New .40 S&W loader. (I think I'm prepared)

[Shivahasagun]

I am not a perfectionist, but those loads do not looks good. Coating is missing and it looks like the bullet ogive is inside the case neck.

This is what I do to verify the ogive is outside the case neck. I use another resized case and put it neck down on the bullet side of the round. If the two cases touch and you you can turn the case without any issues, then I back out the bullet a bit. If the case cannot turn, then you have a good COL with the ogive outside the neck. Just remember to test a round with your longest case. This is a 357sig example of an ogive outside the neck.
View attachment 1205119

I'm not firing those bullets with the messed up coating. They are just test dummies.

Speaking of a dummy, I do not understand your bullet-ogive-inside-the-case test / procedure.

I loaded 130 rds tonight. I need to shoot some before loading any more.

I have to inspect these nickle cases more carefully than I normally do. Some have tiny, or little cracks at the mouth. I don't mind if they are tiny, and stay tiny after loading. Tension is good. But I noticed the ones with larger, but still little, cracks are the ones that sometimes split while seating the bullet. So I'm discarding those as I go now. (Instead of loading them and hoping they don't split)

 

[Shivahasagun]

A few of the ready to shoot cartridges.

They are 1.145 - 1.150" oal. They hand feed in the S&W fine.

 

[Shivahasagun]

Here are some of the cases I did not reload. Yea, I paid a nickel each. Ya live, ya learn.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Here are some of the cases I did not reload. Yea, I paid a nickel each. Ya live, ya learn.

Yikes! That’s beyond trim length. The loaded rounds look good.

 

[lordpaxman]

Those are pretty lipstick rounds!
Regarding @vaalpens method, just try this:
Resize a case.
By hand, Take a bullet and insert it into the case the wrong way, pointing end in.
It’ll stop somewhere on the ogive before it gets to the bearing surface.
If your COL of a finished round places that point below the mouth of the case of the finished round, then another case slid on the nose of the bullet will result in the mouths of the cases touching.

 

[vaalpens]

Those are pretty lipstick rounds!
Regarding @vaalpens method, just try this:
Resize a case.
By hand, Take a bullet and insert it into the case the wrong way, pointing end in.
It’ll stop somewhere on the ogive before it gets to the bearing surface.
If your COL of a finished round places that point below the mouth of the case of the finished round, then another case slid on the nose of the bullet will result in the mouths of the cases touching.

Thanks for the better explanation. My method is not perfect, but it helps when things are very close to the limits.

I actually use your method, then after the bullet has been inserted, measure the length from the bottom of the case to the bottom of the bullet, an upside COL. I then use this measurement to calculate my shortest COL with this bullet. This information and how deep the bullet will be seated gives me some idea how this bullet matches other bullets I have used. The more data points I have the better for me.

 

[vaalpens]

Some have tiny, or little cracks at the mouth. I don't mind if they are tiny, and stay tiny after loading.

I hardly see any cracks in my .40 cases, so I will throw out any case with a crack in the neck. Safety comes first.

 

[Shivahasagun]

Those are pretty lipstick rounds!
Regarding @vaalpens method, just try this:
Resize a case.
By hand, Take a bullet and insert it into the case the wrong way, pointing end in.
It’ll stop somewhere on the ogive before it gets to the bearing surface.
If your COL of a finished round places that point below the mouth of the case of the finished round, then another case slid on the nose of the bullet will result in the mouths of the cases touching.

I see now, thanks!

 

[Bill M]

Unfortunately, I generally don't find a split case until it's already loaded! I still lube/size my bullets, and wipe them clean after loading, a split will usually catch on the cloth. I set those aside to shoot at my brother in laws place, I generally can't tell the difference in how they they shoot from undamaged cases!

 

[Shivahasagun]

Unfortunately, I generally don't find a split case until it's already loaded! I still lube/size my bullets, and wipe them clean after loading, a split will usually catch on the cloth. I set those aside to shoot at my brother in laws place, I generally can't tell the difference in how they they shoot from undamaged cases!

