.40 S&W mild to mid load with 165 gr FMJ?

[2ndtimer]

Looking to load up some .40 S&W mild to mid range ammo for a friend's Sig Sauer. Have some pulled 165 gr FMJ's from RMR and some beautifully wet tumbled range brass, along with Fed 100, CCI-500 or Fiocchi small pistol primers. Powders on hand are Titegroup, Bullseye, Unique, CFE- Pistol, True Blue, HP-38, Universal and Zip. Looking for some tried and true options. I have lots of load manuals as well as internet access, just looking for personal experience recommendations. Thanks.

Read More

 

[ageingstudent]

Hp-38 will feel soft. It's too bad you don't have some n320 it's super soft and super clean but you get decent velocity. Bullseye might be a good choice as well, but I've never tried it in 40. Universal will make it fairly Snappy I've done quite a bit of work with that.

Looking to load up some .40 S&W mild to mid range ammo for a friend's Sig Sauer. Have some pulled 165 gr FMJ's from RMR and some beautifully wet tumbled range brass, along with Fed 100, CCI-500 or Fiocchi small pistol primers. Powders on hand are Titegroup, Bullseye, Unique, CFE- Pistol, True Blue, HP-38, Universal and Zip. Looking for some tried and true options. I have lots of load manuals as well as internet access, just looking for personal experience recommendations. Thanks.

 

[2ndtimer]

Hp-38 will feel soft. It's too bad you don't have some n320 it's super soft and super clean but you get decent velocity. Bullseye might be a good choice as well, but I've never tried it in 40. Universal will make it fairly Snappy I've done quite a bit of work with that.

Thanks for the reply. Maybe it is time to crack open my pound of HP-38. My local SW has a pound of N320 on the shelf, but the last thing I need is another single pound of powder in my reloading room.

 

[ageingstudent]

Thanks for the reply. Maybe it is time to crack open my pound of HP-38. My local SW has a pound of N320 on the shelf, but the last thing I need is another single pound of powder in my reloading room.

Yeah and n320 is on the pricey side even if it is really good powder.

 

[Local Loader]

Personally I use 700-x for my 40s&w but true blue or TiteGroup would be my 2nd go to.

 

[Nosferatu]

I've had good results with CFE Pistol in 10mm. That would be my starting point for the short.

 

[oremike]

I have found the 40 to like to be loaded in the mid to upper range.

 

[Caveman Jim]

I only have Titegroup and Bullseye powder and load the 40 mild so I can shoot more. I'll look in my book tomorrow.

 

[JuglansRegia]

I like HP38/W231 for mid range .40 S&W loads. If you want hot loads the CFE pistol burns a little slower and gets you there, plus they meter real nice compared to flake powders.

 

[ageingstudent]

I like HP38/W231 for mid range .40 S&W loads. If you want hot loads the CFE pistol burns a little slower and gets you there, plus they meter real nice compared to flake powders.

BE-86 and power pistol for those "up to snuff" loads as well. Power pistol would give it a little Hollywood Flash haha. B e 86 has flash suppressant and surprisingly it works pretty well not much muzzle flash. What is the flash like with CFE pistol? I have a couple pounds of that I was thinking about trying it out next time.

 

[washagonian]

I've found that TiteGroup and HP-38, loaded to the weight right smack dab in the middle of the powder weight range for a particular projectile weight, shoot soft with 155g through 200g projectiles.

 

[2ndtimer]

Thanks for the replies. I am going to start with True Blue at 6.0 gr and see how it runs. If my friend is happy with it, we might just stop there. I will set up the chronograph to check ES and SD just to ensure it is consistent.

 

[Mikej]

Thanks for the replies. I am going to start with True Blue at 6.0 gr and see how it runs. If my friend is happy with it, we might just stop there. I will set up the chronograph to check ES and SD just to ensure it is consistent.

In theory a slower powder will create less of a pressure spike, less recoil impulse. Noticeable? I dunno. In a short barrel the slower powder my not burn completely. I use 6.3 gr HS-6 under 155gr Montana Gold HPs in the full size CZ SP01.

 

[ageingstudent]

In theory a slower powder will create less of a pressure spike, less recoil impulse. Noticeable? I dunno. In a short barrel the slower powder my not burn completely. I use 6.3 gr HS-6 under 155gr Montana Gold HPs in the full size CZ SP01.

With a slower powder you can get quite a lot of recoil and Noise out of a short barrel caused by the gases exploding right behind the bullet as it exits the barrel. Quite often a smaller charge of faster powder underneath a heavier bullet will give less felt recoil. There is a big difference between "felt" recoil that is perfectly safe even if it's uncomfortable and actual recoil caused by higher charges of a fast burning powder. H110 in a short barrel .357 comes to mind. It works and it makes a hellacious fireball, but it's not really efficient until you get it into like a 6-in barrel usually. Or a carbine. That's just been my observation over the years. Ideally, if you could use a powder that burned up 100% in the instant that the bullet leaves the barrel you would be surprised how much quieter it would shoot and how little recoil you would feel for the actual velocity achieved. I have spent a lifetime trying to match my powder speeds to my barrel lengths and my bullet weights.

I've been at it for 40 years I still haven't got it all figured out .

 

[Mikej]

Ideally, if you could use a powder that burned up 100% in the instant that the bullet leaves the barrel you would be surprised how much quieter it would shoot and how little recoil you would feel for the actual velocity achieved.

That's the name of the game isn't it! I've been doing this for only 13 years. I'm a common sense kind of guy. I think it was pretty quick in to my loading journey that a powder burn rate chart was put within arms reach of the loading table.