40 S&W Load Data

[MinnMD66]

I'm looking for some favorite load recipes in 40S&W. Specifically for the 180gr RNFP plated X-treme bullets. Hopefully, some of you wise to the art of reloading would care to share your knowledge. I would appreciate any helpful info.
If it makes any difference, I shoot a Glock27 with a lone Wolf barrel. ( Don't be too hard on me)

[Eric Marleau]

Do your homework and get some reloading books. Also check on the IMR web page. Start low and work up. SLOWLY!!

Don't take the easy and sometimes dangerous route of depending on gun forums for your reloading data.

Reloading takes planning and tenacity. NOT shortcuts.

Don't mean to be blunt, but reloading takes time and study.

Eric

[qualcorp]

As with 10mm I use Blue Dot under 180gr. Projectiles most of the time.

180gr JHP 8.8 gr Blue Dot 1,065 fps 1.125" WSP Alliant
Suggested starting load: 7.9 gr

Pressure: 34,000

[OldmanFCSA]

Do your homework and get some reloading books. Also check on the IMR web page. Start low and work up. SLOWLY!!

Don't take the easy and sometimes dangerous route of depending on gun forums for your reloading data.

Reloading takes planning and tenacity. NOT shortcuts.

Don't mean to be blunt, but reloading takes time and study.

Eric

As someone else would say " R.T.F.M."
Read The Finest Manuals you can find and buy them for all future reference - this assumes you can read.
I sh!t you not, reading the reloading manuals is required before starting to reload properly and safely.

[crbutler]

Taking this as most likely you meant it-

If you are using plated bullets, generally they like you to use cast bullet load data- ask the folks that make them if that is the case. They might also give you some recipes designed for their bullets.

Then get the latest version of Lyman's manual, which is mainly cast bullet loads and use the 180 grain data for that.

Since I almost entirely have switched to jacketed bullets, I don't have a favorite with cast bullets in the .40.

As an aside, when you say "Glock" most reloaders don't want to touch it. The .40 Glocks, especially earlier ones had quite unsupported chambers and their rifling tended to cause problems with lead. There were lots of detonations with .40 glocks early on. Its a combination of the fact that .40 S&W is touchy to reload, and Glocks are not designed with regards to higher pressures or weaker brass... I hear you when you mentioned the aftermarket barrel, but since I have no idea what the Lone Wolf barrel is, other than they say its OK to use lead bullets with, I am not going to say much re them. Its not that everyone is being a horse's rear, its just that it is not a real desirable combination for a new reloader to start with, as in minimal margin of error.

I would tend to avoid Blue Dot in handgun loads until you are experienced as well. It does not meter all that well, and I have heard of people having very overpressure loads out of the blue with it (probably due to the metering issue...)

[qualcorp]

That's unfortunate the only thing I use blue on is 40/10mm. Check it, watch it, check again as you would take precautions on any load esp. Magnum rounds.

[noylj]

What powders do you have? What do you want to do with the load--general shooting? Best accuracy? Minor or Major power factor?
At least two loading manuals is the best place to start.
If you're going to use plated bullets, get lead load data (or load no more than up to mid-range jacketed bullet data and keep velocity below 1200fps--unless X-Treme has different guidelines) which would mean Lyman or RCBS cast bullet manuals.
If you want best accuracy, I find AA5 is almost impossible to beat.
Some good loads to work UP to are:
4.7-5.0gn AA2
5.5-7.4gn AA5
5.0-5.5gn 231/HP38
7.3-8.1gn AA7
4.3-6.5gn Power Pistol (almost as good as AA5)
4.0-5.0gn Red Dot
6.0-6.7gn True Blue
6.2gn Silhouette

[noylj]

What powders do you have? What do you want to do with the load--general shooting? Best accuracy? Minor or Major power factor?
At least two loading manuals is the best place to start.
If you're going to use plated bullets, get lead load data (or load no more than up to mid-range jacketed bullet data and keep velocity below 1200fps--unless X-Treme has different guidelines) which would mean Lyman or RCBS cast bullet manuals.
If you want best accuracy, I find AA5 is almost impossible to beat.
Some good loads to work UP to are:
4.7-5.0gn AA2
5.5-7.4gn AA5
5.0-5.5gn 231/HP38
7.3-8.1gn AA7
4.3-6.5gn Power Pistol (almost as good as AA5)
4.0-5.0gn Red Dot
6.0-6.7gn True Blue
6.2gn Silhouette

[MinnMD66]

I appreciate your response and I do actually have several load manuals. Its just some of the bullets that you buy, you can't find the specific information on, and i like to compare what I think should be right to what others experience. That way I know I'm in the ballpark. Great info, helps a lot.

[noylj]

What I do is look in a couple of manuals and find the lowest starting load and I begin there. I have never cared what the bullet was the load was for, just that it was a similar bullet.
Bullet types that make a difference are:
1) Jacketed and very thick plated bullets like Gold Dots
2) Lead (cast or swaged) and normal plated bullets
3) Frangible bullets
4) All-copper bullets.
Your MAX load, even using the same bullet and powder, may be slightly higher or lower than the manual as you don't have their gun or their exact lot numbers of components. The manuals are only a guide and show what they got with their components.
This is why there are starting loads and why different manuals have such different starting and maximum loads. It is your responsibility to know how to work up a load and remain safe.
Thus, any data/info you get online can not be MORE reliable than the manual(s) you have and there is no reason to even think that you need our input--other than maybe a sanity check, but that should be done by using multiple manuals and the powder manufacturers' web sites.
If one looks at the Hornady manual, all their jacketed bullets of a given weight and, many times, their swaged lead bullets all use the same load data. In some cases (see .38 Super) they have the SAME load data for all their bullets over a weight range (I think it was about 121-125gn) and a range in diameter from 0.355-0.357", so you can see that you do NOT need data for a specific bullet--just for a bullet of the same weight and construction and that you always start with the lowest starting load you can find.

[noylj]

What I do is look in a couple of manuals and find the lowest starting load and I begin there. I have never cared what the bullet was the load was for, just that it was a similar bullet.
Bullet types that make a difference are:
1) Jacketed and very thick plated bullets like Gold Dots
2) Lead (cast or swaged) and normal plated bullets
3) Frangible bullets
4) All-copper bullets.
Your MAX load, even using the same bullet and powder, may be slightly higher or lower than the manual as you don't have their gun or their exact lot numbers of components. The manuals are only a guide and show what they got with their components.
This is why there are starting loads and why different manuals have such different starting and maximum loads. It is your responsibility to know how to work up a load and remain safe.
Thus, any data/info you get online can not be MORE reliable than the manual(s) you have and there is no reason to even think that you need our input--other than maybe a sanity check, but that should be done by using multiple manuals and the powder manufacturers' web sites.
If one looks at the Hornady manual, all their jacketed bullets of a given weight and, many times, their swaged lead bullets all use the same load data. In some cases (see .38 Super) they have the SAME load data for all their bullets over a weight range (I think it was about 121-125gn) and a range in diameter from 0.355-0.357", so you can see that you do NOT need data for a specific bullet--just for a bullet of the same weight and construction and that you always start with the lowest starting load you can find.