bullseye would not be my first choice in a 35,000 PSI cartridge like the .40 S&W.

I'd use something slower and not as critical on minor charge variations.

rc

 

[Walkalong]

Yep, pick a medium speed powder like AA #5, Unique, Universal, HS-6, Silhouette, N340, etc.

I like 180 Gr bullets as well. 180's at 950ish are more pleasant than 155's or 165's at higher velocity, to me anyway.

I have been using Universal Clays, often times referred to simply as Universal.

 

[BullfrogKen]

When I shot a lot of 40 S&W I settled on AA #5 and 180 grain bullets as my go-to load. It's probably the most gentle of any combination, without being a slouch power-wise.

AA No 5 is a pretty versatile powder, too. It'll work well in 9mm, .38 Special, .45 ACP . . . It's pretty good all around, and it's not terribly dirty like Unique is.

 

[Walkalong]

I agree. I have burned a lot of it over the years. I just bought some more to load 1K of .38 Spl.

 

[BullfrogKen]

I've probably gone through 15 lbs of it myself since I got hooked onto it back in the mid-90s. It meters quite well, its clean, and it has a broad use across the mid-power level handgun cartridges. I do love me some Numba 5.

 

[wingman]

AA No 5 is a pretty versatile powder, too. It'll work well in 9mm, .38 Special, .45 ACP . . . It's pretty good all around, and it's not terribly dirty like Unique is.

Second that use it in 380,9x18,9mm,38sp, 40s&w and 45acp,wish I could
come up with one powder for my rifles like AA5 but so far no luck.

 

[BeerSleeper]

Don't get Remington primers for 40. They say right on the box not to use their primers for 40, but instead to use Remington's magnum primer. However, all load data for .40 is with non-magnum primers. I don't like that incongruency, so I just avoid Remington altogether for 40 loads.

I can't speak against any particular powder for 40, but I can say I've been happy with 231.

 

[Sin City Shootist]

Remington has two small pistol primers. 1 1/2 and the 5 1/2(I think that was the number). The 1 1/2 is for like 380 9mm and the 5 1/2 is for the 40 and some 45 sized rounds.

 

[gunlaw]

Gotta agree about AA#5.I have tried several powders but I always come back to AA#5.
The Berry's 180g work great.Cast bullets from missouri bullet are great and a very good value.

 

[beatledog7]

Actually, Remington 1 1/2s are not recommended for .40S&W, .357 Mag, and .357 Sig. I use them only in .38SPL. (This an odd parallel to Remington marketing small rifle 6 1/2s then telling buyers not to use them in .223 loads.)

My .40 loads use CCI 500s with a variety of bullets and matching medium charges of Bullseye.

 

[ImjinScout]

Some more info fro you, I shoot a lot of .40S&W and this is what I have settled on. I use HS-6 and found that to be a real good powder and not dirty at all. I did try some Titegroup which is a faster powder but didn't like it.

This is my current load for .40S&W, 6.7grs of HS-6, COL of 1.125 have fun

 

[JO JO]

I use cci primers and power pistol with plated bullets no issues and happy with results