Powder recommendations for 40s&w

[Kwaynem]

Looking for help selecting a powder for 180 grain XTP by hornady I’m using the hornady book and have never reloaded for pistol all help is appreciated

 

[mokin]

I use 800 X. It's hard to meter consistently but gives great results. I'm open to anything that might meter better though.

 

[frankmako]

i have used #5 for the 40 s&w. works well and meters good in the dillon 550.

 

[Kwaynem]

i have used #5 for the 40 s&w. works well and meters good in the dillon 550.

Accurate #5?

 

[rabid wombat]

I use WST under 180 gr coated round nose flat point bullets by PC Bullets. Normal caveats, check reputable loading guides...

https://www.kingshooters.com/bullets-pc-bullets-not-ammunition-/-26-3014

 

[frankmako]

Yes. Accurate #5.

 

[Ironicaintit]

I had pretty good success with Herco and 180 JHPs.

 

[cfullgraf]

It has been a while since I loaded 40 S&W and my data is not conveniently at hand. But, I've been using True Blue in my 9x19 and 38 Super ammunition.

Accurate #5 would be a good choice as well.

 

[DocRock]

I use HS-6 for 38 Super, 40 S& W, 45acp, and 45LC. To do so is convenient but HS-6 never seems highly recommended for anything.

 

[mcb]

Vihtavuori N320 the 40S&W powder against which all other are judged. Meters great, clean burning.

 

[LiveLife]

never reloaded for pistol all help is appreciated

Here's a step-by-step guide to reload for pistol - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...-and-discussions.778197/page-10#post-11419509

When I switched to 40S&W from 45ACP/9mm for USPSA, I used WSF for major power factor and W231/HP-38 for minor power factor loads. In recent years, I have tried different powders and replaced WSF with BE-86 and W231/HP-38 with Sport Pistol.

Looking for help selecting a powder for 180 grain XTP

Alliant load data for 180 gr JHP - http://www.alliantpowder.com/reload...?gtypeid=1&weight=180&shellid=29&bulletid=332

Speer load data for 180 gr GDHP - https://reloading-data.speer-ammo.c...0_caliber-10mm_400_dia/40_SmithWesson_180.pdf

I had pretty good success with Herco

During the "Great Component Shortage", I found Herco to be very accurate and clean burning in 40S&W (even inside case clean) - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...ick-plated-bullets.761471/page-4#post-9646039

And BE-86 groups - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...ick-plated-bullets.761471/page-4#post-9645513

 

[lordpaxman]

Looking for help selecting a powder for 180 grain XTP by hornady I’m using the hornady book and have never reloaded for pistol all help is appreciated

There are very fast powders that work well in .40 and will produce a light target load -Titegroup, Clays and IMR Target, but if you’re new to reloading it might be better to try a slower powder. WST and N320 were my favorite until Sport Pistol came out. If you want full power loads, Universal, WSF, N340 and CFE Pistol do really well. Are you trying to duplicate SD loads or just target ammo?

 

[Kwaynem]

S

There are very fast powders that work well in .40 and will produce a light target load -Titegroup, Clays and IMR Target, but if you’re new to reloading it might be better to try a slower powder. WST and N320 were my favorite until Sport Pistol came out. If you want full power loads, Universal, WSF, N340 and CFE Pistol do really well. Are you trying to duplicate SD loads or just target ammo?

SD loads with this bullet

 

[rfwobbly]

For target work.... Sport Pistol with 165gr

 

[BC17A]

S

SD loads with this bullet

I use both the 180XTP and Speer 180GDHP for my home rolled SD rounds. Alliant BE-86 is the most accurate powder in the velocity range I like with those bullets(950-975).

 

[Virginia Jim]

Another vote for HS 6. I use it for 40s&w, 10 mm, and 45acp.
Titegroup is good because it’s cheap!

 

[Kwaynem]

I’m not showing a HS in my hornady book what is it

 

[LiveLife]

I’m not showing a HS in my hornady book what is it

Hodgdon load data - http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/pistol

• 40S&W 180 gr Hornady XTP Hodgdon HS-6 COL 1.125" Start 6.1 gr (876 fps) - Max 6.9 gr (976 fps)
• 40S&W 180 gr Hornady XTP Winchester WSF COL 1.125" Start 5.4 gr (946 fps) - Max 5.8 gr (1,013 fps)

HS-6 is moderately slower burning powder that I tested for my USPSA 40S&W loads but slower burning powders tend to produce accuracy near max/max charges so I chose to go with slower burning WSF instead due to flexibility to produce accuracy even down to mid-range load data. Due to higher velocities WSF can produce, I used WSF for loading duplicate/practice factory loads using same JHP/HP projectiles for decades and in recent years, changed to BE-86 due to greater accuracy and higher velocities.

