load data for .40 S&W found... Email from Alliant

[Stradawhovious]

Received an email from alliant regarding my other thread looking for load data, and thought I would share. DISCLAIMER. I have not tried these loads personally..... Yet. This is data given to me from Alliant for use with the bullets listed and their specific powders. Please cross reference any loads before trying them yourself.

I'm just amazed they got back to me so quickly. I just emailed them about 5 hours ago. Here is what the letter said...

40 SW
Lead Bullet Data

150/155gr Lead
Bullseye. Start 5gr Max 5.6gr
Unique. Start 5.3gr Max 6gr
Power Pistol. Start 6.1gr Max 6.7gr


175/180gr Lead
Bullseye. Start 4gr Max 4.7gr
Unique. Start 4.7gr Max 5.5gr
Power Pistol. Start 5.7gr Max 6.2gr

Let me restate it. This is information given to me from Ben Amonette at Alliant for use with their powders and the mentioned bullets. Cross reference loads before you try them. (Seismic Sam lecture in 5.....4.....3.....2.....)

[monschman]

oooh oooh oooh IBTSSL In before the Seismic Sam Lecture

[1911fan]

SS has nothing to gripe about, clearly disclaimered, and falls within other data ranges from other books, experience is your guide and friend in cases like this, but it does have the necessary cross reference and caveat empor statements.

[Stradawhovious]

Well just confirmed it, looks like I will be avoiding a lecture tonight! Went to the GunStop after work, and after a short discussion of the dilemma, John handed me the 49th edition Lyman's manual (which I promptly purchased...)and it has the following data for 150 gr Lead bullets....

Bullseye - Start 5.0 Max 6.0
unique - Start 5.0 Max 6.3
Power pistol - Start 6.3 Max 7.0

This is very much in line with the data that Ben from Alliant sent me. Like I stated before, please cross reference all data with published sources, and like 1911fan stated.... Caveat Emptor.

[Seismic Sam]

Yes, you got the right handbook. Lyman has been making bullet molds as long as anybody, and as such the Lyman manuals are THE definitive manual for cast bullet shooting. The big binder Hodgdon manual also has some cast bullet loads, but Lyman is the definitive source.

The one thing you want to make sure of is that your crimping technique is good and STILL works when you switch to cast bullets. Just because your taper crimp was good on copper jackets doesn't mean it's good on lead, and the 40 S&W is one of THE calibers where bullet setback upon chambering can and has produced a series of kabooms, particularly in guns where the base of the case is not fully supported. (I.e., Tupperware...) So after loading up maybe 10 or 20 cast bullet rounds, put them in the mag one at a time in the gun and let the slide slam home on the round, and then measure the OAL for any change. If you see more than a couple of mils of change, you need to work on your taper crimp.

And last but not least, remember that the Alliant WEBSITE is an accident waiting to happen, with the only data they show being the MAX load for a given cartridge and bullet, and it's not clearly spelled out in large red print that this data is all MAX data.

[ex-LT]

From the Lee manual

155 gr lead bullet
Bullseye
Min 4.6 gr
Max 4.9 gr

Power Pistol
Min 6.7 gr
Max 7.0 gr

Accurate #2
Min 5.7 gr
Max 6.3 gr

Accurate #5
Min 6.8 gr
Max 7.5 gr

Accurate #7
Min 8.7 gr
Max 9.7 gr

Accurate #9
Min 10.8c
Max 12.0c

NOTE: c = Compressed charge

Let me know if I can be of further assistance.