New to reloading. Need a load for .40 S&W

[k9ridge09]

I just recently got into reloading. I know that .40 is not the best caliber to start with but I carry a XD-40. I am using Ranier 180gr. bullets. I noticed a lot of people use W231 but have read this is a fast burning powder. Any suggestions?

 

[popper]

231/hp-38 works fine for my XD40. Start about 4.5 and work up.

 

[sellersm]

Got a manual or two? Or check the website of the powder manufacturer. Lots of published loads for this...

I too like a load in the mid 4gr range, with 180gr .40 bullets & Win231/HP38 powder.

 

[jcwit]

Any suggestions?

Yup, get a manual and read, read, read!

 

[orionengnr]

Until you get a manual, these might be worth perusing...

http://www.accuratepowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/accurate_load_data_3.5.pdf
http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/

 

[[email protected]]

I have loaded that bullet with ACC#5 in the past. I still use Acc#5, but with berry's bullets. I use HP38/231 for cast bullets. I have also used bullseye, acc#7, and unique as well. I have some power pistol to try out next. Just watch what your doing and dont try to push them too fast. Also watch for overcharges and bullet setback. Slower powders will give you more room for error, but sometimes it takes a higher charge to get the gun's action to operate. I also try to stay away from powders that the start charge and max charge are close together. Also make sure your rounds will chamber before you make a bunch.

 

[Drail]

Buy and read loading manuals. Don't use any load data off the Internet. Most of it is safe but there are a lot of idiots on the Internet. Trust me. I'm on the Internet.

 

[oneounceload]

Buy and read loading manuals. Don't use any load data off the Internet. Most of it is safe but there are a lot of idiots on the Internet. Trust me. I'm on the Internet.

+1

using published data from the powder makers and bullet makers is the safest load data you can use to ensure keeping all of your fingers and eyes

 

[JLDickmon]

Buy and read loading manuals. Don't use any load data off the Internet. Most of it is safe but there are a lot of idiots on the Internet. Trust me. I'm on the Internet.

+2

Everyone on the internet is an expert...

 

[918v]

I'm on the Internet and my advice is sound. There are s handful of people posting in this forum that know what they're doing and they keep the idiots in check. You are in good hands here.

 

[rsrocket1]

4.0 to 5.0g Bullseye for 850 to 1000 fps MV out of a 4.25" barrel when seated to 1.135"
2.7g Clays if you want about 730 fps and recoil that feels like a full power 9mm, in other words, wimpy.

If you use the light load data, wear a cap and be sure you have eye protection. The cases will pop out about 1 foot high and may land on your head or bounce off your goggles. I shot about 50 of those yesterday and I thought I was shooting an airsoft gun. This was with 180g cast lead TC bullets.

 

[RandyP]

If you would like to choose from the Winchester/Hodgdon/IMR line of powders, their website has a great reloading data resource:

http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

Just select the components you want to use and their available data tables will apear.

As others have said take any internet forum postings with a grain of salt -it is TOO easy to make a typo or reverse numbers. Manufacturers' websites work hard to keep their data accurate. If I 'had' to choose I'd accept the powder manufacturer as being more 'accurate/safe' than the bullet maker. But either is a good free resource especially if you only want the one caliber.

 

[Uncle Richard]

Also shoot and reload for 40sw

I primarily use 180gr RNFP from Rainier with 5.3gr wsf at about ~870fps with a slight tapper crimp.

This load is used for IDPA, which is the bulk of my shooting.

Good clean and accurate load. Even though I clean my xd frequently, this powder would allow more firing before cleaning sessions. Noticed a considerable reduction in effort to clean the xd after switching from Unique.

Please note that Unique is a really good powder for the 40sw based upon experience, just dirty.

 

[Bullseye25]

Hs-6 has worked great for me. Meters great, clean, cheap, accurate, and med - slow burning for a .40 powder.

 

[CZ57]

Get all of the manuals you can afford to. One of the best powders you'll find for .40 S&W is Ramshot Silhouette and very accurate loads can be made with True Blue as well. www.ramshot.com

 

[jjjitters]

Lots of good ones already mentioned here ,choose your poison. AA#5, WSF, Silhouette,Sr 7625,HP-38.N340,N350 plus more. For starters stick with 170-180gr pills, but my best performer in several .40's are 150 and 155swc's.

