Loading for .40 S&W - Bullet Choices

[Doublehelix]

Looking to pick up a competition gun for the 2018 season in .40 S&W.

I have never been a .40 fan, but I do want to make Major Power Factor, and this seems like the most economical way to get there.

I have been looking around at some of the bullet manufacturers that I normally buy from (RMR, Xtreme, etc.), and the choices for .40 bullets are, as expected, fairly slim pickin's.

I have been moving away from plated bullets lately, although I have been shooting them for years. I like that Jake has some great choices now in jacketed 9mm bullets. It seems however difficult to find jacketed bullets in .40 without going somewhere like Hornady or one of the other big (expensive) names.

Those that load for .40, what are you using for bullets?

I haven't decided on a weight yet either, 165 or 180gr. Any comments/recommendations to meet Major PF?

Thanks!

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

I see a variety of plated, coated and lead available for $75 to $120 per K.

 

[Chillydog]

I’ve used Montana Gold 165 JHP with good results. Not too bad price wise if you buy by the case. I think the typical competition combination is going to be the heavy bullet and a fairly fast powder. I want to try some of the 180gr with some WST powder.

 

[LiveLife]

Montana Gold 165/180 gr jacketed bullets and W231/HP-38 were my USPSA match loads. 180 gr bullet can better produce major PF loads with lighter felt recoil. If higher velocities were needed, WSF was used but now I prefer BE-86 as it has produced more accurate 9mm/40S&W loads than my reference loads.

For "action pistol" level of accuracy, I would not hesitate to use plated bullets, especially with BE-86. Try using longer than SAAMI max OAL for greater accuracy with plated bullets (which leak a lot of gas around rounded bullet base) but still produce sufficient neck tension due to long bullet base.

RMR 180 gr Hardcore Match RNFP and BE-86 loaded long at 1.155" produced very accurate shot groups - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...ick-plated-bullets.761471/page-4#post-9645513

I would say pretty good accuracy for plated bullets - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...ick-plated-bullets.761471/page-4#post-9646469

 

[Captaingyro]

I too have been moving away from plated bullets in .40 and have been finding a lot to like in the new coated cast bullets. RNFP 180's are commonly available, and one big advantage is that they seem to be safe and accurate in polygonal barrels.

I've been pretty happy with Missouri Bullet Company, and I've also been impressed with a relative newcomer in the cast bullet market, Leatherhead.

 

[Englishmn]

I use Lee 180gr 6 hole swc mold and powder coat them. Had no leading out of my g23 or XD.

 

[Doublehelix]

Hmmmmm... I hadn't really considered coated/cast bullets, which is interesting because I love them in my .45. I will look into that prospect a bit more.

@bds : thanks for the information on the Montana Gold, and of course for the great info on the plated bullets. I can go plated, but I would rather not unless I had to.

 

[LiveLife]

James, I started out shooting Montana Gold FMJ but switched to JHP as other seasoned regional USPSA shooters claimed JHP offered shifting of center-of-gravity towards bullet base for greater rotational stability and increased bullet base length for greater neck tension/more consistent chamber pressures.

If you want, PM me and I can PIF you an assortment of various 165/180 gr plated/jacketed bullets along with MBC Hi-Tek coated bullets to do comparison accuracy testing.

 

[Doublehelix]

James, I started out shooting Montana Gold FMJ but switched to JHP as other seasoned regional USPSA shooters claimed JHP offered shifting of center-of-gravity towards bullet base for greater rotational stability and increased bullet base length for greater neck tension/more consistent chamber pressures.

If you want, PM me and I can PIF you an assortment of various 165/180 gr plated/jacketed bullets along with MBC Hi-Tek coated bullets to do comparison accuracy testing.

Wow. Thank you for your kind offer. I am not quite ready however as I do not yet own my .40 gun, nor do I have the dies for loading .40 yet. I am preparing for an early 2018 build of a custom 2011 for Limited Class Major.

I have switched over to the RMR JHPs (MPR) rounds for my 9mm competition gun as well, and I agree that I like those bullets better than others I have tried up to this point (RN, FN, etc.).

I will keep your offer in mind come January when I get deeper into this project. I already have my builder, and we are putting together the parts list and finalizing the build now.

 

[ray15]

Here's a few more plated and jacketed .40 options, including the Montana Gold and what appears to be Precision Delta products:

http://www.evergladesammo.com/bullets/handgun-bullets.html?caliber=5

 

[ATLDave]

I'd look at 200's before I messed with 165's.

 

[Doublehelix]

Here's a few more plated and jacketed .40 options, including the Montana Gold and what appears to be Precision Delta products:

http://www.evergladesammo.com/bullets/handgun-bullets.html?caliber=5

Thanks, that was a great link, appreciated. These are definitely more expensive than 9mm bullets!

I'd look at 200's before I messed with 165's.

Yeah, I am leaning towards the heavier weight. So far, I am not finding anything that is JHP in 200 gr. but I will keep looking.

 

[ray15]

Thanks, that was a great link, appreciated. These are definitely more expensive than 9mm bullets!.

Yes.indeed. When it takes 50% more lead the cost has to go up.

