Reduced .40cal load

[blaisenguns]

I bought my mom a Taurus .40 S&W revolver and I may have made a mistake. She is having a hard time handling the thing, and I want to make her some reduced loads. I am thinking of some 180gr Rainier Plated Flat points with 6.6 grains of accurate # 7. this is a 10% reduction in the starting load from my manual. I like the accurate # 7 that is what I put in my .45s and .44s, and I like to use plated bullets because I find they leave less fouling on the lands and groves. What I would like to know if anyone else has a good idea for a reduced load in a .40 revolver?

 

[GLOOB]

Softest 40 I've experienced was a 180 gr bullet with a min charge of HP38, per Hodgon's Reloading Center. Felt like 9mm.

Now, even 9mm can be snappy out of a small revolver, mind you.

 

[rcmodel]

There are any number of .40 S&W Starting loads listed in my Lyman #49 manual giving velocity as low as 551 FPS using suitable fast burning powders.
But thats using 3.4 Clays powder.

4.9 Bullseye gives 628 FPS.

Not AA #7 though.

I would discourage you from reducing any load below the recommended starting load.

Especially with slower powders like that.

rc

 

[blaisenguns]

I would discourage you from reducing any load below the recommended starting load.

Yes I do suppose that could cause problems. I just figured that I could down-load for this because it is a revolver and does not need to operate from the recoil.

 

[rcmodel]

Nothing to do with operating the action.

AA #7 is a medium burn rate Ball powder.

It will not respond well at all to very light loads.

Incomplete burning, erratic ignition, and squibs could result.

rc

 

[blaisenguns]

AA #7 is a medium burn rate Ball powder.

It will not respond well at all to very light loads.

Incomplete burning, erratic ignition, and squibs could result

I see. Could I run reduced loads on some other type of powder?

 

[rcmodel]

Please read what I said in post #3 about suitable powders.

I don't want to type it all again.

rc

 

[blaisenguns]

I see sorry. And thanks for your help BTW.

 

[KansasPaul]

Hey RC, do you have any information regarding using Trail Boss for this type of loading? I've not ever played around with it but I do know that it is very versatile and can be used in pistol or rifle. Just a thought.

Blessings

Paul

 

[rcmodel]

No I don't.

I don't know if the .40 S&W has enough case capacity with a 180 bullet to use Trail Boss.

If it does, it should work well in this revolver application though.

rc

 

[rsrocket1]

3.0 grains of Hodgdon Clays or Red Dot will give that bullet about 770 fps and the same recoil as a 9mm load. It easily operates my M&P 40 so it will clearly exit out of a revolver. You can down load it even further to 2.5g and it will still burn cleanly.

 

[zxcvbob]

use Red Dot or Promo powder. The bullet doesn't matter much.

 

[Stormin.40]

I have used 4.0gr of TiteGroup behind a 155 gr lead SWC bullet and it has functioned flawlessly in my semi auto pistol. I don't recall where this data came from but it gave me just under 900fps out of a 4" barrel. It is also the most accurate load I have found for that gun.

That data is a full grain below Hodgon's starting point for 155gr plated bullet so in this case work your way down if you choose to use it. It is safe in my fire arm your milage may vary.

 

[JO JO]

here a good read

Google this : Make Right With a ".40 Lite

talks about lite 40 loads and some data

 

[cbmax]

I use 4.3 grains of Titegoup with 180 Montana Gold JHP's in my Springfield XD 40. I could probably go a little lighter but I am still using a factory weight spring. Even so the recoil is very light. You could easily go as low as 4.0 grains of Tite Group in a revolver using bullets of he same weight.

CB

 

[greenlion]

The old Police-Lite 165gr at 950-980 fps is a soft recoiling load. What made you chose a 40 cal revolver instead of a 38 special? Just curious.

 

[blaisenguns]

The old Police-Lite 165gr at 950-980 fps is a soft recoiling load. What made you chose a 40 cal revolver instead of a 38 special? Just curious.

Well I wanted to give her something that would have more take-down power if she ever had to use it, and because it loads with the full-moon clips it is easier for her to load. I figured that a .40 would not kick much more then a .38. I considered a .357 mag and she could shoot .38 +P's but I thought the .40 would be better. She cant use an automatic, so it had to be a revolver.

 

[blaisenguns]

I had a thought last night. If I increased the overall length by seating the bullet less into the case, would that not reduce felt recoil? I mean if I increase the room in the case that gives the powder more room to burn, and would equal less felt recoil and muzzle flash. Do you guys think this is a valid theory?

 

[jjjitters]

Some of my softest shooting loads in any pistol caliber have been with VV N340 or N320. They just seem to have a smoother "push". Never had much issues with inconsistent ignition on reduced loads, unburnt granules was the biggest with some powders but did shoot good. I used 165 or 170 gr Brrey's and lswc for those.

 

[Bovice]

Blaisenguns,

In terms of seating depth, +/- 0.010 is like +/- 0.1 grains of powder, and you can only load a .40 out so long. For tuning a load, you're going to get much more effect from the powder charge than OAL.

 

[oldpapps]

Have you thought of dropping to 140 grain bullets?
Less weight going out and no requirements to function the action. Slower velocity and less recoil. Cast with very soft lead maybe.
My daughter's mother-in-law can shoot a .22 with the best of them. But she is intimidated by the slightest recoil.

 

[AABEN]

I bought my mom a Taurus .40 S&W revolver and I may have made a mistake. She is having a hard time handling the thing, and I want to make her some reduced loads. I am thinking of some 180gr Rainier Plated Flat points with 6.6 grains of accurate # 7. this is a 10% reduction in the starting load from my manual. I like the accurate # 7 that is what I put in my .45s and .44s, and I like to use plated bullets because I find they leave less fouling on the lands and groves. What I would like to know if anyone else has a good idea for a reduced load in a .40 revolver?

Load her a 155gr or less with the leas powder that it call for. That will be a good load to start with.

 

[greenlion]

The Hornady Custom 180gr XTP would be a light recoiling round. It is advertised at 950fps and should still expand well. Their Steel Match line has the same bullet at the same velocity, only a little cheaper.

 

[SDGlock23]

3.8gr TiteGroup with 180gr loaded to about 1.140". Softer than a 9mm and very accurate.

 

[plateshooter]

If you have a 405 Taurus, I might suggest switching the ribber grips to the Hogue 73000 grips. I have done that on 2 of my guns with that frame size, and it seems to make the gun easier to handle. Less than 20 bucks at most online retailers.

I shoot some stiff power pistol loads with 180gr lead and the Hogue grips make it much easier for me.