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

• 40S&W 180 gr Speer GDHP Alliant BE-86 OAL 1.120" Start 4.9 gr (879 fps) - Max 6.0 gr (1026 fps)

Below is my "relative burn rate" groupings I use for my load development and as you can see, HS-6 is slower burning on par with True Blue/Auto Comp/CFE Pistol while WSF is "relatively faster burning" on par with Unique/BE-86/Power Pistol which are popular with 40S&W - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/powder-shape-and-burn-rate.852012/


Faster burning pistol powders:

E3 - Competition - Nitro 100 - N310 - Norma R1

Red Dot/Promo - IMR Red - Clays - 700X - Bullseye - Vectan Ba 10 - IMR Target - TiteGroup - Vectan AS - Am. Select - Solo 1000 - WST - International - Trail Boss - N320 - Vectan Ba 9.5 - No. 2 - Clean Shot/Lovex D032.03

W231/HP-38 - Zip - Sport Pistol - Green Dot - IMR Green


Slower burning pistol powders:

Unique - Universal - W244 - IMR Unequal - Vectan Ba 9 - BE-86 - Power Pistol - N330 - Vectan A1 - Herco - Vectan A0 - WSF - N340 - 800X

No. 5 - Auto Pistol/Lovex D036-03 - True Blue - HS6 - AutoComp - Ultimate Pistol/Lovex D036-07 - CFE Pistol - Silhouette - 3N37

N350 - 3N38 - IMR Blue - W572 - Blue Dot - No. 7 - Major Pistol/Lovex D037-01 - Vectan Ba 7.5 - Pro Reach - Long Shot - 2400

Enforcer - No. 9 - Heavy Pistol/Lovex D037-02 - 4100 - Steel - Norma R123 - N110 - Lil'Gun - W296/H110 - 300-MP - 11FS - Vectan Ba 6.5 - H4227

 

[Kwaynem]

It does show HS-6 in the book but it shows max load at 7.2 grains

 

[LiveLife]

Hodgdon load data

- 40S&W 180 gr Hornady XTP Hodgdon HS-6 COL 1.125" Start 6.1 gr (876 fps) - Max 6.9 gr (976 fps)

It does show HS-6 in the book but it shows max load at 7.2 grains

Published start/max charges are often dependent on testing variables like test barrel used, bullet type, OAL/COL, etc.

BTW, Lyman #49 lists 6.9 gr to 8.0 gr for start/max charges for 180 gr JHP loaded to 1.115" OAL but they used .401" groove diameter test barrel instead of more typical .400".

So I tell people to slug their barrel and if groove-to-groove diameter comes out to .401", to use Lyman 40S&W load data but if groove diameter is .400", to use more conservative load data.

.401" shown on page 362 of Lyman #49 and why some of their start charges are Hodgdon's max charges - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/40-s-w-load.852049/#post-11145208

 

[rg1]

I use Winchester Super Field WSFand various 165 gr. bullets. Best powder I've tested. Noticeably milder recoil, burns clean, predictable velocity increases when working up loads with higher charges.

 

[DocRock]

It does show HS-6 in the book but it shows max load at 7.2 grains

My main load for 40 S&W is 7.8 grs HS-6 with the Barry's 165 grs plated FP at 1,050 from a FS S&W M&P 2.0

 

[Kevin Rohrer]

Looking for help selecting a powder for 180 grain XTP by hornady I’m using the hornady book and have never reloaded for pistol all help is appreciated

Longshot for full-power loads.

 

[ElGuappo79]

I've shot tens of thousands of .40 S&W with Power Pistol. I load with a Dillon 550B and it meters perfectly every time. PP is hard to find so my backup is Unique which does well in both my .40 and .45ACP. I shoot a Glock 22, 23 and 35. The G22 has an aftermarket barrel but the rest are stock. I know the Glock can be sensitive to pressures but I have never had a problem with either PP or Unique. Lots of powders do well with the .40, I got comfy with PP and just stayed with it. YMMV.