shooting the 40...

favorite bullet weight for th 40

  • 155

    Votes: 14 15.2%

  • 165

    Votes: 26 28.3%

  • 180

    Votes: 50 54.3%

  • 200

    Votes: 2 2.2%
  • Total voters
    92
  • Poll closed .
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area51

area51

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Joined
Jan 25, 2012
Messages
240
Are you a fan of the 155gr, 165gr, 180gr or the 200gr for general plinking ?
 
I'm a fan of a 165gr FP over 4grs of Bullseye @ 1.150" OAL. It shoots teeny weeny groups.
 
Less recoil, cheaper, and I am just plinking. Also, I loaded up a few with a middle of the road load, shot a two in group and they load beautifully on my 650 with the round nose bullets. Yet to try the SWC's, but I need to find a few before I make a big commitment to them. A big commitment is 2K at a shot. Does anyone do samples, I know MBC is crazy busy so I don't know if I should bother them since I am small potatoes.
 
I just got some bullseye, well 4 pounds of it, gonna see how much 4 grains actually is. I really like the safety of Unique in my handgun, no chance of a double charge, but got to investigate this bullseye stuff.
 
I really like the safety of Unique in my handgun, no chance of a double charge, but got to investigate this bullseye stuff.
Click to expand...

Bullseye is a great powder. I use a lot of in my 45 and 38spl. To prevent double charges. i use a powder check die as insurance. It's an extra step for well worth it. I want to try some titegroup. Hear is petty darn good ;)
.
 
favorite bullet weight for the 40 ... for general plinking?
Click to expand...
While the 180 gr bullets can produce softer recoiling accurate target loads, my favored plinking loads are with 165 gr jacketed/plated bullets and W231/HP-38.

For lead bullets, I favor the heavier 180/170 gr bullets over lighter bullets as there's not much price difference.
 
Last edited:
I am an old timer that has been shooting since 1970. I was raised on .357 magnum and .45 acp guns. I dabbled with 9mm and .38 spl. I only tried a .40 cal. 3 years ago and immediately sold it. I did not like the way it recoiled. It brings my muzzle up rather than pushes back into my hand like my .45 does. I shoot much more accurately with a .45 and really feel little to no difference in recoil between the two. Probably because my .45's tend to be heavier. I also know what a .45 can do to human flesh compliments of Uncle Sam and Vietnam so I am confident in that round and that goes a long way to helping you prevail in a fight. Many gun owners THINK their ammo choice is good. I know that mine is. :)
 
You left out 135gr bullets. I like them for swinging plates and they provide a higher velocity.
 
BTW, I'm with Old Dog. I prefer my .45's over the .40 too.... but I still have 3 each .40 cal pistols because the misses likes the caliber.
 
Recently I purchased a couple 40 CAL handguns mainly because I had a 5 gallon bucket full of OF brass I had amassed that was calling me. The other factor was that the last ammo to leave the shelves around here this round was the 40. I have tried a few boxes of reloads in several bullet weights and find it easy to craft accurate loads with all of them so far. So most likely the determining factor on a favorite for me will be the economy of the round. I do have to agree that the recoil is different with this round, I would not stop shooting it because of that fact but it is however different. More like a 9MM +P but heavier IMHO.
 
Over 160 gr and under 180 gr. If I have a choice, 165 gr jacketed in the Glocks, 170 gr LSWC in the Springer Competition.
 
Well when I owned a .40 I wasn't reloading yet. But I always used 165gr Magtech SCHP or 180gr Remington or Winchester flat nose fmj. They all shot about the same POI for me out of my Springfield XD. I didn't like the way .40 recoiled and sold the gun. Maybe if I were reloading at the time I would have kept it. As far as factory ammo goes I formed the opinion that 9mm or .45 were better options. With reloading maybe the .40 actually makes more sense.

If I had one now I would probably reload whatever weight bullet that I could get to duplicate felt recoil and POI as my chosen defensive ammo. Or if you use a different caliber for defensive purposes and the .40 is just for fun, try every weight and see what shoots best for you.
 
I like 180 grain for self-defense and practice ammo.

I have always been of the argument of the largest bullet you can find (within reason) of a given caliber.

My choices:

9mm: 147
357: 158
40: 180
45: 230

One of my exceptions is the 44 magnum. The heaviest I have shot from it are 340 grain but my preference is 300.
 
I load 180gr Berry's, or XTreme RS FP over 3.8gr of WST. When I get my hands on FMJ I load 180gr PD FMJ over 3.9gr of WST. Both loads meet PF for IDPA with a very soft recoil in my Glocks, and XDm.
 
I actually shoot more 140gr cast than anything as of late. the 180gr JHPs are a close second. depending on the bullet powder is either Blue Dot, Power Pistol or Longshot.
 
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