Ready to Load 40 S&W - First Time

[LiveLife]

A veritable encyclopedia of useful info!

bds, Your posts provide more detail and viable information than a load manual

Thank you and you are very welcome. Glad to help out fellow THR members.

BTW, Hodgdon lists load data for Berry's plated bullets under "BERB" - http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/pistol

• 155 GR. BERB FP WST COL 1.125" Start 5.1 gr (996 fps) 27,400 PSI - Max 5.9 gr (1,091 fps) 33,400 PSI
• 155 GR. BERB FP W231 COL 1.125" Start 5.1 gr (979 fps) 24,100 PSI - Max 6.0 gr (1,130 fps) 33,900 PSI
• 155 GR. BERB FP CFE Pistol COL 1.135" Start 7.2 gr (1,162 fps) 26,400 PSI - Max 7.8 gr (1,232 fps) 31,900 PSI

FYI, these are load development steps I use to determine max/working OAL and identify most accurate loads:

• First determine the max OAL/COL using the barrel. Dummy rounds (no powder, no primer) should drop freely in the chamber with a "plonk" and spin without hitting the rifling.
• Next determine the working OAL that will reliably feed/chamber from the magazine. Feed dummy rounds from magazine without riding the slide. Incrementally decrease the OAL (say by .005") until rounds feed reliably.
• Next conduct powder work up using working OAL until you have reliable slide cycling and spent case extraction/ejection (If working OAL is shorter than published, I will reduce start/max charges by .2-.3 gr). Then monitor accuracy trend (shot group size) while you increase the powder charge towards published max.
• Once you determine the most accurate powder charge, if using longer than published OAL and you want to further extract accuracy, incrementally decrease the OAL (say by .005") down to published OAL to see if accuracy improves. If group size decreases, use shorter OAL. If group size does not decrease, use longer OAL.

I had to start pass through sizing for Glock 10mm. Is that only a 10mm thing? Or is that needed on 40 also?

my experience has been that it is usually worst with .40 than 10mm

40S&W brass shot in generous chambers can overly expand or bulge the brass. I have found different brand dies resize to varying OD and down to different points towards case base.

My Lee carbide resizing die will resize 40S&W brass to smaller OD and further down the case base than my RCBS carbide resizing die. While other brand die users need to push-through resize their brass, I haven't needed to do so.

If you are not using Lee dies for 40S&W, check resized brass in the case gauge or tightest chamber barrel you have (in your case, your only barrel). If the resized brass won't pass the case gauge or your barrel, consider push-through resizing or Lee resizing die.

further investment in the cartridge and additional pistols. As a 1911 fan, I’m sure there are some nice ones in 40 that I can try to get on my Christmas list.

While I am a 1911 fan (started out USPSA shooting 1911), I am also a Glock convert - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...omo-reloading-range-test.578444/#post-9415802

FYI, I use 40-9 conversion barrels in my Glock 22/23/27 to shoot 9mm. It's like having two caliber pistols for the price of a barrel.

If you are considering another pistol purchase, also consider various police-trade in at attractive prices ($250-$350) including Beretta/Glock/M&P/Sig pistols - https://www.sportsmansoutdoorsupers...an/used-firearms/of3/40-SW/order_by/min_price

 

[Doublehelix]

I also shoot .40 S&W for USPSA, and I think it is a great load. I used to hate it however. I had only shot my buddy's Glock and it was a very snappy load compared to my 9mm or even .45 loads.

Then I got a nice, heavy 2011 chambered in .40, and all of a sudden, "I got it". It is really a GREAT round, and gets a lot of bad press about being snappy (I used to say the same thing).

I load 180 gr. Black Bullet International (BBI) or Blue Bullets that are coated lead. WST is my go-to powder, but I have also used N320 and Sport Pistol pretty successfully. I have actually considered switching to Sport Pistol since I loved it so much. I also load long COAL since my barrel allows it. I load at about 1.175" currently, which seems to be about where my gun is the happiest, but those loads are too long for a lot of standard production guns.

 

[Walkalong]

Then I got a nice, heavy 2011 chambered in .40, and all of a sudden, "I got it"

My .40 S&W XD Subcompact was unpleasant. My Witness Elite Match in .40 S&W was a pussycat.

 

[vaalpens]

If you are considering another pistol purchase, also consider various police-trade in at attractive prices ($250-$350) including Beretta/Glock/M&P/Sig pistols - https://www.sportsmansoutdoorsupers...an/used-firearms/of3/40-SW/order_by/min_price

The Sig P229 shoots very well in 40s&w due to the weight, and the P229 was designed around the .40s&w. Just be careful when you look at police-trade P229's. They come in a variaty of DA/SA, DAO and DAK. Make sure you know what you want and what you are ordering.

