New To Loading .40s&w

[JDBraddy]

Have reloaded .45 ACP for years, but recently started shooting USPSA/IDPA, and have been convinced to get a P-16, and will need to start loading .40S&W. Will be using a 550B, and will probably order a toolhead and a set of Dillon dies. Figured on trying Precision 185gr or 200gr RNF's. I keep plenty of Solo-1000 on hand for my 12ga and .45 ACP loads, but Accurate doesn't provide .40 S&W data for this powder. Anyone know where I could get some data for this combo?

[Mick]

Maybe you should look for a different powder...? I use a bunch of Clays in my Trap and Skeet guns but even though guys are using Clays for major .40s , I won't as the pressures are way up there. Lots of LTD shooters have been using N320 for almost 10 years. It's clean and soft. A rep at the VV Finnish factory checked our load years ago at the "old power factor" of 175 when we were running about 5.2 grains with a 180 at 1.160"+ and found it within pressure and load density even though they don't publish a load with N320 and a 180 in .40.

I just loaded a couple thousand Precision 185s over 4.3 of N320 @ 1.150"

Maybe you could email the factory and see what they suggest with SOLO 1000?

Mick

A27257

[revchuck]

I load the 185 Precisions over 4.4 grains of Bullseye (1.13" OAL) for about 880 fps from my 4" Steyr M40. It doesn't quite make Major from my gun, but should from the 5" Para.

[sargenv]

Maybe the main reason on not giving data for the 40 for Solo 1000 is that it would only be good for a minor 40 load. I'm using Ramshot Competition that Erik W sold me a few years ago. He tried making a major load with it and didn't have much luck with it. I'm currently using it for minor 40 in a revolver and it works good for me. The powders I feel ok with pushing major in a 40 are Titegroup and 231. I'm using Moly coated Bear creek 180's in either SWC or Truncated Cone for my loadings. 5.0 of 231 makes Major and is the max load per the Winchester data. Titegroup is maxed out at 4.7 gr and makes major in my P16. I'm too cheap to shoot the Vitt Powders but I see that someone already chimed in with data and a powder choice.

Vince

[Viggen]

Solo 1000 is a great powder but NOT for the 40.

But S1000 is my preferred powder for 45, 38 Special, and 9mm.

For the 40 my first choice is WSF - about 4.0 -4.2 grains with a 200 gr, if you want Major, molly coated bullet OAL of 1.135 in a Glock.

Other powders for the 40 that folks like are WST or Titegroup - Vit is way to rich for my blood.

[Darrell]

My load 180 Zero JHP, 4.8 Tightgroup, 1.22 OAL Fed 100 primers

[Harmon]

untill you get comfortable, i would use a slower powder...like universal clays..its clean and it works OK. plus it fills the case more than titegroup.

Hope this helps.

Harmon

[A-shot]

untill you get comfortable, i would use a slower powder...like universal clays..its clean and it works OK. plus it fills the case more than titegroup.

Hope this helps.

Harmon

+1 on what Harmon said. TG will be really awesome, but dirty. Univ. Clays is all good too. Vihta n320 is the most expensive, but oh so clean and nice. I'd use any of those powders in a heartbeat...

[big_kahuna]

Solo 1000 is a great powder but NOT for the 40.

But S1000 is my preferred powder for 45, 38 Special, and 9mm.

For the 40 my first choice is WSF - about 4.0 -4.2 grains with a 200 gr, if you want Major, molly coated bullet OAL of 1.135 in a Glock.

Other powders for the 40 that folks like are WST or Titegroup - Vit is way to rich for my blood.

+1 on WSF and WST. I like these powders. They are readily available in my area and affordable. Burn clean and accurate too. Smokes less than TG with moly bullets.

Here are the loads I am using for 180 moly-encapsulated bullets in my G35:

5.6 WSF, COAL 1.135, crimp 0.420, Federal SP (168 PF major)

5.2 Universal Clays, COAL 1.135, crimp 0.420, Federal SP (169 PF major)

4.5 WST, COAL set short to 1.125, crimp 0.420, Federal SP (146 PF minor)

YMMV, please consult reloading manuals, etc.

Edited October 8, 2006 by big_kahuna

[RPMartin]

Have reloaded .45 ACP for years, but recently started shooting USPSA/IDPA, and have been convinced to get a P-16, and will need to start loading .40S&W. Will be using a 550B, and will probably order a toolhead and a set of Dillon dies. Figured on trying Precision 185gr or 200gr RNF's. I keep plenty of Solo-1000 on hand for my 12ga and .45 ACP loads, but Accurate doesn't provide .40 S&W data for this powder. Anyone know where I could get some data for this combo?

Western Powder probably has it.

http://www.ramshot.com/powders/

RPM

Edited October 11, 2006 by RPMartin

[jrguar]

Give me a day or so , I have some older Solo 1000 data from accurate Arms.

Joe

Have reloaded .45 ACP for years, but recently started shooting USPSA/IDPA, and have been convinced to get a P-16, and will need to start loading .40S&W. Will be using a 550B, and will probably order a toolhead and a set of Dillon dies. Figured on trying Precision 185gr or 200gr RNF's. I keep plenty of Solo-1000 on hand for my 12ga and .45 ACP loads, but Accurate doesn't provide .40 S&W data for this powder. Anyone know where I could get some data for this combo?

