.40 S&W recipes

[blamecharles]

I have just recently got into reloading and was curious as to what some of you are using.

Current load I am using is 155 gr Hornady xtp HP I do realize that is probably not the cheapest route for practice but all I could afford that day.

HS-6 powder 7.7 grains per the bottle recommendation and online sources.

OAL of 1.135 per Lyman's 49th.

CCI small pistol primers.

Have not shot them yet so very anxious to see how they perform. Anyways looking for some recipes to research for target shooting and Personal protection.

These are being shot out of a CZ75 Compact so if anyone has a great recipe for that particular pistol I would be very interested in it. Thanks in advance.

 

[Skip]

My 40S&W loads were developed for firearms with unsupported chambers. I wanted to performance with the least likely hood of a KABOOM. I chose two powders that give good case fill along with lower pressures but higher velocities.
SR4756 & Longshot were the powders of choice and I highly recommend them. While I know load for an M&P and a Sig, both have fully supported chambers, I still use the slower powders. HS-6 is near the same burn rate and is an excellent choice. I have heard that folks, and I am one of this crowd as well, get better performance from it when using magnum primers.

FWIW

 

[bass pro]

I use Hodgdon titegroup @4.2 grains with 155 grain fmj bullets. Great target load.

 

[hueycrew]

6.4 Power Pistol, 180g FMJ Precision Delta RNFP.

 

[kludge]

I use Universal and No.7. Both work great, are very clean in the .40, and have pretty good low-flash properties. Hodgdon won't give out any lead data for the .40, so I switched to No.7 for lead, and I love it as much as I love Universal. Hodgdon also warns not to use any of their loads in guns with unsupported chambers. I use the online data for both.

Try SR 4756 if you want the ultimate in low-flash powder.

Use No.5 if you want big fireballs. I won't use No.5 in the .40 -- call me paranoid, but too many of the Glock kabooms have been reported to have used No.5. I don't have a Glock or an unsupported chamber, but there you go.

 

[NIFT]

I have just recently got into reloading and was curious as to what some of you are using.

Current load I am using is Hornady xtp HP I do realize that is probably not the cheapest route for practice but all I could afford that day.

HS-6 powder 7.7 grains per the bottle recommendation and online sources.

OAL of 1.135 per Lyman's 49th.

CCI small pistol primers.

Have not shot them yet so very anxious to see how they perform. Anyways looking for some recipes to research for target shooting and Personal protection.

These are being shot out of a CZ75 Compact so if anyone has a great recipe for that particular pistol I would be very interested in it. Thanks in advance.

Just a note:
Reloading manuals almost always list maximum SAAMI dimensions, which are not, necessarily, optimum.
http://www.saami.org/PubResources/CC_Drawings/Pistol/40 SandW.pdf

It is a good idea to 1) measure similar factory ammunition for what might be more optimum, and 2) be sure to drop a finished round into the field-stripped barrel to be sure that it chambers freely and properly.

For example, SAAMI data shows a maximum finished case outside diameter (OD) of 0.4231" with a finished crimp OD of 0.423". In my experience, premium factor .40 S&W ammo has a finished case OD of 0.420" and crimp of 0.418". Additioinally, finished OAL of factory 180 gr. FMJ ammunition is about 1.125".

Consequently, my practice 180 gr. FMJ ammunition is loaded to OAL of 1.125" with a taper crimp at 0.418".

 

[blamecharles]

Just a note:
Reloading manuals almost always list maximum SAAMI dimensions, which are not, necessarily, optimum.
http://www.saami.org/PubResources/CC_Drawings/Pistol/40 SandW.pdf

It is a good idea to 1) measure similar factory ammunition for what might be more optimum, and 2) be sure to drop a finished round into the field-stripped barrel to be sure that it chambers freely and properly.

