First time loading .40 S&W

[sfl_gunner]

Today I loaded my first batch of .40 S&W. I used Hornady 180 gr HP/XTP. I have plenty of Bullseye and I found a recipe for Sierra HP 180’s in my Lyman manual. I’m running a mid level charge of 5.2 gr of Bullseye. However, I could not find Hornady load data for Bullseye. The other issue is that I found the OAL for the Sierra’s at 1.115” which is shorter than any other load I found in my Hornady manual which has the OAL at 1.125”. I know that .40 S&W is a high pressure round. My question is, will I run into problems with an OAL of 1.115”?

 

[markr6754]

According to the Sierra Reloading Guide, 180gr JHP should be seated to 1.125", same as specified in the Hornady manual for the XTP bullets. Most importantly, Sierra provides a warning for Bullseye at 5.1gr, indicating HIGH PRESSURE LOADS.

So...to answer your question...seating a 180 gr XTP shorter than 1.125" with a higher than max charge of Bullseye is probably ill-advised.

 

[murf]

hornady doesn't use bullseye for the 40 s&w.

murf

 

[fxvr5]

Lyman lists the following data for the 40 S&W with Sierra 180 gr JHP and Bullseye powder:

OAL = 1.115"
Start load = 4.9 gr, 628 fps, 18,200 CUP
Max load = 5.6 gr, 844 fps, 23,500 CUP

SAAMI does not list pressure standards for the 40 S&W in CUP units.


Alliant has the following data on their website;

40 S&W 180 gr Speer GDHP, Speer cases, 1.12" OAL, CCI 500, Bullseye 5.5 gr, 929 fps
40 S&W Speer 180 gr CPFN, Federal cases, 1.12" OAL, CCI 500, Bullseye 5.7gr, 1,040 fps


duplicated by Speer:

https://reloading-data.speer-ammo.c...0_caliber-10mm_400_dia/40_SmithWesson_180.pdf

 

[Virginia Jim]

The load data sheet that came with my Lee 40 S&W dies does not include a Bullseye load for 180 gr XTP’s. It does show loads for 170 and 190 gr XTP’s as well as a load for 180 gr “Jacketed Bullet”. All show minimum OAL of 1.125”.

 

[BC17A]

Today I loaded my first batch of .40 S&W. I used Hornady 180 gr HP/XTP. I have plenty of Bullseye and I found a recipe for Sierra HP 180’s in my Lyman manual. I’m running a mid level charge of 5.2 gr of Bullseye. However, I could not find Hornady load data for Bullseye. The other issue is that I found the OAL for the Sierra’s at 1.115” which is shorter than any other load I found in my Hornady manual which has the OAL at 1.125”. I know that .40 S&W is a high pressure round. My question is, will I run into problems with an OAL of 1.115”?

.010" won't make any difference with that load. Shoot em.

 

[lordpaxman]

The other issue is that I found the OAL for the Sierra’s at 1.115” which is shorter than any other load I found in my Hornady manual which has the OAL at 1.125”.

What would be more important is to know the OAL of the actual bullets. Then that will tell you the correct seating depth and COL. If the Sierra JHP is .010” shorter than the XTP, that would say stay with 1.125” for the XTP. I wouldn’t anticipate .010” would make that much of a difference in a midrange load for bullseye, but it might affect the overall feeding operation. I just load all my .40’s to 1.125 to keep things consistent. Loading a bit longer than spec, if it fits within the overall working length, isn’t a problem. Good luck!

 

[sfl_gunner]

According to the Sierra Reloading Guide, 180gr JHP should be seated to 1.125", same as specified in the Hornady manual for the XTP bullets. Most importantly, Sierra provides a warning for Bullseye at 5.1gr, indicating HIGH PRESSURE LOADS.

So...to answer your question...seating a 180 gr XTP shorter than 1.125" with a higher than max charge of Bullseye is probably ill-advised.

I just saw this in the Sierra guide. Really interesting to see such difference in the powder. The Lyman manual is .5 grain hotter.

 

[buba68]

Today I loaded my first batch of .40 S&W. I used Hornady 180 gr HP/XTP. I have plenty of Bullseye and I found a recipe for Sierra HP 180’s in my Lyman manual. I’m running a mid level charge of 5.2 gr of Bullseye. However, I could not find Hornady load data for Bullseye. The other issue is that I found the OAL for the Sierra’s at 1.115” which is shorter than any other load I found in my Hornady manual which has the OAL at 1.125”. I know that .40 S&W is a high pressure round. My question is, will I run into problems with an OAL of 1.115”?

Pull the barrel out of your gun and use it to do the Plunk Test to determine the correct OAL for the bullet and your barrel. The OAL the manuals suggest are kinda generic and the best way is to use your barrel to determine the OAL.

 

[sfl_gunner]

Pull the barrel out of your gun and use it to do the Plunk Test to determine the correct OAL for the bullet and your barrel. The OAL the manuals suggest are kinda generic and the best way is to use your barrel to determine the OAL.

I did that and they all fit the chamber just fine.

 

[gunlaw]

I never found Bullseye to be a great powder for 40 S&W. Try AA #5.

 

[LiveLife]

I shot USPSA with two Glock 22s and 40S&W bullet weights of 155/165/180 gr FMJ/JHP.

I found faster burning powders than W231/HP-38 (Unless low powder charges were used) produced very snappy felt recoil and suggest slower burning powders like BE-86, WSF, Herco for more comfortable yet very accurate loads.

Yes, I did say Herco, cousin of flaming dirt Unique and Herco in 40S&W will even burn clean, inside the brass clean burning.

 

[Walkalong]

5.0 Grs of W-231 and an SNS coated 180 Gr TrFP bullet @ 1.130 OAL gives a nice short pleasant recoil impulse and shoots very well.

6.0 Gr BE-86 and an X-Treme 180 Gr TrFP @ 1.130 +/- OAL shoots well too, bit more recoil.

Work up to these

 

[vaalpens]

Good luck with your new endeavor. I started reloading with 40s&w, and think it is one of the easier cartridges to reload.

Lately I have been reloading 40s&w on the cheap and is very happy with the results. I basically use 180gr pulled FMJ RN FP bullets with W244. Accuracy is very good, and load data is on the lower end of the range.

Here is a link to my last testing I did: https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/back-testing-again-well-sort-of.873176/#post-11604261

 

[GooseGestapo]

I’ve used 3.9gr of Bullseye under the Lee 180gr TCFN for quite a few years. Runs about 800fps and is accurate from a Glock G22. About as cheap as a .40 can be run.

 

[rdnktrkr]

I started loading on the 40s&w and 357mag. I've always used HP-38 for both and have had good luck from 150gr to 180gr with a 1.20 to 1.25 oal, the last 500 (508) I loaded were 150gr plated bullets and I like them.

 

[sfl_gunner]

I shot the load I described on the original post without any issues.