What is your favorite 40 S&W load?

[wscywabbit]

So I just got started reloading this week. Right now I am only going to be loading for my XD 40 subcompact. I will expand to my other guns as my experience and pocket book grows.

I prefer shooting 165 grain bullets out of it, so have purchase some from Barry's Manufacturing. I'm using Hodgdon tight group starting at 4.5 grains, and CCI primers.

What is your recipe, and why?

[Steve]

So I just got started reloading this week. Right now I am only going to be loading for my XD 40 subcompact. I will expand to my other guns as my experience and pocket book grows.

I prefer shooting 165 grain bullets out of it, so have purchase some from Barry's Manufacturing. I'm using Hodgdon tight group starting at 4.5 grains, and CCI primers.

What is your recipe, and why?

A little of your topic here, but because you are new to reloading I thougght I should mention just incase you haven't heard this yet..... And I don't mind being corrected if this is wrong. "For plated bullets you should use cast bullet loading data, not jacketed bullet data.

I follow this rule and have stayed out of trouble with pressure.

[wscywabbit]

Nope, I completely appreciate the heads up. I have been doing a lot of reading, and was actually aware of that. The recipe I'm starting with actually comes from Hodgdon's website, and Barry's plated bullets are listed in their load data. Hopefully, they took that information into account lol!

[Steve]

Sounds like you are on the right track and being safe. Good job.

I reload a lot of 40 s&w but I am using a obsolete powder that was imported from Hungary. Out of 36 pounds I have 6 left. Going to hate to see the stuff run out.

[357cyrus]

I had an interesting time getting my first 40S&W load figured out. The manufacturer's website said to use jacketed load data for their plated bullets... And that turned out to be pretty hot. My 40 short & weak was anything but. Dialed her back a bit and found something a little more "comfortable" with 5.0 grains of unique.

[wscywabbit]

Interesting, I had read somewhere (I think it was on Berry's bullets website but I'm not sure), that you should start out using recipes for cast bullets because plated are softer than jacketed.

That being said I've been paying with COL and charge and come up with 2 recipes so far I like:

4.6 and 4.9 grains of tight group both at 1.125 COL. (Rest of the mix is listed above).

The 4.6 is lighter that the factory loads I'm used to but kinda nice to shoot. The 4.9 is closer to factory. I'll be running accuracy tests next...

[Steve]

I think it is a good practice to work up a load for practice that is about equal to your carry round in respect to recoil and point of impact.

My carry round for the 40 is "Federal Guard Dog" 135 grain, 1200 fps muzzle. My practice round is a 180 grain cast truncated cone I'm firing it at 950 fps, felt recoil is about the same, and point of impact is very close to the same. Makes my practice closer to what I should be practicing.

[RBHarter]

I shoot a Lee 401-175 TC in Winchester brass CCI spp and 5.7 gr of Unique. That shows as a max load.
This is for an XD40 full size. It shoots 6'' or so at 20yd.

I shoot it because well, cast is cheap,it shoots well enough for it purpose. I cast and load for several other cartridges. Winchester white box 165 TC clock 1100fps on my Chrony where the above load clocks 940 fps.

[ljnowel]

Gonna dig this one up from the dead, lol.

I like the Missouri bullet 180gr LTC loaded over 5.6gr of AA#5.

[Steve]

Got my Daughter setup with a XD 40 sub compact. Wonderfull pistol. Now I have to reload a lot more 40 s&w.

My pet load that runs well in her XD is lead 180 gr TC.

OAL length 1.135" Feed is reliable on the XD and M&P with this oal.

935 fps out of my 3.5" M&P compact

Rex 2 powder (vel varies a lot with different batch numbers, so it's not good to list the weight I am using.

Primer = any not including Remington 1 1/2. Going from std to mag only makes 15fps difference with this powder.