Looking For 40 S&w Load For Major, 5 Inch Barrel

[mcb]

A friend and I are getting into reloading to feed our USPSA shooting habit. He has a Square Deal B set up for 45 ACP and I just bought the conversion kit and tool plate to convert it to 40S&W. I have been reloading shotshells for years now and doing rifle ammunition for accuracy off and on. Mass production of pistol ammunition is going to be a bit new.

I am shooting Limited-10 with a 5 inch barrel XD-40 tactical. Right now I am shooting a lot of UMC 180 FMJ. I would love to hear what you recommend for bullet weight and type. My first intuition is to try some 180 grain or maybe even 200 grain Berry's bullets. I have heard the heavier bullet shoot "softer" but I have also heard that seating depth is very critical to pressure with the heavy bullets

My friend is already using Titegroup and it would be good if the load used that powder just so we could save some money by buying it in bulk.

Is there a particular primer you guys would recommend?

Thanks

mcb

[GuildSF4]

When I used titegroup I used 4.5-4.7 grains behind a 180 Zero JHP or 180 Moly FP.

Primer WSP. (OAL 1.20)

Yes, seating depth is critical to pressure.

4.7 grains is in Hodgdon data book for 180 gr bullet,

3.8 grains for 200 gr bullet.

[dirtypool40]

1

[smokshwn]

Keep in mind your OAL will have to be in the 1.12-1.13 neighborhood (factory spec) for the XD. At that length I found I was easily making major with a:

180 Montana Gold FMJ

WSP primer

4.3-4.4 gr of Titegroup

If you do want to try 200 gr bullets start low and be very cautious working up. Some have had success with them however at factory length using Titegroup puts you right on the edge. Many on the board feel there are more suitable powders if you really want to use a 200 gr bullet.

Personally I tried the 200's but found that I could tell no difference between them and the 180's so I stuck with the 180's.

[mcb]

Thanks for the replies guys. I had looked at Hodgdon website and figured I would start around 4.4 to 4.5 grains of titegroup with 180 grain and see how that PF worked out and then work up from there if need.

Are any of you guys shooting lead instead of jacketed bullets. Is it worth the cost saving or does the lead bullet cause more problems than they are worth? There is a local place makes hard cast 40 cal bullets and I can probably get them for less than $40/1000 but I'm not sure how well they would work out for USPSA shooting.

Do you have to adjust the powder charge for lead vs jacketed bullets of the same weight?

So far I have shot 5 matches and had only one jam using factory FMJ. I hope to get similar reliability with my reloads.

Thanks again

mcb

[dirtypool40]

I shot lead the first couple of years I loaded. I was paying $30 / k. $40 / k for local lead seems kinda steep.

But stand and hose an array of even three close targets and the last one you are "using the force" for sure. Lead sux.

Jacketed is the way to go if you can afford it. Figure $55-75/k.

Plated like Westcoast is a middle of the road alternative. You should be able to get them for about $50 / k. They have a long RNFP that is the smoothest feeding sum bich I have ever used.

[GuildSF4]

I've had good luck with Moly coated Billy Bullets (180 FP), and some people like the Master Blaster bullets. ($10- $15 less per 1000 than jacketed, may have some light smoke but not like lead)

[Ray_Z]

Everybody has a favorite load. Mine is 4.8 of Solo 1000 behind a zero 180hp at 10mm length. Makes major (169pf), no smoke, real soft recoil, really clean, ES is 9 on the 'ol crono, and I got a whole can of the stuff left over from shooting trap.

If you check the states from the big shoots I think you'll find that the big boys are all using the 180gr bullet.

[Merlin Orr]

4.4-4.5 Titegroup w/180 Precision Black Bullett @1.95- light recoil and virtually no smoke. Easy feeding profile and very good quality control.

[Heath]

Precision Delta sells 180gr jacketed for $62.50/1000 shipped, which is a pretty good deal.

http://www.precisiondelta.com/

I haven't used them, but other folks on the board have. A search will yield some reviews.

What powders are better than TG for 200gr bullets?

[Sixgun]

I seem to be one of the few that like the 165 grain bullets. I like fast and snappy recoil. Here's my load, use at own risk, and work up slowly.

5.2 gr Titegroup

165 Zero JHP

1.145" OAL

This makes major in both my STI Limited gun and my 5" XD.

Ray

[toddrod]

I do not know if they are better than TG but I have been using Unique, Universal Calys, N330 and WSF (which is temp sensitive) with 200g lead and FMJ in a stock P16-40 Limited and love it.

