Reloading The S&w .40

[LeoHallak]

I find it hard to beat the 4.6 clays load Henning has posted, I just use small rifle primers. I also like a 180gr MasterBlaster load with the same OAL but with 4.2 of clays. Smokes a little when you really get on it but not horrible. I also like the same load in my Edge, not just my Limited 40.

Leo

[sinnsyk]

For the European Championships I wanted to make 100% sure I had enough umpf in my loads so I put 5.1 grains in an Armscor nickel case (which gives higher velocity than brass) behind a 180gr Armscor gold bullet. There are a lot of variances in the chronographs and going from 5000+ feet above sea level here in Colorado to sea level in France changes all your loads. However, they were using two chronographs and one read about 30fps faster than the other. My loads for Europeans came in at 182PF and IPSC requires 170. The other, slower chronograph probably would have put me in about 175PF.

Just to clarify. For USPSA I'll use anything from 4.5 to 4.8 grains of Clays behind an Armscor 180 to make major. It depends on bullet, brass and the gun. Clays has been known to separate brass, but only shitty range brass. So if you're going to use Clays (regular clays, not international or universal!), then use good brass that you haven't picked up from others on the ground. My favorites are new Armscor brass or new Armscor nickel. Nickel is particular good for EAA magazines due to nickel being more slippery (less friction). The EAA magazines doesn't have any rails so dirt, unclean mags, rough cases etc can slow down rounds fed up in the magazine. Every detail matters.

[RePete]

4.7gr/Titegroup with the 180gr Frontier CMJ.

I have an HS6 load too. (Forget the charge, I'm a 1000 miles from home).

These are my test loads, they both chono almost the same.

CUTTER1:

Please stop shouting, turn off your caps.

My other load is

180gr CMJ

7.5gr/HS6

[buddy_fuentes]

I chronograph ed several loads this past Sunday in my .40 Edge.

Load #1 185 LFP loaded to oal of 1.18" with 4.5 grains of N-320 the power factor was 175.

Load #2 185 Precision moly FP same length same powder and charge and the power factor was the same.

Load #3 200 Precision moly FP same length 4.5 WW231 and the power factor was 176.

I did not noticed while shooting, but looking back at a film I had made there was a good bit of smoke with each load.

Each load felt very soft and looking at the clip, had no muzzle rise.

I plan on chronoing some different loads this coming weekend, if the rain stops.

Hope this helps someone.

Buddy

[UW Mitch]

What are you guys loading for a 40S&W MINOR load? I'd like to load 180gr. Rainiers at 1.80" with Titegroup or WST. Right now I'm loading w/ 4.6gr of TG (per recommendation here). I'm thinking of loading down to 4.2gr. I'd appreciate your recipes.

Thanks,

Mitch

[sinnsyk]

A quick 'n dirty minor load is using your major load, but replacing the bullet with a 135gr.

I've also shot a lot of Armscor 165gr bullets with 4.0 grains of Clays. It's 140PF.

[RePete]

What are you guys loading for a 40S&W MINOR load? I'd like to load 180gr. Rainiers at 1.80" with Titegroup or WST. Right now I'm loading w/ 4.6gr of TG (per recommendation here). I'm thinking of loading down to 4.2gr. I'd appreciate your recipes.

Thanks,

Mitch

If I'm going to shoot minor, I'll use a 9mm.

[UW Mitch]

If I'm going to shoot minor, I'll use a 9mm.

I want to use my Limited to shoot plates, but there's no real reason at my weekly plate league to be shooting a 170pf.

Thanks for the info Henning. I'll looking into getting some lighter bullets.

~Mitch

[Craigar45]

If I'm going to shoot minor, I'll use a 9mm.

I want to use my Limited to shoot plates, but there's no real reason at my weekly plate league to be shooting a 170pf.

Thanks for the info Henning. I'll looking into getting some lighter bullets.

~Mitch

170PF will destroy those lousy plates in no time anyway... I know a guy who used to fix crap like that.

Mitch, have you run any rainiers in your limited yet? I have not gotten great accuracy out of plated bullets in polygonal rifled barrels like your limited has. Not sure how it will do at lower pf's, but right at 168-170 the groups started to open up in mine pretty dramatically.

I am going all jacketed in the future.

Craig

[UW Mitch]

170PF will destroy those lousy plates in no time anyway... I know a guy who used to fix crap like that.

Mitch, have you run any rainiers in your limited yet? I have not gotten great accuracy out of plated bullets in polygonal rifled barrels like your limited has. Not sure how it will do at lower pf's, but right at 168-170 the groups started to open up in mine pretty dramatically.

I am going all jacketed in the future.

Craig

Criag, Rainiers are all I've been loading so far. It's been good. 180gr. Rainier loaded out real long 1.20", WSP or Fed Small, 4.6gr Titegroup.

~Mitch