Whats Your Favorite .40 SW Handloads
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Kimber1911_06238
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rainier 155 grain plated bullets and bullseye. very economical and accurate
Shoney
Member
Please list your pistol's specs, then we can give you a better idea of loads.
Shoney
Member
The powder measure you have may influence your powder selection. Some powders measure well while others do not. I've attached a file you find useful.
With 135 gr FMJ and HP, HS-6 does well
I found Power Pistol to be accurate in my weapons with 165 Golden Sabers at loads just under max. I don't use this powder becasue it produces very "snappy" loads as compared to other powders. The flash is also horrendous, even on overcast days, not to mention night shooting.
For plinking I shoot lead 180gr TC with Hodgdon Universal at moderate levels.
For PD I use 200gr XTP and PD practice 200gr FMJ with VV N105 near max. Excellent accuracy and velocities avg over 1050fps, but not nearly as high as VV manual say, 1118fps.
Other good powders AA5 and WW231.
With 135 gr FMJ and HP, HS-6 does well
I found Power Pistol to be accurate in my weapons with 165 Golden Sabers at loads just under max. I don't use this powder becasue it produces very "snappy" loads as compared to other powders. The flash is also horrendous, even on overcast days, not to mention night shooting.
For plinking I shoot lead 180gr TC with Hodgdon Universal at moderate levels.
For PD I use 200gr XTP and PD practice 200gr FMJ with VV N105 near max. Excellent accuracy and velocities avg over 1050fps, but not nearly as high as VV manual say, 1118fps.
Other good powders AA5 and WW231.
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XD-40 Shooter
Member
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165 grain Ranier, 6 grains of Unique, 980 fps from my XD-40
155 grain Ranier, 6.5 grains of Unique, 1080 fps from my XD-40
180 grain Ranier, 5.3 grains of Unique, 950 fps from my XD-40
Can ya tell I like Unique?
I find it to be an excellent powder for 40 S&W.
155 grain Ranier, 6.5 grains of Unique, 1080 fps from my XD-40
180 grain Ranier, 5.3 grains of Unique, 950 fps from my XD-40
Can ya tell I like Unique?
I find it to be an excellent powder for 40 S&W.SkydivnShooter
Member
My Glock 35 runs IPSC on:
180 grain Rem FMJ over >4.0 grains of Titegroup with WSP for minor - 143
or
180 grain Rem FMJ over 4.7 grains of Titegroup with WSP for major - 165
180 grain Rem FMJ over >4.0 grains of Titegroup with WSP for minor - 143
or
180 grain Rem FMJ over 4.7 grains of Titegroup with WSP for major - 165
Steve Koski
Member
Unique rocks in the .40.
FieroCDSP
Member
3.8gr Clays with a 155gr Rainier. Great defensive range practice round. Soft shooting, you can find your brass about three feet at your four-o-clock, and you'll get a lot of rounds out of a can.
1Merlin
Member
185 Precision Black bullets over 4.2 of Titegroup - major power factor
170 Precision Black bullets over 4.4 of Titegroup - major
155 Precision Black bullets over 4.2 of TG for a nice minor load
165 Zero over 5.0 of TG for a USPSA competition load. Major PF
170 Precision Black bullets over 4.4 of Titegroup - major
155 Precision Black bullets over 4.2 of TG for a nice minor load
165 Zero over 5.0 of TG for a USPSA competition load. Major PF
Oscar Orum
Member
Unique loads with 135 gr. Berryman
XD-40 shooter-can you or others help with their experience with Unique and 135 gr. cast? Shoney's comment and attachment are for "Major" IPSC, I believe. Thes loads are hotter than I prefer. I will shoot a Glock and a Springfield. Don't be bashful, I am interested in what others have to say, also.
XD-40 shooter-can you or others help with their experience with Unique and 135 gr. cast? Shoney's comment and attachment are for "Major" IPSC, I believe. Thes loads are hotter than I prefer. I will shoot a Glock and a Springfield. Don't be bashful, I am interested in what others have to say, also.
Shoney
Member
Concerning 135gr 40SW:
I didn'y like Unique for 4 reasons:
1. It was very dirty
2. It was not the most accurate
3. It was not as economical as other powders
4. It does not meter accurately
Although I got my best accuracy with HS6 and Jacketed bullets, it was not economical.
With lead, Universal gave excellent results at low-medium loads, very economical, clean and accurate. It also meters very well.
I didn'y like Unique for 4 reasons:
1. It was very dirty
2. It was not the most accurate
3. It was not as economical as other powders
4. It does not meter accurately
Although I got my best accuracy with HS6 and Jacketed bullets, it was not economical.
With lead, Universal gave excellent results at low-medium loads, very economical, clean and accurate. It also meters very well.
Berry's 180 Gr TrFP & a nice dose of Universal Clays, AA #5, or WSF.
Zero 165 Gr. JHP and Universal Clays.
I bought a 4 pounder of Universal Clays after a bit of experimenting (Not a lot, but a little) with the .40. AA #5 is a close second.
Zero 165 Gr. JHP and Universal Clays.