 

[gunlaw]

AA#5 and Power Pistol work great for the 40 with both plated and cast bullets. get a good manuel and work up your loads accordingly

 

[LiveLife]

Need a load for .40 S&W ... I just recently got into reloading. I know that .40 is not the best caliber to start with but I carry a XD-40. I am using Ranier 180gr. bullets. I noticed a lot of people use W231 but have read this is a fast burning powder. Any suggestions?

Many will recommend Unique or slower burning powders for 40S&W high-to-near max "full-power loads" and I would agree as I used Universal/HS-6/WSF/AutoComp for full-power loads. However, if you are looking to load lighter target loads, most slower burning powders won't produce optimal powder burn and resulting accuracy unless you are using high-to-max load data.

231/hp-38 works fine for my XD40. Start about 4.5 and work up.

For me, I would tend to use 4.5 gr as high range limit for 180 gr plated/lead bullets. Here's why.

With Rainier 180 gr plated bullet and relatively fast burning W231/HP-38, I found W231/HP-38 more suitable than slower burning powders to produce very accurate target loads using mid-to-high range load data that burn fairly clean too. I have pushed Rainier plated bullets hard using jacketed load data and found my accuracy deteriorate. With 180 gr TCFP Rainier bullet, I got better accuracy using lead load data or start-to-mid range jacketed load data. YMMV

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=8394739#post8394739

I introduce new shooters to 40S&W using 180 gr Berry's/Rainier/X-Treme TCFP plated bullets loaded with 3.8-4.3 gr of W231/HP-38 at 1.125" OAL. Produces lighter than full-power 9mm recoil yet very accurate loads and I work them up to 4.5 gr.

Current published Hodgdon jacketed load data - http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

180 gr Hornady XTP W231/HP-38 OAL 1.125" Start 4.1 gr (797 fps) 23,800 PSI - Max 5.0 gr (947 fps) 32,900 PSI

Here's 1999 Winchester load data for the lighter 170 gr lead bullet ... my take is that max powder charge for the heavier 180 gr lead bullet should be lower.

This is what Rainier Ballistics recommends for their plated bullets - http://www.rainierballistics.com/loaddata.php

Rainier Ballistics, recommend using lead bullet load data when loading our bullets. There is no need for adjustment when using lead bullet load data. Our bullets are jacketed using an electroplating process and are softer than traditionally jacketed bullets; hence the recommendation to use lead bullet load data.

I usually don't recommend max load data to be used for higher pressure 40S&W with mixed range brass and unknown reload history/condition of brass as cases that have been reloaded several times with hot powder charges and "fixed" with undersize dies (U-dies or FCD/G-Rx) and brightly polished will often look "OK" like any other polished case. In addition, if you are fairly new to reloading, depending on the powder you use (like Titegroup) with narrow start/max charge range, you could be over max charge and not know it if your scale is off by a few tenths of a grain (Some lower priced digital scales are off by .2+ gr and I highly recommend the use of check weights). Yes, the smallest check weight only goes down to .5 gr. Lee Precision Safety Scale pdf suggests the use of a small cut piece of paper to approximate .1 gr and my Ohaus 10-10/RCBS 5-0-5 beam scales will register that small piece of paper but many digital scales won't register .1 gr. Go ahead and try it on your scale. If your scale won't register .1 gr weight, now you may have a scale accurate to .2 gr.

 

[LiveLife]

FYI,

If you are using Lyman #49 lead load data for 40S&W, I would take a more conservative approach. Here's why. On page 362, it indicates that test barrel used had .401" groove diameter instead of more typical .400" and cast bullets used were sized at the same .401" diameter. To me, this would mean that higher powder charges would be needed to produce same velocities as, say .400" groove diameter test barrel.

You'll often hear reloaders posting "bullet fit to barrel is king and lead bullets must be sized .001" larger than the groove diameter of the barrel!" Well, I attribute this to why most of Lyman #49 40S&W load data have higher max charges than powder manufacturers' load data that probably used more typical .400" groove diameter test barrels.

Why did Lyman technicians do this? I don't know, but having seen my share of KaBooms with varying degrees of physical injuries to shooters, I caution new reloaders to reference powder manufacturers' load data for 40S&W and use conservative start-to-mid range Lyman #49 load data and exercise caution when using high-to-max load data. Some will claim this is being "too careful" but I rather new reloaders be safer than sorry.

Peace.