If you want to do it cheaply, pick up some of these before they are gone:

https://www.xtremebullets.com/10-40-180-HP-p/cxc1040-180hp-c1000.htm

I know plated isn't what you are after, but these shoot great. I bought 3,000 each of the 9mm 115HP and 135HPs, and they are high quality and accurate. While you aren't planning on starting reloading for a few months, if you want to save some money stock away a few thousand before they are gone. I've only found one bullet out of my 6,000 that's tarnished enough to call a blem. Xtreme must have high standards - they could have sold my 'blems' for retail and no one would have complained. I should have bought a lot more.

 

[Ironicaintit]

I use 180 gr Berrys for plinking, and 180 XTPs for the more serious loads.

I don't shoot competitively, but I've found the XTPs to be very accurate.

 

[Walkalong]

If you want to do it cheaply, pick up some of these before they are gone:

https://www.xtremebullets.com/10-40-180-HP-p/cxc1040-180hp-c1000.htm

I just did, my sons need some .40 bullets.

 

[JohnhenrySTL]

I didn’t have time to make it through all the reply’s, but my favorite all around .40 Load is the RMR 180 grain FMJ. They outright shoot better and Load more consistently than anything else I have ever loaded in .40. At the 100 dollar price for 1k it will be difficult for me to keep buying plated bullets. I used a code from here to secure that price.

My lengths were the most consistent I’ve ever had.

 

[Jonesy814]

I load Xtreme 180 grain RNFP bullets in .40 caliber never had a problem with them in a Glock 22. I use plated 9mm, 45 and even 38 special and 357 with heavy plated bullets Why are you getting away from plated? They are reasonably priced and no barrel leading!

 

[z7]

I have shot xtreme 180g (3k of them) for the last 3 years and have been pretty happy with them, but I am going to try some from RMR next because of what I have heard on THR regarding them.

I load for a glock 27, 23, and 35 with BE86

 

[ATLDave]

I know the question was about jacketed bullets, but I wonder why? It is very rare that a shooter can take advantage of any tiny accuracy advantage of JhP's over other projectiles at USPSA speeds, if there is any such advantage to begin with. Lots of state, area, and national championships have been won with plated and/or coated 40 cal projectiles.

 

[Doublehelix]

To answer the questions on "why not plated...".

There is no real specific reason honestly, it is just a personal choice. I loaded plated for a long time due the price benefit, but once Jake at RMR started selling his 9mm jacketed bullets at reasonable prices, I think I got spoiled! I feel as if the jacketed bullets are less sensitive to crimping variations, and just have a feel to me of overall quality.

I guess I am not officially opposed to plated, but I at least wanted to explore the .40 world and see what the jacketed options were first.

It is funny, I seem to be much more open to coated lead bullets nowadays than I am to plated!

As I mentioned, it is just a personal preference. If that is the road I ended up on, I would be fine with that.

 

[ray15]

I agree RMR's prices on FMJs are very attractive and the bullets are of high quality. Everglades 9mm FMJs are really good too, and even a bit cheaper. I've tried the moly and Hi-Tek coated stuff and I'll take plated any day. The moly I tried (precision) was smoky and only shot decent. Acme Hi-Tek shot well but there is some smoke and burnt-wire smell. If you're concerned about crimp tolerance, plated is way better than any coated bullet I've tried.

I'd decided to just shoot FMJs at their attractive prices until I started having symptoms of lead exposure and got my blood lead level tested. It was elevated, and although mainly attributable to shooting at indoor ranges I like the sealed base of the coated and plated options, they do reduce lead exposure.

But I agree that my personal sensibilities dictate plated should be cheaper, and the xtreme clearance sale I've linked is indeed that, removing my principle objection. And these are the HP version, which has a thick plating that stands up well to a crimp. I've recovered fired bullets and they are not fazed by a normal taper crimp. They are a very high-quality plated option, and other than forgoing a brutal crimp, should that interest you, and hitting max at a few tenths different charge are hard to tell from FMJs in functional terms.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

Why crimp 9mm or 40 S&W?

 

[vaalpens]

I recently bought some pulled 40s&w FMJRNFP bullets for $30 per 500. This is probably not something you want to use in competition, but I found them very valuable in gathering velocity and accuracy data points with this type of bullet at a reasonable price.

Here is a link to some of my testing. Please note that these were all tested out of a 3.9" barrel, so you should see higher velocities and easily make major with 155gr, 165gr or 180gr bullets.

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/buying-pulled-bullets.822450/page-3#post-10659440

With all my research I came across this document from a few years ago. It does not have all the new powders, but gives you some idea what are being used in competition.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiU7puOvpbXAhWoiVQKHfKFCKMQFggoMAA&url=http://www.k8nd.com/documents/hl40sw.pdf&usg=AOvVaw2fE3EoZdWJgE1zCRdFVD-2

 

[Chillydog]

That's a good deal on the bullets. Thank you for the link.

 

[Bristol Mt.Man]

I shoot a Sig "Match Elite", 1911 in 40S&W. I cast 175gr SWC out of a Lyman 4 capacity mold and also a Lee 2 capacity. I have used Win 231, Unique, Bullseye, Universal and a few others and have never had a problem with cycling the action. Accuracy is very good. The gun shoots better than I can!