I know own a .40... now I need to load for it.

M

Mike Irwin

Staff
A few weeks ago I finally ventured into the .40 cal arena with a Smith & Wesson 410 that I got for a price I couldn't pass up.

I don't suspect that I'll be shooting it all that much, but enough that I don't want to buy ammo all the time for it, so I guess I'll reload.

I've not really started looking into it yet, but I prefer lead bullets and either WW 231 or AA 7.

Anyone have any tried and true recipes?
 
I don't have a lot of experience with 40 as I've only loaded a couple hundred rounds, but I am a pretty experienced reloader. I really just wanted a accurate load that was near the FBI load 180@950 and tried good old 231 4.4gr gave me exactly what I wanted. Now that's near max load for 231 so if you want to push it I'd go with AA7. Hodgdon longshot will really make it sing or so I've read but I have a 10mm for that.
Guess I should add I'm using a commercial cast 180gr truncated cone seated at 1.1" , I forget the brand at the moment but everybody's are about the same.
 
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This is what I load. That doesn't mean that it/they are the best or any good, just what I load.

Any brass, CCI standard small primers, 231/hp-38 powder.

The variables:

Hornady 155 grain XTP - 5.4 grains of 231 - 915 FPS
cast SWC 155 grain - 5.3 grains of 231 - 913 FPS

These are not 'barn burners' but stiff enough for my needs. As both bullets have the same weight and near the same velocity, I can practice with the cheaper lead and have near the same characteristics as with the more expensive jacked load.

Also, I have found that COAL needs to be on the longer side for proper feeding. I have used these in several Springfield XDs, Tauris and even one of them glocks that I don't like.

As with all/any loading information, don't just jump in, check and re-check with known loading data from known sources.

Load with great care and enjoy.

OSOK
 
Any more I tend to load the heavier coated bullets(175,180,200) and with them as well as plated or jacketed I have found #7 to be an excellent choice whether you load powder puff practice loads or heavier stuff right up to the limit. WW231 is a fine powder for your 40,but for me the #7 offers a more manageable recoil signature.
 
After acquiring thousands of cases for my two 40s, a Smith and a Springfield, I was never real pleased with them so will not try to be helpful. But on the other hand, two 10mms, a Kimber Target II and a Model 610-3 Smith revolver are a completely different story. The Smith revolver, stainless with 6.5" barrel, is unusual and no doubt rare, probably not having been on the market more than a year or little more. I grabbed onto one the first and only time that I saw such a thing. The LGS had the Kimber marked as a .45 so it didn't draw much attention until noticing the caliber had been designated in error so scooped it up without a second thought. So right now have multitudes of .40 cases not being used. The 10mm brass is more difficult to come by but recently a shooter did leave a goodly amount behind the firing line, free for the taking. I guess it is the accuracy of the loads between the two cartridges that is the main difference in their shooting appeal. The 10mm revolver will fire the shorter .40s with moon clips.
 
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I'm familiar with Hodgdon's site.

I'm looking for recipes that have worked for individuals here.

I'll probably be sticking with bullets in the 150-160 gr. range.

I, too, am a very experienced handloader, so that aspect of it is not an issue.


I asked specifically about the .40 S&W, Condor, not the 10mm. I had a 10mm and sold it.

Now I have a .40, and want info from people on their loads.
 
Right on Mike; l was jumping at the opportunity to vent some frustration on the .40, in favor of its less popular cousin the 10mm. I can use some .40 loading data also.
 
Well I'm just telling you what I use with good success. I use Xtreme's 180gr RNFP loaded with VV3N37 at 1.126" C.O.L.
These are fired out of a HK USP40.

Extremely accurate, clean burning and have never had an issue through them. I honestly stuck with this load and haven't deviated from it. The powder is a little rarer but for how much it uses and how clean it burns, I'm not complaining one bit.
 
I've not really started looking into it yet, but I prefer lead bullets and either WW 231 or AA 7.

Anyone have any tried and true recipes?
Click to expand...

170 grain cast lead truncated cone. 4.7 grains Bullseye. I imagine 231 would be close to that.
 
As always, the following are my loads, and I feel they are safe in my guns. Check a manual, consider pressure implications and work up to them if you're interested.

In a Browning Hi Power .40 I use the following.
Magnus 180 TWC, Lead alloy: 7.5 gr of AA#7 gives me <1" at 12 yds offhand, from a Weaver Stance.
or 5.4 gr of Herco. Both use W-W brass, Win Sm Primers and I seat to 1.125"

In a G23, I use the following.
Remington 165 Golden Saber 165 JHP, WW brass and primers, 5.1 of Win 231 or 8.5 gr of AA#7 gives me 930 and 912 fps respectively. Both use WW brass and primers. I seat to 1.125" here as well. The 8.5 load of AA#7 may be close to max. Accuracy is <1" at 15 yds, Weaver Stance.

I have add'l data with Herco if you're interested using XTPs and Montana Gold 155 gr JHPs .

Win 231 seems a bit quick for my guns (G23, HP, and a Sig P226), as I generally get better accuracy overall with slower powders: AA#7, Herco, & WSF. But I also get equal or better accuracy than the loads listed above with WST...go figgur. Were I to pick one powder, it'd be Herco at this point.

HTH's Mike....Rod
 
I get just enough of the bulged 40 cases that result in later pulling so anymore I just push them thru a converted FCD (bulge buster scenario) so I'm not bothered anymore.
 
Never loaded lead in my Glock 23, but I've had good luck with the following:

165 Speer TMJ 7.0 Power Pistol CCI 500 COL 1.120 1,022 fps
Speer lists this as a "lite" practice load.

155 Speer GDHP 8.4 PP CCI 500 COL 1.120 1,196 fps
This one matches Winchester Ranger 155s. Those go 1,172 out of the Glock.

Have fun!
 
Thanks, all, that gives me some starting point information.

I'm going to try to get out to the NRA range sometime this weekend to put it through its initial paces.

I have 50 rounds; I'll pick up another 50 or so at WallyWorld.
 
How much brass do you want? Pay shipping and ill send you all I've got, all once fired, clean and ready to go. Several hundred, maybe three.
 
I load about 2,500 rds of .40 s&w a year Mike - I like the caliber but I just don't shoot that much of it compared to 9mm or .357 mag.

But I only load 165 gr or 180 gr FMJ Montana gold bullets ...and I like TiteGroup / I load each of them mid range for published min & max.

I run them in a Sig 239, a Sig 226 and a Sig X-Five ---- and I used to have a 5" 1911 ( wilson, but I sold it a few yrs ago )....

165gr at 4.8gr and 180 gr at 4.5gr. of titegroup.
 
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Been doing .40 reloads for my S&W 410 (love the gun) for 2 years. Tried several bullets, but this is what has been super for me so far with 2 bullet weights:
- 165 gn Zero FMJ RN bullets
- 6.8 gn of AutoComp powder

- 155 gn Speer TMJ bullets
- 7.4 gn of AutoComp powder

Before settling on this I had occasional ejection probs with 180 gn bullets, and with Power Pistol powder.
 
180gr zero 180gr fmj mixed brass, Winchester primers, 4.5gr win231/HP38, seated to 1.125" was a good load for me in my gen 3 22 and m&p 40c. Pretty soft recoil.

Or for mouse fart loads in 40, 5.6gr hp38/win231 and a rainier 135gr plated flat point. Seated to 1.125"

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
 
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