40 S&W : 180 vs 200 vs 220?

9

9mmSkeeter

New member
Just brought home an LE trade in G22, now I need to find some bullets to reload with. I'm looking for mild recoil and accuracy. I don't care so much about chrono, but I'd also like something fairly economical too. I shoot plated lead bullets only, usually through online distributors.

There's a noticeable price difference between each denomination, about $5 extra for each +20gns.

I've heard 220's are bordering on unsafe or at least shaky at best in a 40cal, and 200 is about the max. Will I notice a difference between 180 and 200 grain bullets much? I'm planning on using Longshot. Also, powder recommendations for my criteria of mild recoil and accuracy would be grand as well! Thanks!
 
I bought a Glock 22 over 10 years ago, and it was an old one then.

If one looks at SAAMI registered toleranced drawings for cartridges and chambers, they are sloppy [wide tolerances]. They do not over lap. The chamber wide sloppy range is just above the cartridge wide sloppy range.

If one looks at actual cartridges and chambers, they both tend to be at the small end of their respective SAAMI ranges.

If from the bottom of the cartridge range to to top of the chamber range would be a distance of [2] sloppy ranges.

The clearance between most ammo and most chambers is then [1] sloppy range.

But the old Glock 22 40sw chamber did not conform to the trend.
It was so big, it did not even make it into the TOP of the sloppy chamber range.

So we put typical ammo in an old G22 chamber we have a clearance of [2+] sloppy ranges.

This makes the case change [2] sloppy SAAMI ranges when fired.

Then along comes a sizing die. It is so small that the hardest springiest brass will come out at the bottom or below the bottom of the SAAMI range for cartridges.

Now when the case is fired, it stretches [2++] sloppy SAAMI ranges.

The old G22 has feed ramp intrusion of 0.235".
The 40sw brass has a web that is 0.180" thick.
There is then 0.055" of thin unsupported case wall.

A Nosler 200 gr JHP .400" dia bullet is 0.68" long.
The 40sw cartridge is 1.135" OAL max

1.135" 40sw OAL - 0.68" length 200gr bullet - 0.18" 40sw case web = 0.265" length space for powder charge

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What does it all mean?
If the brass gets expanded and resized a long way it work hardens.
If the brass is thin over wide unsupported areas, it will blow out with less pressure.
If the powder is confined to a small volume it makes more pressure.
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What does THAT mean?
If you keep reloading like that, you will have incidents of brass failure.

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Why would Glock do that to us?
Glock gets blamed if a gun jams.
Glock does not get blamed for old worn out ammo.
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What can be done?
1) As a reloader, I own a Glock 22 barrel that I have modified to be smaller in diameter and 0.18" feed ramp.
2) As a reloader, I own a KKM 40sw aftermarket barrel with 0.20" feed ramp

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Now instead of case bulges, my 40sw can push 200 gr faster than my 44 mag can. The 44 mag is limited by finger tip extraction. The 40sw can extract with hundreds of pounds of force.
 
my 40sw can push 200 gr faster than my 44 mag can.
Click to expand...

Ummm....say what? You sounded like you knew what your talking about until you made that statement. Was it a typo? I know you commented on you 44 being limited by finger tip extraction but c'mon. A .40 moving lead faster than a 44 mag?
 
A 40 S&W with hotter loads will shoot a 200 gr bullet a bit faster than a 44 mag will shoot off the shelf factory 240 gr loads from a 3" or shorter barrel. Maybe that is what Clark was trying to say. Which makes the 40 S&W a lot better than it is given credit for.

If he is really getting faster speeds with 200's in the 40 than with 200's in a 44 mag I'd like to see that.
 
Pardon me, but I seem to be a bit confused. :confused:
<900 FPS 40 S&W
>1700 FPS 44 Rem Mag
Both with 200 grain bullet.

Even my favorite 10mm Auto (40 S&W's Daddy) doesn't push them faster than the 44 Rem Mag.
 
My pet load for my Gen 3 G35 is 180gr plated bullets from Berrys and Ranier loaded with 6.0gr of Power Pistol. Also case bulge isn't an issue if its a Gen 2 or later. No need for an aftermarket barrel.
 
Without getting into this 40 vs 44 thing as a response to the OP about soft shooting loads for the 40 one of the very softest that I have shot is 3.1 grs of Clays under an Xtreme plated 180 which is sized at .400 where all other 40 bullets are at .401 or .4015. If this load won't run your 22 with stock springs then try 3.3 grs. A coated 165 from SNS over 3.3 grs of Clays is another pussycat. I have loaded a bunch of 200s in the 40 but the recoil sensation to me is best in the 155 to 180 gr range. The 220 is supposed to be a specialty bullet for users that can take advantage of a super long oal which I cannot so no experience there.
 
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