.40 S&W, Being Cautious

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Inspector3711

New member
I'm new to this caliber and I'm reloading 155 grain hollow points and 180 grain FMJ's. I know the .40 can be a problem as far as excessive pressure goes so......... I'm using HS-6 powder mainly because that's all I could get due to the shortages here.

Nothing wrong with it but I really wanted to try W231 based on favorable results that a friend has had with lighter loads.

Anyway, I don't plan on pushing the limits but I will test both bullets in each increment up to max load just for grins. I'll shoot 10 of each bullet at each increment for testing. The issue is that I have a Hornady book that differs some from Hodgdon's website. The max loads are as follows:

Hodgdon Hornady

155g 8.5 max 8.8max
180g 6.9 max 7.6max

Am I pushing the limits by going with the Hornady data? I'll be testing with my XDm.
 
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Shoney

New member
Inspector3711
Here is a list of data that should be incluuded in the reipes in each book, in addition to what you have listed.

primer,
barrel length,
twist,
case length, and
case mfg..

I make a comparrison of this data with the weapon I am loading for. As an example, X-book lists a 4" barrel with 5.5 grains max, and Y-book lists a 5" barrel with 5.2 grains. Since I have a 4" barrel, I would lean toward the X-book data, provided other variables are same/close.

Do you have the data?
 
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Inspector3711

New member
Both with a 4 inch barrel, 1 in 16 twist, both Hornady case trimmed .845", and both with Winchester Small Pistol primers. I was amazed that they were all the same.

My XDm has a 4.5" barrel.
 
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Shoney

New member
It is kind of strange because Hornady is usually anemic in there data, but they are sure higher here.

Here is the Hodgdon 40 S&W data with components.
CASE: HORNADY
PR: WINCHESTER SP
BBL: 4"

155 GR. HDY XTP_HS-6_1.125"__7.7--1035--26,500 PSI__8.5--1137--33,200 PSI

180 GR. HDY XTP_HS-6_1.125"__6.1--876--25,900 PSI__6.9--976--32,500 PSI
 
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Shoney

New member
Sometimes I neglect to realize that some people do not have chronographs. If you do, use it if you wish to use the higher data in your workup, use the chrony detect the loads where there is no increase or very little increase in in velocity with an increase in powder charge. This is the only way short of Conformal Transducer or Piezo cell to get an idea of reaching limits of pressure. It is not alway reliable in pistols.
 
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amamnn

New member
When I am in doubt, I usually go with the bullet maker's data, for a variety of reasons. I don't load handgun rounds at max, so It's not much of an issue with me.

I load the .40 SW with HS-6 10% or so below max using 135 gr. and 200 gr. jacketed bullets. I've had no problems in either my hi-power or S&W M&P.

It's my understanding that the case bulge many people have trouble with is more a Glock problem than an overpressure problem. This so much so that Redding has come out with a new die to fix cases fired in those pistols. When the sheriff's deputies use to shoot at our club, people who would pick up range brass often remarked on the bulged once fired factory ammo left behind by the lawmen. They figured that the county was buying cheap practice ammo. Now we know better.

http://www.redding-reloading.com/default.html
 
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Inspector3711

New member
A guy on another forum posted this from his One Book, One Caliber manual:

Hodgdon

155gr HS6 Max 9.0gr
180gr HS6 Max 7.3gr



Hornady

155gr HS6 Max 8.4gr
180gr HS6 Max 7.0gr

That's even more out of whack. I'll just proceed with caution... Maybe get my X mother in law to pull the trigger at the higher end... I picture myself with my ears plugged and a crazy grin.... No wait... That's normal...
 
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Shoney

New member
amamnn
I have loaded several thousands of 40SW "Glocked" brass with standard RCBS dies.

I aint got no stinking problems with Glocked brass.

Oh, BTW the newer generation Glocks have more of a supported barrel with a mechanism that doesn't allow the weapon to fire out of battery.
 
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bullspotter

New member
Not to add more confusion but here is the data from my compleat reloading manual for the .40 S&W

Hodgdon powders
155 gr HS-6 powder
starting 7.7 gr at 1035fps 26500 psi
MAX 8.5 gr at 1137fps 33200 psi


180 gr HS-6 powder
starting 6.1 gr at 876fps at 25900 psi
Max 6.9 gr at 976 at 32500 psi


Hornady Bullets section shows

155gr HS-6
starting at 7.2 at 950 fps
max at 8.8 at 1150 fps

180gr HS-6
starting at 5.9 at 800 fps
max at 7.6 at 1000 fps


I have been running alot of test loads though my 40 in the last few weeks, did some tonight, im using unique though. Using MT gold bullets 165gr HP. Shot 50 tonight and have found the min load in my book feels hotter then factory loads, ive been bumping them down just messing around. Their were some pumkins someone left out at the range, they were about 25 yards and i was just pulverising them with the glock 22. Was fun this thing was blowing chunks 20 feet up. Im really impressed with the 40... love it, seems to have alot of wamp on the BG side and verry controlable recoil on the GG side, this weekend i was doing some speed shooting with it, 32 yards 3 targets set up and shooting each one 2 times as fast as i could, was keeping all the hits on the 100 yard size targets. Cant believe how light this gun is and how fast i can get it back on target. was awsome!!!!!

I have also been using glocked brass to reload, fairly bulged on the bottem end, using rcbs dies, i havent had a problem yet, I have yet to have a jam with about 250 test handloads, I did find a few very very bulged ones, that I chose not to reload, they had stretch marks and were range pickup, not fired from my gun. Hope this helps.
 
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Shane Tuttle

Staff
Am I pushing the limits by going with the Hornady data? I'll be testing with my XDm.
Click to expand...

I was running into the same data issue as you did a short time back. I ended up with the following load for my XD that worked well. BE ADVISED: THIS LOAD RECIPE IS FOR REFERENCE ONLY. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO BE NECESSARILY SAFE FOR YOUR GUN.

HS6 8.0gr with 155gr JHP


HS6 6.3gr with 180gr MC: Hodgdon and Hornady was not on the same page with this load. I found other data from other sources and started at 6.1gr. It was a bit light. Moved to 6.3gr and it feels great.

I personally like HS6. It meters well and burns very clean. My favorite is HP38 (Win231).
 
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