 

[rsrocket1]

Seems like you don't have the gun yet. I would not load anything until you get the gun. You will want to load up a few dummy rounds with the brass sized with no primer or powder but with the bullet seated and taper crimped if you please. Then plunk test the rounds as well as test cycle them from the magazine just to make sure.

Nothing is more frustrating than to make a hundred or 2 of exactly processed cartridges only to find out that some or all don't fit in the chamber or feed from the magazine.

 

[markr6754]

Seems like you don't have the gun yet. I would not load anything until you get the gun. You will want to load up a few dummy rounds with the brass sized with no primer or powder but with the bullet seated and taper crimped if you please. Then plunk test the rounds as well as test cycle them from the magazine just to make sure.

Nothing is more frustrating than to make a hundred or 2 of exactly processed cartridges only to find out that some or all don't fit in the chamber or feed from the magazine.

Appreciate the comments, but see Post #1. My son..that’s to say my household has a Beretta PX4 Storm. He wants to but an APX in 40 S&W, funded partly by my purchase of the PX4. My subsequent posts were to imply that I don’t like to have only one pistol of a caliber, and my son and I shoot together, so my reloading is for all of our firearms. Currently 2 45s, 5 9s, 2 380s, 1 lone 40, and 2 38/357 revolvers (1 Beretta Stampede). Starting to load for 40...a months long effort. Dies and bullets for 38, but haven’t started beyond cleaning cases.

 

[Dudedog]

My chrono took some friendly fire within the first few rounds, so I didnt get a chance to clock them.

Ouch, if it was a CE chrono I think they will rebuild them for 1/2 price even if they die in the line of duty.

 

[markr6754]

I finally got to complete some loads for the 40 S&W after my Redding Sizing Die problem was resolved.

Beretta PX4 Storm
6 - 10 rnd loads using once fired Federal brass, Remington 1 1/2 SPP, and Berry’s 155gr Plated Flat Point bullets, all at 1.125” C.O.L.

Silhouette 6.5gr, 6.7gr, and 6.9gr
Could have stopped at 6.5gr...it was mild, accurate, a pleasure to shoot. 6.7gr was a bit more recoil, not snappy at all, just heavier, still accurate, and also a pleasure to shoot. Let’s just say that 6.9gr was closest to factory WWB 165gr ammo. It was fine...harder recoil, say, a man’s recoil, but not at all necessary given the decent shooting from the first two loads. I’m definitely loading more 6.5gr Silhouette, and may even give 6.6gr a try. For plinking, I don’t need more than that.

VV 3N37 7.6gr, 7.7gr, and 7.8gr
Right off the bat, the Vihtavuori loads were much harder loads than any of the Silhouette loads. 7.6gr shot well, nice groups, and not unpleasant to shoot, but I’d need a compelling reason to load this over Silhouette. The other 2 loads were just a bit much. Even the 7.8gr was shootable, but definitely attention getting. I’d prefer to shoot the factory ammo than shoot VV 3N37 higher than 7.6gr. In fact, I’m considering dropping the load a bit, perhaps even to 7.3gr, and work back to 7.6gr to see what shoots well, and does not hurt.

I have several other powders to try...but liking Silhouette as much as I did, I’m not sure when or why I’d do so.

I wasn’t a fan of Silhouette in .380ACP, 9mm, or even .45ACP. I’m just wondering if it wasn’t developed with .40 S&W in mind.

Probably most amazing to me...no FTF, no cycling issues, no light primer strikes or high primers, just a really nice shooting experience. Nearly every spent case recovered.

Thoughts!

 

[Walkalong]

Silhouette 6.5gr, 6.7gr, and 6.9gr
Could have stopped at 6.5gr...it was mild, accurate, a pleasure to shoot.

I was getting ready to load some Zero 165 Gr JHPs the other night with 6.5 Grs Silhouette, but ran out of time. It's my last box of 500 I bought a long time ago.

No chrono I am guessing? No biggie, but would be curious of the velocities. Sounds like you found a good one. 6.0ish Grs of Silhouette and a coated 180 Gr shoots well.

 

[markr6754]

I was getting ready to load some Zero 165 Gr JHPs the other night with 6.5 Grs Silhouette, but ran out of time. It's my last box of 500 I bought a long time ago.

No chrono I am guessing? No biggie, but would be curious of the velocities. Sounds like you found a good one. 6.0ish Grs of Silhouette and a coated 180 Gr shoots well.

Sadly, no chrono, and all indoors range shooting. I haven’t tried any coated bullets as yet. Still pretty new to reloading, and working out the right amount of case expansion and crimping. Honestly, I still haven’t mastered it. Still, very happy with this first effort in 40. All my travails in 9mm and .380ACP must be paying off. I’ll have to try some 45ACP now and see if I can do better, as I generally encounter 4-5 high primers with each attempt.