40 S&W Load Data Variability

[facedown]

I have been reloading for a number of years and am aware that load data may vary a bit from manual to manual.

I recently acquired a 40 S&W and figured I'd look at reloading with 180gr plated bullets and using Unique powder (yeah, I know it's old as the hills and twice as dirty) since I use it for some other loads.

Lyman : 4.9gr/839fps to 5.8gr/916fps : aol 1.115
Speer : 6.0gr/849fps to 6.7gr/1000fps : aol 1.120
Lee : 5.8gr/977fps to 6.4gr/1065fps : aol 1.125

So here the starting load from one book is higher than the maximum load from another book! Believe it or not the only powder that they all pretty much agreed on was 800X!(?)

I'm trying to duplicate a "factory load" at around 980fps.

What recipes do you guys use? Any pet loads for 40?

 

[Murphster]

I shoot the following in my Glock 22C:

Star 180 grain fmj (plated).
CCI Primer
6.0 grains of Unique
Size to 1.125 OAL.

2000 rounds of it fired so far. Nice load. Shoots to point of aim. I don't have a chrono so I can't give you fps.

(I buy the "One Book/One Caliber" books that list all the reloading data from bullet and powder manufacturers for one specific caliber. It may just be me, but I've run into signs of excessive pressure using Speer data. With apologies to their data, I'm leery of it.)

 

[Black Snowman]

I prefer Hodgdon's Tite-Group and Universal in 40. I've shot mainly 165 grainers from my G24P. About 2000 Star FMJ-TC and a similiar number of Rainier TMJ-TC, plus 500 or so 180 gr Rainiers and another 1-2k of other bullets from 135-165 grains.

So far my absolute best groups have been with the Rainier 165 gr TMJ-TC or 135 gr Nosler JHP with Universal (can't remember the charge weights off hand), any brass but Remington and Amerc, CCI SP primers and crimp as much as possible without deforming the bullet (which is usually a fairly light crimp).

I've just started with the Tite-Group. It's looking promising so far but not sure if it will beat out my "keep coming back to" powder, Universal.

 

[Kamicosmos]

I have Speer #12 and Lyman 48, and have noticed several of the same type of problems, usually a starting load in the Lyman book is a Max load in the Speer book.

I like both books, but am shopping for a couple others for cross referencing, most likely the Lee 2nd Ed and the Sierra manual.

I also look up data from the Powder and Bullet manufacturer online as well. For example my AR load is a Nosler CT bullet with Hodgdon Varget. Nosler lists a much lower min and max set than Hodgdon does, while the Speer and Lyman manual are both different from each other and the other two sources!

I write it all off to different techs involved, different equipment, different goals, and variables in all the test equipment, bullets, powders, and other environmental varibables that are involved.

That's why it pays to have multiple manuals and the internet to check each load, especially when developing a new load.


THEN, you have to factor in you individual gun...it can throw it's own wrench into the works!

But that what makes all this fun, right?

 

[Grump]

Sure those Lyman loads aren't for lead bullets? Many loads and equal pressure for the same bullet take less powder for lead. Could be bearing surface, friction coefficient, sidepressure from the bullet "slumping" or whatever. Extensive study of Winchester load data points this out to my satisfaction.

I'm now lazy and now load to velocity per the manual and the same bullet type--AND barrel length. Works for me, you're on your own and get to make your own decisions. Since Unique is slower than 231 (and I had quite alarming pressures with 231 trying to make 975 fps with 150-gr lead bullets), I'd just stop the loads at whatever gives you the best accuracy between 900 and 980 fps from a 4-inch barrel.

Please take all appropriate precautions, and let us know how the primer imprints on your loads compare with factory loads using the same primers...

 

[facedown]

Hey Murphster!

Just got back from the range where I shot up, among other things, a box of your Unique load. It worked great! FWIW it "felt" the same as the WWB loads I took along for comparison.

Thanks

 

[Murphster]

Great! I've gotten some of my best loads from the good folks at this forum. Glad to be able to give one back.

 

[Thrash1982]

I've had good results using Rainier Ballistics 155 grain Plated bullets with 4.7 grains of Bullseye. It feels a bit lighter than Winchester White Box rounds but is more accurate out of my Beretta 96.