Which powder for 40 S&W

Thanks for all the help. I decided to follow what Mississippi and Nick C S suggested and go with the Hodgdon HS-6 and 165 grain bullets.
 
165/HS-6 is a great starting point.

Heck, you may end up never forsaking the combination - it's a good one.

Load safe.
 
I use AA#5, but mostly because I fear change. 6.5 grains under a plated 180. work up.
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AA#5 is another good choice. Versatile propellant. I use it for my basic 180gn plated range shooters for my 10mm's. But with 10mm, I use a little more than 6.5 grains ;).
 
Follow up

I figure I'd follow up and say so far so good.

I've only loaded and shot around 450 rounds so far and the only screwup I had was one squib round. The next round wouldn't chamber so nothing bad happened.

Thanks for everyone's input.
 
I'm surprised that no one has mentioned 231. When I started loading for a 40 I had plenty on hand for my .45. It works fine through a few thousand rounds of mostly 165 lead coated (Bayou) bullets.
 
Re Followup

It's good to hear all is going well for the most part.

I've only loaded and shot around 450 rounds so far
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Well on your way to journeyman loader ;)

I'm curious about load specifics. Bullet type/weight; propellant type/charge weight? Did you chronograph the rounds?

the only screwup I had was one squib round.
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Define "squib." That usually means you failed to charge the round with propellant. Is that what happened? If so, it's important that you review and evaluate your processes to see how you can do things in a way that greatly reduces the possibility of it ever happening again.

Checking for a proper powder charge prior to bullet placement is probably the single most important safety precaution a loader can do. I've had one squib in 33 years of handloading - one too many. Happened about two years ago - humbling experience.
 
I like W231 and AA#5 For my 40 #5 for 180 is a good way to go I use a lot of 231 for my hand guns #5 for 40mm 44mag 357 mag 41mag my 375 DW I use #9 and AA1680
 
HS 6 is the easiest, most forgiving, and gives great velocities. I have also used CFE Pistol, it's very accurate but a bit snappy near the max.
Hodgdon long shot is a great option as it gives max velocities, fills the case making double charging nearly impossible, and the pressure stays lower for given velocities.
 
I really like the recommendations I see for HS-6. When I was completely new to reloading my first cartridge was .40 S&W and I chose HS-6 simply because I found data in a variety of manuals. I'm on my third pound of that powder and I've stayed with it because of the way it meters.

I've started using CFE Pistol recently and I like the way that powder feels at the range. I have a lot to learn in this hobby, and I do enjoy the process. I loaded my first round in Feb. 2017 and every thing I've loaded so far has been through a Glock 23 or a S&W 28-2 4". Both great guns.
 
My 2 cents: HP38/W231 works great for me as does Universal using 165gr plated bullets. These are very cost efficient powders. I recently started using Blue Dot with very good results. All three feed well for me using Lee Pro Auto Disk Measure on my turret press. I always verify the charge weight every tenth round or so, and loads are consistently +/- 0.1gr. I highly recommend Blue Dot or HS6 or another powder with a lower VMD because it greatly reduces the chances of a double charge.
 
I have used a lot of Power Pistol but it is "flashy". I do not notice it outside during day time. I like Bullseye and Unique also, for 9mm and 40.
There are many powders well suited, and some powders that are flash suppressed: Silhouette and BE86. These would be more appropriate for night work (security, law enforcement, or "nights" at indoor ranges that simulate night shooting). Shoot your gun in near total darkness (where safe to do so), and you will see a fireball that will mess with your night vision.
I recommend that you download the pamphlets from powder makers like Alliant (BE-86, Power Pistol, Unique, etc), and Western Powders (Accurate Arms A5, A7, Ramshot Silhouette), Hodgdon (Longshot, CFE pistol). These pamphlets (or online equivalents) tell you a lot about powders purpose and characteristics AND include load data. There is list of Official Online Load Data links permanently pasted to the top of this forum. https://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=435562
And, of course read some reloading manuals, be safe and load lower than max until you have loaded and fired at least 1,000 rounds.
Finally, the cardinal rule of loading for a semi-auto pistol: Your loads must cycle the pistol reliably. Test them. Be confident knowing what to expect if you do ever need to use them. If not, you need to analyze what is going wrong and ask for help, if needed. This forum is a good place.
 
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