.40 S&W Minor Loads

[Doublehelix]

I searched, and found a couple of threads, but I am surprised that there is not more information on working up .40S&W Minor loads.

 

http://forums.brianenos.com/topic/259576-40-minor-using-titegroup/?tab=comments#comment-2884689

 

http://forums.brianenos.com/topic/259148-40-sw-minor-long-loads-factory/?tab=comments#comment-2883313

 

http://forums.brianenos.com/topic/254995-40-minor-with-180-bbi-and-clays/?tab=comments#comment-2839766

 

I have been shooting steel challenge matches with a 9mm using some "mouse fart" light loads that I have worked up, and then I shoot USPSA with .40 Major loads out of a custom 2011.

 

I have been considering just using a single rig for both Steel and USPSA for consistency purposes, and thought I could work up some .40 minor loads to try out in my 2011.

 

There is an article from Handgun Magazine that I was referred to from a few years ago, which I guess was helpful, but he was using mostly shorter loads. I load my .40 Major out to 1.180" which my 2011 seems to really like best.

 

http://www.handgunsmag.com/ammo/ammunition_40lite_091806/

 

I am not too thrilled with the idea of swapping out recoil springs, but I can do that if necessary, and I am guessing that I will probably have to do this. I have a collection of Wolff springs from 13# to 10#.

 

I am currently shooting 180 gr coated (Eggleston, BBI, Blue, etc.) over 4.5 gr of WST at 1.180" to make Major.

 

I am open to different powder options and bullet weights as well.

 

I am not sure I really want to kill myself with work here, I can continue just fine shooting 9mm for steel and .40 for USPSA, but there is *some* benefit to being consistent with regards to equipment.

 

Curious what the rest of you are doing that shoot both Steel and USPSA.

[kujo929]

I made M in production shooting 40 minor. I can get 40 brass for close to free so really that is the reason I use it.

I use 3.3 Clays with a 165gr blue bullet.

Used 180’s for a long time before that.

Yes you will want a light recoil spring. I use a 6lb in a Tanfo. Think I used a 10lb in Glock 35 before that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Doublehelix]

5 minutes ago, kujo929 said:

I use 3.3 Clays with a 165gr blue bullet.

Used 180’s for a long time before that.

Yes you will want a light recoil spring. I use a 6lb in a Tanfo. Think I used a 10lb in Glock 35 before that.
 

 

Thanks for the response.

 

There are a few others talking about Clays in some of those threads I referenced, which is a pretty fast powder. I guess that makes sense with the lighter bullets for sure.

[kujo929]

I used titegroup, back when loading 180’s. It’s fast also. 3.1gr or so with that made 137pf out of my Glock.

 

 

Either work well.

It’s nice, a jug of powder lasts a long time.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[zzt]

3.7ge e3 under a 180 gr bullet makes 172PF.  2.8gr under the same bullet makes 140PF.  I use a 13lb recoil spring for both.  For Steel Challenge I run 3.3gr e3 under a 155gr poly bullet.  It barely (if even) makes minor, but it shoots superbly.   WST will do exactly the same things, but you will use more powder, and it's temp sensitive.

[Postal Bob]

3 gr titegroup, over a 180 gr bullet, gives me about 132 pf out if my 1911. And I use a 19 lb recoil spring.

[bulm540]

3.6 wst over 165 BBIs. I Havent chroned it yet. 

[Joe4d]

Ok,,, been doing this for years... Dont change anything.. Not your measure, not ur dies, not your springs. 
Take whatever 180 gr bullet you are using now,, get same profile 155, ( prefer in different color)... Load away.. You will get a 140ish power factor load at same OAL that still feeds and has enough umpf to run your gun with the same set up.

[Doublehelix]

Thanks for advice guys.

 

I just ordered some 140 gr., 155 gr., and 165 gr. coated bullets for testing. The 140s and 155's are a slightly different profile than the 180's I am using.