I had a couple that while they split, it was only 1/3 the length of the bullet or so. I fired them anyway. Worked fine. But a few others split the length of the bullet and I could feel the change in resistance during bullet seating. Those get disassembled for components, minus the powder. I carefully remove and reuse the primer. No problems so far.

 

[Shivahasagun]

I have results!

Below are just the chonographed loads. I fired more for accuracy and general practice / fun / drills.

***From the new S&W M&P Compact 2.0 .40. (4 inch barrel). I broke it in with factory 155 FMJ, 165 HST, and 180 gr FMJ factory loads. No problems. As a matter of fact I had ZERO malfunctions, just like my full size 2.0 .45 acp.
AND just like that gun and all of my Beretta's, (except the .25's) no brass to the face! That's a dig at YOU, Glock.

Summit City 180 gr LFN coated .401 CCISP OAL 1.149 Lee .5cc dipper, heaping. 3.7 gr 700x.

7 shots.
AVG 834
ES 59
SD 19.

Zero malfunctions and it threw the brass 5 ft. Low recoil. Good accuracy. Didn't notice unburnt powder.

***Same as above but modified Lee dipper and 4.2 gr 700X. OAL 1.145 - 1.150, and Winchester primers.

7 shots.
AVG 939
ES 54
SD 17

This load was very accurate. Typical 180 gr factory recoil.

***Same as above but using the Lee drum and 4.4 gr of HP38 powder.

7 shots.
AVG 897
ES 40
SD 12

Recoil was about the same as the 4.2 gr of 700X.

Some factory ammo tested:

***Underwood XTP 155 gr

AVG 1243
ES 39
SD 14

Quite a bit of recoil. Seems borderline abusive to the gun.

***Federal 165 gr HST

AVG 1081
ES 30
SD 9

***Federal 155 gr FMJ

AVG 1115

***PMC 180 gr

AVG 924

 

[Bill M]

When the Border Patrol switched to 40 back in the 90's, the initial load was a 155gr Remington. That load was HOT! An officer that shot with us ran some over our chrono, WAY over major power factor!

 

[OS/N]

Nickle cases fail sooner than regular brass. The plating doesn't move the same as the underling brass - if the brass doesn't crack the plating will peel off or seperate. Check for cracks after running the expander and discard all. A cracked neck is not going to hold the bullet enough to keep it from moving around with normal handling plus a world of other issues that you don't want will exist.

If you want accurate safe ammo the best is to reload your own once fired quality factory ammo (same brand) or breakdown and buy a generous supply of new brass to batch reload so you can work up and manage quality reloads. Its hard to make chicken salad out of chicken pooh - just sayin.

 

[Shivahasagun]

Nickle cases fail sooner than regular brass. The plating doesn't move the same as the underling brass - if the brass doesn't crack the plating will peel off or seperate. Check for cracks after running the expander and discard all. A cracked neck is not going to hold the bullet enough to keep it from moving around with normal handling plus a world of other issues that you don't want will exist.

If you want accurate safe ammo the best is to reload your own once fired quality factory ammo (same brand) or breakdown and buy a generous supply of new brass to batch reload so you can work up and manage quality reloads. Its hard to make chicken salad out of chicken pooh - just sayin.

My eyes have become better at discerning .40 from 9x19 on the ground. The nickle was a little easier because it would catch my eye.

However, silver 9x19 steel & alluminum cases do, too.

.45 & 10 mm are easier to find on the ground among other pistol cases.

I fired about 300 rounds of .40 yesterday from two guns. Left with about 150 empty cases roughly, I didn't count. Mix of my reloaded nickel and new factory ammo I fired. (Some of that nickel, too)

I'll be even more critical of the fired brass, especially the nickel, from now on. Anything that looks like a crack at the mouth will be trashed.