For example, SAAMI data shows a maximum finished case outside diameter (OD) of 0.4231" with a finished crimp OD of 0.423". In my experience, premium factor .40 S&W ammo has a finished case OD of 0.420" and crimp of 0.418". Additioinally, finished OAL of factory 180 gr. FMJ ammunition is about 1.125".

Consequently, my practice 180 gr. FMJ ammunition is loaded to OAL of 1.125" with a taper crimp at 0.418".

I had noticed this as well, my PP rounds are 1.125. I figured since this was my first batch I would load what Lyman's showed as well as another source. Thank you for the link you provided I will do more research.


ETA: the PP ammo is all over the board as far as OAL.

Also noticed this round in a box of factory loads from Remington.

 

[hueycrew]

PP OAL is all over the place. Most manuals I've seen do list 1.125. I use 1.130 for my Para 16-40. I've tried longer and 1.125. This OAL feeds the best for me. I adjusted the powder to meet USPSA Major PF. I wanted the most reliable feeding and adjust the powder to match without overpressurizing the casing. My lead load was 180g lead, 6g PP, 1.130 + or - .005. Its snappy and smokey. 178PF. 5.5g still makes major and is more fun to shoot. There are so many combinations its tough to find the one that meets the need.

 

[Bollorollo]

I didn't see what size grain of bullet you were using so it would be hard to say how many grains to use for you loads.. I also use HS6 but only use 6.3 to 6.5 grains of powder with a 180 FMJ or JHP bullet. How much powder you use will depend on the grain size of the bullet. If you are using a 180 grain bullet then you would be using to much powder with HS6. 1.135 is the maxium lenght of the ammo so you could take it down a bit. Mine are around 1.125 oal and even around 1.113 at times.

 

[SSGSAD]

Just found this .... wanted MORE info, on the .40 .....

 

[mertbl]

Glock 22 - 4.3 grains of titegroup. 180 gr Montana gold jhp. 1.125 oal tula spp

 

[ckcollins2003]

Speer brass
CCI small pistol primers
X-treme Plated 165gr RNFP bullets
4.7 gns of Titegroup
1.125 OAL

I have shot loads with 5.0 gns of Titegroup with great accuracy results, but the recoil was a bit too much for my liking for faster shooting. I've noticed a huge difference in recoil with just .3 gns less when practicing the F.A.S.T drill.

 

[jbrooks19]

180gr LRN, 7.2gr Blue Dot, 1.12 OAL.. Shoot wonderful out of my Smith and Wesson Sigma .40 Blue Dot seems to burn very clean

 

[ptt811]

Been working on that very thing last week.... Shooting out of a Beretta 96. 40 cal. S&W
I was using 4.2 Gr. of Titegroup and S&S Cast Lead Bullets 180 gr. I set the OAL. at 1.145.... I fired several across a Chronograph and Averaged the result, I came up with 928 Fps. If my calculations are correct For USPSA that's a 167 power Factor. I think 165 is the cut off but I am not sure without looking at the book.

 

[blamecharles]

My recent load since starting this thread has been
6.9-7.5 grains HS6
180 grain flat nose Powerbond plated bullets. Really enjoy these so far.
Mixed brass
Federal small pistol primers.

My CZ hasn't really cared what recipe is in it so I have been sticking around 7.3 grains primarily because it has functioned well and the accuracy has been there.

 

[longbarrel]

5 grains Universal
180 grain Zero Bullet JHP
Speer case
Win Small pistol primer
OAL=1.128"

 

[indybuell]

Primer Size

So I am confused. I have read several places that I should be using large pistol primers in my .40 reloads. I just picked up the stuff to start reloading over the next week, and got the large pistol primers (CCI). The rub is I see a lot of folks here listing small pistol primers. Is that the correct primer, or is it just a preference thing?

 

[kludge]

Small Pistol Primer is correct.

 

[indybuell]

Thanks! Got it figured out. I was looking at the 10mm information that was mixed in with some of the .40 stuff.