 

I normally shoot Eggleston, Blue or BBI 180's, and they don't make anything lighter than 165, so I ordered some from Bayou Bullets, and the 140 and 155's are grooved with the 140s being flat points and the 155's RN. Totally different profile compared to my 180s.

[Racinready300ex]

I only shoot Blue,I used to load my wife 180's for minor with clays and they were VERY soft shooting for her out of a Glock. I'm currently working on a load for minor this time I'm going to use 165's. I figure lighter is cheaper and with a 40 I can get it soft enough. I'm probably going to use WST, as that's worked well for Major. I check a few the other day and was Avg. 135 PF and they seemed pretty soft, I'm going to try to get it closer to 130.

[JayDee]

On 3/29/2018 at 12:46 PM, Joe4d said:

Ok,,, been doing this for years... Dont change anything.. Not your measure, not ur dies, not your springs. 
Take whatever 180 gr bullet you are using now,, get same profile 155, ( prefer in different color)... Load away.. You will get a 140ish power factor load at same OAL that still feeds and has enough umpf to run your gun with the same set up.

I do the exact same thing. A local GM suggested this approach and it has been really good for me. I use 4.5 grains of N320 under a rainier 155 @1.14" as my 40 minor load. Averages 131 PF in my gun. Pleasant recoil impulse and the sights track really well. 

[Word_Bro]

Does anyone have trouble getting consistent powder charges with N320 under 4.0 grains? For some reason, I can vary as much as .1gr while loading on my 1050

[Doublehelix]

I tested a bunch of different light loads for .40 S&W today. I tested cartridges using 140 gr., 155 gr., 165 gr., and 180 gr. bullets from Bayou and Blue Bullets.

 

I did not care for any of the 165 gr. loads that I made, and the 180 gr. loads were OK, but not where I wanted them to be. Basically, I ended up with one 140 gr. load that I loved and one 155 gr. load that I loved.

 

All load data is for reference only, use at your own risk, and realize that these loads are loaded to 1.180" COAL for my 2011 Competition gun and will not work in other types of .40 S&W firearms that use a shorter COAL.

 

My gun is an STI .40 with a 5" barrel using a 12 lb. recoil spring.

 

Here are the two loads that I really liked:

---

Total number of shots 13
Bullet Type: Bayou RN
Bullet Weight: 155
Powder: WST
Weight: 3.8
COAL: 1.18
Primer: CCI 500
Case: Mixed
                                                             
Stats - Average 877.85 fps
Stats - Highest 906.00 fps
Stats - Lowest 846.00 fps
Stats - Ext. Spread 60.00 fps
Stats - Std. Dev 17.96 fps
Avg Power Factor 134.27

---

Total number of shots 15
Bullet Type: Bayou RN
Bullet Weight: 140
Powder: WST
Weight: 4.2
COAL: 1.18
Primer: CCI 500
Case: Mixed
                                                             
Stats - Average 941.40 fps
Stats - Highest 980.00 fps
Stats - Lowest 901.00 fps
Stats - Ext. Spread 79.00 fps
Stats - Std. Dev 20.05 fps
Avg Power Factor 129.28

---

Both of these loads were VERY soft shooting, and seemed to have pretty reasonable accuracy. I need to spend some more time to verify the absolute accuracy, but after doing the chrony testing, I saved 10 rounds each to shoot at the plate rack at 10 yards, and they were both nailing them pretty well.

 

I will work up some more loads, and do some target shooting to see how these loads compare from an accuracy standpoint, but both look accurate enough at this point for shooting Steel Challenge matches, which makes me very happy!!!

[valerko]

just tried similar thing with my Infinity. Gonna try light bullets with same set up next

 

 

[FortyOverUnder]

Anyone in the 1.155 OAL range shooting minor?

I have 180s and 165s from BBI.

I have e3, Clays (Canadian), WST, Ramshot Competition, Titegroup, Claydot and few others I haven’t thought of for 40 like W231 and IMR Target

What have people found to be consistent?

[GMB]

3.25 Clays 180gr BlueBullet OAL 1.18