Need help with 40 S&W load data

[Huskerguy]

Gathering data to load the following:

180 Grain Berry's HP
180 Grain Lead FP

I have the following Powders:
Titegroup
Red Dot
HS-6

Here is what I have so far
Berry's 180 Grain HP
4.2 Grains Titegroup
7.3 Grains HS-6 (as recommended by Berry's)
?? Grains Red Dot


Lead 180 Grain FP
3.5 Grains Titegroup
4.0 Grains Red Dot
?? Grains HS-6

I see COL of 1.125 to 1.135
Will be shooting out of an XDM
Looking to start with something manageable and work up to find the most accurate loads. Thanks for the help

 

[Miata Mike]

I plan on shooting a lot of .40S&W so I will be watching this thread.

I bought a few hundred Hornaday 155 grain XTP. I loaded 10 at 6.5 grains of Unique, 1.126 OAL using CCI 500 small pistol primers. Fired and cycled great in my Ruger P94 but would like to stick to Berry's like I use for 9mm and .45acp.

I noticed that the general thought around here is that the 180 grain load could go over pressure easier with a small amount of bullet set back, so that is why I chose 155 grain.

 

[Rangefinder]

I'm using 4.4gr Red Dot for 180gr Hard Cast truncated cones. Runs really well in my Smith. Cycles nice, hits hard--nice "snappy" load. I want to say I'm running an OAL of 1.135 on those. Might start with 4gr and bump it up a touch only if pressures are all looking good, but I like it.

 

[Sevens]

7.3 Grains HS-6 (as recommended by Berry's)

Via e-mail or how? As far as I know, there is no source direct from Berry's for load data. Curious where this came from.

for .40 S&W and 180 grain bullets, I'm using Power Pistol.

 

[Twinsig]

180 gr berrys or ranier plated with 7.3gr HS6 sounds a bit much, personally, ive been going no more than 7.0, with OAL 1.125. its mid range was recommended (for plated) here in several threads.

 

[Huskerguy]

Sevens - I did email Berry's and this is the response I received. I compared this data to some others and it seemed high to me as well. For instance, my Lyman Book has the 180 Gr Jacketed HP for HS-6 at 6.9 to start. Granted it is jacketed and not plated.

"We do NOT have our own tested load data, but let me help you understand our copper plated bullets.

All of our standard caliber copper plated pistol bullets share only one limitation - which is:

NO VELOCITIES OVER 1200 FPS !

Our copper plated bullets are designed for medium-moderate pressures & velocities - and - NOT for high performance.

Suggest Speer has good data for their copper plated ( TMJ & GD-HP ) bullets - and some of their data works well with some of our copper plated bullets.

They show their 40-180 Gr. GD-HP with a start load of 7.3 Gr. HS-6 for 786 FPS up to 8.2 Gr. Max. for 942 FPS. This load will work very well with our copper plated bullets."

 

[Sevens]

Thanks Husker.

Man, I long for the days when Alliant actually provided quality load data. These days, it's all for Gold Dot bullets and they don't even utilize all of the available powders that they market.

This is why I never EVER toss out older manuals and especially the printed guides from the powder manufacturers and distributors.