taking the snap out of 40

[glock34]

taking the snap out of 40...if it has snap. I read alot about 40 having more of a snap than 45. I have 9 and 40 pistols now and have had a 45 before. Never had the 40 and 45 at the same time to compare. I have only been reloading for a few years but would think you could load to remove the snap. i know my 40 snaps/kicks more than my 9 but that seems comman sense because it is bigger. thoughts? is there more snap? Can you load to remove it and still have more than a mouse fart load?

 

[Disposable Heart]

yes and no. Straight recoil guide rod guns, I notice it, double spring recoil guns (say, glock subcompacts and similar), not so much.

.40 does have a significantly sharper recoil impulse (snap) but not enough for me to worry about.

Using a full sized pistol, low bore axis and if handloading, try Unique or similar slower burning powder that will still give you good velo, you are good to go. I've made softer shooting 180gr stuff with Unique that still did 900 fps out of a 4" tube. For your purposes here (this being softer shooting .40 and maintain a decent power curve) avoid power powders like 3N37, PowerPistol, or LongShot. While slower burning, they are ferocious in snap due to the velocities they produce. Boy, do they make awesome velo though!!

In short, if you can shoot .45, don't whine about .40.

 

[nucone]

yes and no. Straight recoil guide rod guns, I notice it, double spring recoil guns (say, glock subcompacts and similar), not so much.

.40 does have a significantly sharper recoil impulse (snap) but not enough for me to worry about.

Using a full sized pistol, low bore axis and if handloading, try Unique or similar slower burning powder that will still give you good velo, you are good to go. I've made softer shooting 180gr stuff with Unique that still did 900 fps out of a 4" tube. For your purposes here (this being softer shooting .40 and maintain a decent power curve) avoid power powders like 3N37, PowerPistol, or LongShot. While slower burning, they are ferocious in snap due to the velocities they produce. Boy, do they make awesome velo though!!

In short, if you can shoot .45, don't whine about .40.

^^^^^ This!

 

[DRob]

Snap

"40 snap" is a fabrication by those who are intimidated by their 9MM. I think it's better called power envy! My 145 lb wife shoots a Glock 27 with no problem! If "40 snap" bothers you, get a .22lr!

Is there a rule against using purple and a Big Grin together?

 

[CB45]

taking the snap out of 40...if it has snap. I read alot about 40 having more of a snap than 45. I have 9 and 40 pistols now and have had a 45 before. Never had the 40 and 45 at the same time to compare. I have only been reloading for a few years but would think you could load to remove the snap. i know my 40 snaps/kicks more than my 9 but that seems comman sense because it is bigger. thoughts? is there more snap? Can you load to remove it and still have more than a mouse fart load?

140 gr. Lead bullets at 135 PF. shoot soft and are cheap. (Almost as cheap as 9)
180 gr. Lead bullets at 170 pf with WST is fairly soft. I don't like heavy bullets going slow, so I don't use 180 gr. bullets for minor.

I want to try 200 gr bullets at major PF. I've been told its softer then 180gr.

Also, S&S makes some 220 gr lead bullets, that could be interesting.

I enjoy shooting .40 out of my steel frame gun. I've heard many say major PF out of polymer is another animal.

 

[45calibre]

do you know how to properly grip the gun? once i learned how to properly grip the gun with both hands i noticed muzzle rise went away. the only .40s i ever shot were an SR40 and XD40 and i did not notice any snap. even with 9mm +p+ loads snap is not an issue at all.

 

[glock34]

I may have fogotten to say i have no problem with shooting my 40. I like it. It is just all the reading I have seen that made me wonder do I have what people are calling snap and never knew it. Since i load 40 should i be looking for the better load. Is all the talk about "snap" nonsense.

 

[bigmedicine]

This justifies the 10mm even more . Sorry, just never thought that the Short and Weak had much snap.

 

[csmith]

Contact Andrew at Profire. A few years ago when I took his reloading class he suggested a Clays load to me that is accurate, reliable, and in my m&p feels like you're shooting a .22.

 

[Leo]

I fooled with Clays some in the .40 and it was not as dependable and consistant as I liked. I think clays is too fast burning for the .40, and the .40 does not seem to like too slow of loads from an accuracy point of view.

For lead bullet loads I am puting 3.5 grains of Titegroup behind a 180 grain cast bullet. It is not a mouse fart and will slam the steel plates down on the plate rack with authority. It is a smoother recoil than say a 165 gr full power defensive round, and makes tight little groups in the Beretta and the Para.

 

[Grelber]

taking the snap out of 40...if it has snap. I read alot about 40 having more of a snap than 45.

You've likely also read where some folks note the same thing when comparing smaller - faster rifle calibers/loads to heavier slower. 270 weatherby magnum vs 300 was described to me the same way as folks talk about 40 vs 45 for example.

Heavy bullet slower speed is more of a shove and lighter faster is more of a smack.

I tend to shoot 200 grain 45's and 180 grain 40's at around the same power factor which makes the recoil impulse feel very similar for both. Not why I developed the loads I use but still handy for when I swap guns.
Sounds like you are not bothered by the recoil impulse you are getting so maybe you are free to load (or buy) whatever best meets your other ammo goals (accuracy, stopping power, cost, muzzle control, whatever)?

 

[chuckyd46032]

My M&P 40 is a pleasure to shoot ans I suspect it will stop a man.

 

[superjoe76]

"40 snap" is a fabrication by those who are intimidated by their 9MM. I think it's better called power envy! My 145 lb wife shoots a Glock 27 with no problem! If "40 snap" bothers you, get a .22lr!

Is there a rule against using purple and a Big Grin together?

YES!!!

Btw, I shot .45 for a long time then switched to .40 last month and didnt mind it at all.