I bought a 4 pounder of Universal Clays after a bit of experimenting (Not a lot, but a little) with the .40. AA #5 is a close second.
CZ57
member
#5 is a good recommendation, but you can take it a step further with True Blue. The 226 will support the casehead about as good as any pistol in .40, the Glock is a different matter and you can avoid potential problems with a slower burning (and pressure peaking) powder. True Blue is one powder that is near perfectly suited to the .40 S&W. Silhouette is so close it's hard to decide which to charge my cases with. Unique is a good choice as well, but about as fast a powder I'd use to load .40 for a Glock. If flash is a concern try Silhouette. If it's not, WSF and True Blue. Neither will flash much, but nothing's quite as good as Silhouette and exceptional accuracy shouldn't be hard to get as soon as you start charging cases!
Checking my reloading log
a 165 gr Gold Dot with 7.7 gr AA#5 gets 1017 fps average from my G22 for 379 ft lb.
5.6 gr Unique worked well, not chronographed. 5.3 gr also worked fine.
5.0 gr 231 averaged 928 fps with a Nosler 170 gr JHP for 325 ft lb.
With a Hornady 180 gr JHP and 5.0 gr 231, I got 933 fps and 348 ft lb.
I suspect that if you want to get max safe FPS you may want other powders. I have some Speer factory loads, 165 gr Gold Dots, which rock: they average 1132 fps for 469 ft. lb., which approached .357 magnum revolver loads. That's what I carry now, because I'm reluctant to push my handloads that far in this cartridge.
My standard practice load is a Rainier 165 gr bullet and 7.7 gr AA#5, which has recoil much like the Speer factory loads.
a 165 gr Gold Dot with 7.7 gr AA#5 gets 1017 fps average from my G22 for 379 ft lb.
5.6 gr Unique worked well, not chronographed. 5.3 gr also worked fine.
5.0 gr 231 averaged 928 fps with a Nosler 170 gr JHP for 325 ft lb.
With a Hornady 180 gr JHP and 5.0 gr 231, I got 933 fps and 348 ft lb.
I suspect that if you want to get max safe FPS you may want other powders. I have some Speer factory loads, 165 gr Gold Dots, which rock: they average 1132 fps for 469 ft. lb., which approached .357 magnum revolver loads. That's what I carry now, because I'm reluctant to push my handloads that far in this cartridge.
My standard practice load is a Rainier 165 gr bullet and 7.7 gr AA#5, which has recoil much like the Speer factory loads.
Power Pistol loads
I've loaded 8.2gr of Power Pistol with a 155gr Rem. JHP and 9.0gr of Power Pistol with a 135gr Nosler JHP, always using Win. primers, shooting both from a Sig P229.
The 135gr JHP does about 1275 fps & 486 ft. lbs. from the Sig.
I've loaded 8.2gr of Power Pistol with a 155gr Rem. JHP and 9.0gr of Power Pistol with a 135gr Nosler JHP, always using Win. primers, shooting both from a Sig P229.
The 135gr JHP does about 1275 fps & 486 ft. lbs. from the Sig.
XD-40 Shooter
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- Joined
- Sep 6, 2007
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- 912
I've only got jacketed data for the 135 grain bullets, show's 8.5 grains of Unique. With the plated bullets, I'd back that off to 7 grains, should be about right. I personally don't have any experience loading and shooting the 135's, my personal favorite load is the 165 grain Ranier with 6 grains of Unique. Its soft shooting and accurate.
dleong
Member
My standard 40S&W recipe is a 155 gr. TCJ projectile (I use Rainier and Berry's interchangeably) atop 5.4 gr. of Universal Clays at an OAL of 1.140". This load clocks 1050 fps out of the 5" barrel of an XD-40. It's a very comfortable, clean-burning and accurate load that doesn't beat up the brass or the gun.
Crazy4nitro
Member
My Fav. Loads are:
*Attention.....Reduced Loads for my G23 with a LWD Barrel....Use at your own risk*
#1) 3.8gr of Unique under a 180 Lead TC Bullet.
#2) 3.8gr of Bullseye under a 180 Lead TC Bullet.
#3) 4.0gr Red-Dot under a 180 JHP.
These 3 loads are Reduced and are Very Soft Shooters. I Use them for IDPA type shooting and General Plinking. These Drop the Brass about 2 feet from me and do not dent the brass.
I'm Working on some WSF reduced Loads at the Moment.
I have Chrono info for the Unique load above. If interested PM Me for the info.
'Nitro
*Attention.....Reduced Loads for my G23 with a LWD Barrel....Use at your own risk*
#1) 3.8gr of Unique under a 180 Lead TC Bullet.
#2) 3.8gr of Bullseye under a 180 Lead TC Bullet.
#3) 4.0gr Red-Dot under a 180 JHP.
These 3 loads are Reduced and are Very Soft Shooters. I Use them for IDPA type shooting and General Plinking. These Drop the Brass about 2 feet from me and do not dent the brass.
I'm Working on some WSF reduced Loads at the Moment.
I have Chrono info for the Unique load above. If interested PM Me for the info.
'Nitro
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