200gr 40cal revolver loads

[mcb]

At present I am shooting 180gr Montana Gold RS CMJ bullet over 5.3grain of N320 loaded to 1.19 inches long in my 6.5 inch barrel S&W 610 revolver. I was wondering if going to a 200gr or heavier bullet is any real advantage. Does anyone have experience with how much softer they recoil and are there any other issues with loading these heavy bullet in 40S&W cases for a 610? Round nose is always worth bonus points.

Thanks

mcb

[Jaxshooter]

I have not tried heavier bullets in my 610. I have loaded 250gr bullets with 3.2 gr of Clays in my 625. They are very soft shooting. I have not tested them to any extent. I want to see how they do over 25 yards. I would think the same principle would hold true in the 40 as well.

[Carlos]

Considering the fact that there is no reciprocating mass on a revolver (ie slide) - meaning you get ALL the perceived recoil - I would try the 200s or any other recoil reduction I could get. At major, the 200s will get to the target fast enough - even on swingers.

Something else to consider: since its a 10mm revolver & not a .40 at all, you can certainly use all the space in the cyclider and load those 200s right out to 10mm OAL; ie 1.240" so long as the case has a good grip on the bullet. And being a 10mm, the gun can handle quite some pressure.

Why does loading that long matter? Because, loading that long will let you use some soft kicking powders that I would never dream of using at a shorter OAL. At the length of 1.240", I might consider using straight Clays in .40 - and that is certainly a soft kicking powder.

[Round_Gun_Shooter]

The only time I had split brass with my 610 was when I used 200gr bullets. I stopped and the brass stopped splitting.

[haras]

200gr 40cal revolver loads, Are they worth it compared to 180gr loads

In a word...Yes

IMO a 200gr .40 bullet out of a 610 has a softer felt recoil than a 180 gr from the same gun.

I currently use 200gr moly coated for USPSA (Major) and 180gr plated for ICORE (minor) and feel this is the best of both worlds.

Both loads are with Clays (plain old regular Clays), good stuff

[10mmdave]

The only time I had split brass with my 610 was when I used 200gr bullets. I stopped and the brass stopped splitting.

What brand brass was that Gary ?? What brand/kind of bullets ??

I guess I'd want all the info now OAL, primer, powder.......etc.

I ask here since I think a lot of us shooting the 40 caliber guns want/need to know.

I've shot a bunch of 180's to 220's out of my 2 610's and haven't had any brass problems

as of yet. I'm using mostly Win 40 in brass and nickel. One reason for me not having

any issues could be that I load long (1.200 OAL)

And to follow the thread.........

I think 200's feel a little softer than 180's, probably more in a 5 inch gun than a 6.5 inch 610.

I want accuracy more and the small amount of less recoil.

180's seem to have a smaller/sharper profile tip and don't get hung up on reloads like

the 200 JTC Zero's. Berrys has a 180 full round nose along with Billy Bullets.

BUT !! a word of caution on the 180RN Berrys, I'm still having fits with these and need to find

some time to work on these.

Any way's that's my opinion if anyone cares, he only way to really tell is to buy a 1K of each

weight and shoot shoot shoot

[sargenv]

I've tried using the 220 gr plated Xtreme (was west coast) bullets in my 610. I must have still been trying to crimp them too much as accuracy was lousy. As I recall, recoil was less snappy than lighter bullets, but I think I might have to do some more testing to make sure. Currently I'm loading 140's to minor.

Vince

[10mmdave]

I've tried using the 220 gr plated Xtreme (was west coast) bullets in my 610. I must have still been trying to crimp them too much as accuracy was lousy. As I recall, recoil was less snappy than lighter bullets, but I think I might have to do some more testing to make sure. Currently I'm loading 140's to minor.

Vince

I also have some old Westcoast (Xtreme) 220's, the dang things go so slow and recoil so

light that it just feels wrong !! I didn't do a ton of accuracy testing for those as the price

for them is so much with shipping to the NE it's not an option.

I still have some really hard cast 220 grn lead "Lightning" bullets I should try.

[buddy_fuentes]

I load a S o f t forty for steel. I use a 200 grain moly bullet from Precision with W W 231. It travels at 700 fps. and has a 140 power factor. It knocks steel over with authority.

I have loaded the 200's to major, but really have not compared apples to apples on recoil.

Buddy

[sargenv]

I recently tried some 200 gr Truncated Cones Bear Creek bullets loaded to 1.180" in my 610. Charge weight was 3.7gr of Alliant Promo (Similar burn rate to Red Dot). I wasn't too sure about them but I figured, why not? Recoil was a bit more than my Minor load (140 RN, 4.0 Ramshot Competition, loaded to 1.175"). From the 50 yard line I managed to hold the first run into the X-A-B area of a tombstone with 1 C on one target. I then shot the remaining distances with the 140 minor load. The 200 gr load may be major but I did not have the chrono with me to tell for sure. It seemed fairly accurate but as usual, as I became tired, the group size opened up. I was impressed that I managed a cold 31 on the standards utilizing the 200's at 50, and the 140's closer in. If I can come close to duplicating this again, I may have found my strategy for the IRC. Maybe I will chrono them to see if they are in fact major. I just wish they'd make a 200 gr RN.