[oct_97]

I do not know if they are better than TG but I have been using Unique, Universal Calys, N330 and WSF (which is temp sensitive) with 200g lead and FMJ in a stock P16-40 Limited and love it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Please, what kind of temp variations are you referring to and how was the WSF affected? Other than that were you satisfied with the WSF performance and cleanliness?

Thank You

[toddrod]

Well,

When I loaded up 4000 rounds last fall with 200g bullets and WSF it chrono'd at 172 PF ( approx 80 degrees). Then one week later at a match the temp was 95 - 100 degrees and chrono'd at 168 PF. And just this year at area 4 which had a heat index over 100 degrees it chrono'd at 165.1 ( this was the only stage that I made it into the top 10 on). Other than this it meters well and shoots nice ( you get more of a push compared to being snappy in recoil). Oh, and you are no where near the upper limits on pressure with WSF, nice and safe. Cleanliness, that is subjective, with lead it leaves the normal residue with the lube, with FMJ it leaves a little ash. It burns completely in both and I find it leaves a little soot at the muzzle which wipes off easily. I have not nticed any accuracy diffences between any of the powders that I have used in my 40.

Hope this helps.

[oct_97]

Well,

When I loaded up 4000 rounds last fall with 200g bullets and WSF it chrono'd at 172 PF ( approx 80 degrees).  Then one week later at a match the temp was 95 - 100 degrees and chrono'd at 168 PF.  And just this year at area 4 which had a heat index over 100 degrees it chrono'd at 165.1 ( this was the only stage that I made it into the top 10 on).  Other than this it meters well and shoots nice ( you get more of a push compared to being snappy in recoil).  Oh, and you are no where near the upper limits on pressure with WSF, nice and safe. Cleanliness, that is subjective, with lead it leaves the normal residue with the lube, with FMJ it leaves a little ash. It burns completely in both and I find it leaves a little soot at the muzzle which wipes off easily. I have not nticed any accuracy diffences between any of the powders that I have used in my 40.

Hope this helps.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thank you. I'm in Florida with similiar temps so I can expect about the same deviations with JHP rounds.

[mcb]

Alrighty,

So my dies showed up last Friday and my bullets will be here tomorrow. So here is what I am going to start with.

Berry's plated 180 FN or Berry's 180 RS (I have a box of each coming)

4.4 grains of Titegroup

CCI Small Pistol Primers

OAL of 1.135 or the same as the factory ammo I have been shooting.

I will probably also load up some with 4.5 grain of titegroup so I have two data point for each bullet to work with when I chronograph these at the range. I should be able to dial in on a ~170 FP load pretty quickly if I don’t hit it out right with one of these two loads.

I noticed that a lot of you guys are loading your 40S&W to OAL greater than the factory recommended OAL of 1.135. My understanding is this is to help feeding in 1911 style guns that usually feed the longer OAL of a 45ACP. Has anyone tried the long cartridges in an XD. I'm betting that a crimp that long would not even fit in my magazines.

So do you guys see any major problems with this load? I would rather not have a kaboom!

Thanks again

mcb

[Flexmoney]

Hey.

Load ten up at 3.8g

Load ten more at 4.0g

Ten more at 4.2g

...4.4g

...4.6g

Shoot them in that order. Over the chrono. Stop alng the way to pick up all the brass and check for signs of pressure.

No need to start at the edge of Major. Work up slowing and be safe along the way.

(You might want to load some a 3.6g of TG as well, makes for a great minor load to shoot for Production or wahtever.)

[mcb]

Thanks guys for all the great feed back. Well the best layed plan never comes off quite as you plan. Here is what I actually did.

Gander Mountain was out of CCI small pistol primers so I purchase Federal match small pistol primers.

I loaded three loads all with Berry's RN 180 grain plated bullets

Titegroup powder 4.15 grain, 4.3 grains, 4.5 grains.

I loaded and chronographed twenty of each tonight over my chrono and the results:

4.15gr 888.2fps 159.9PF

4.30gr 920.5fps 165.7PF

4.50gr 960.0fps 172.8PF

I will probably go with the 4.5 grain load. That will give me good cushion in case my old Alpha Chrony was off a little bit or the weather effects my load. It should also just make major in my 4inch XD if I ever use it.

Again thanks for the help

mcb

Edit: OAL 1.125 inches, Crimp 0.421 inch