[Carlos]

Any response?

I loaded 4.5 of single-base Solo 1000 under some 180 grain Star FMJs loaded to 1.150" and they shot soft but did not have a chrono handy so I've no idea about PF - they were hitting close to POA along w/ some major ammo.

I use Federal primers - which flatten w/ most all loads - so I can't tell about pressure.

Any word from the factory?

PS - I have some OLD 9mm data out of an old "9mm load book" for 124s & solo 1000. Great powder for .45 ACP and the S&W 625.

[Lonnie]

Got this about a year ago....8thEdHandgunS100012501500RSDPearl.pdf

[Carlos]

Excellent chart - thanks! Looks like the data I was looking for is:

.40 S&W Cal.:

180 grn Sierra JHP @ MINIMUM OAL of 1.125 (or more), Solo 1000 4.3 to 4.8 grns; max velocity 980 FPS (176 PF) at pressure of 28,100 C.U.P.

Looks like I have a new load to test out. If accuracy is there, I am in.

[ryucasta]

Hope this helps...

solo_1000_as_per_carlos.pdf

[Joe D]

I have been using Titegroup for years. I am curious as to why some say it is dirty. Titegroup is one of the cleanest powders I have ever used in 9mm and .40. It makes Major in my Glock 35 with 4.3 gr and a 180 gr plated bullet. I have found TG to very accurate in all of my guns.

[Carlos]

Hope this helps...

Excellent! Thanks Raul - I love Quickload data. Good to know that I have a viable candidate for a new .40 powder.

[Mick]

Hope this helps...

That is some pretty good data!!

Do you have any on TG or N320?

Mick

[penman53]

I have been using Titegroup for years. I am curious as to why some say it is dirty. Titegroup is one of the cleanest powders I have ever used in 9mm and .40. It makes Major in my Glock 35 with 4.3 gr and a 180 gr plated bullet. I have found TG to very accurate in all of my guns.

Tite Group works for me every time also. Not dirty at all.

[Carlos]

I have been using Titegroup for years. I am curious as to why some say it is dirty. Titegroup is one of the cleanest powders I have ever used in 9mm and .40. It makes Major in my Glock 35 with 4.3 gr and a 180 gr plated bullet. I have found TG to very accurate in all of my guns.

Tite Group works for me every time also. Not dirty at all.

Titegroup Major (high pressure) = clean

Titegroup minor = dirty.

Titegroup + bare lead or "coated" bullets = dirty (but IMHO, lead is dirty no matter what powder you use).

[Flexmoney]

I don't find Minor TG loads in 40 to be dirty. There can be a fine coating at the end of the slide/muzzle, but that is not real "dirty" in a traditional reloading sense ? It wipes right off rather easily when it shows up.

[Rico567]

Pushing powders like Titegroup, 231, etc. to major in .40 is not something I'd try....but I'm not competitive, and so am not interesting in finding those zippy low-recoil loads. I'm interested in 155-165 gr. bullets at service velocities. Searching for Nirvana in a high-pressure cartridge using fast powders is a journey fraught with peril. I had my enlightenment with that many years ago when working up loads for .38 Super...but that's another story. When getting into .40, I tested WAP, WSF, 540, and Universal, and found them all quite good. In the end, I selected Universal; never looked back.

[Lee Bell]

Titegroup Major (high pressure) = clean, Titegroup minor = dirty.

I've found the same thing to be true of Bullseye. Interestingly, higher velocity loads almost always require minimum cleanup. Low power loads, out of a compensated H&K barrel proved so dirty that the white dot on the front sight completely disappeared after only a few rounds.

Lee

[Carlos]

Pushing powders like Titegroup, 231, etc. to major in .40 is not something I'd try....but I'm not competitive, and so am not interesting in finding those zippy low-recoil loads. I'm interested in 155-165 gr. bullets at service velocities. Searching for Nirvana in a high-pressure cartridge using fast powders is a journey fraught with peril. I had my enlightenment with that many years ago when working up loads for .38 Super...but that's another story. When getting into .40, I tested WAP, WSF, 540, and Universal, and found them all quite good. In the end, I selected Universal; never looked back.

Agreed - for the non-competition shooter this makes sense. However, many of those on this forum are loading .40 to an OAL that is close to 10mm OAL for use in a 1911 style gun - which really makes the .40 we shoot into a different cartridge altogether.

For those who are loading .40 to "short OAL" or reloading manual OAL (max of about 1.160" or less) Titegroup has the advantage of being able to safely propel a 180 grn bullet (virtually everyone uses the 180 for its low recoil advantage) to our "major" requirement.

Flex - agree that the "dirt" which TG produces is easily cleaned and it is not the sort of fouling that tends to stop up the gun (unlike Unique for example - filthy stuff).

[Flexmoney]

Flex - agree that the "dirt" which TG produces is easily cleaned and it is not the sort of fouling that tends to stop up the gun (unlike Unique for example - filthy stuff).

Yeah...we probably need to come up with some different levels of "dirty". Like you say, it's not that filthy dirt...it's more of a light dusting (for me).