what loads work in the .40 s&w ?

[kidcoltoutlaw]

in my p229 bluedot 8.9 with a rainer 180 shot great but shot about 10 to 12 inches in my p239.unique 5.4 shoots good in it with a 180 rainer.i have 4 357 sig's they all like the same loads.is that not true with the .40 i know there can be a difference but i have never seen that much of a difference.does the .40 shoot better loaded on the lite side.whats your pet loads.the sierra accuracy load works good.so what else works,thanks,keith

[Johnny Guest]

You like old comic books, do you?

I've had very good results with both H. Universal and Unique in my Browning .40 HP. 5.5 gr. of either with a 180 jacketed or plated bullet is a very good practice and plate match load. A little lighter than factory, perhaps, but pleasant to shoot and easy on the pistol. If you want to work up from that, go VERY slowly, and pay close attention to overall length. The .40 is a high-intensity cartridge to begin with, and doesn't take kindly to "hot rodding."


Best,
Johnny

[kidcoltoutlaw]

thanks for the info.untill i find something better im using the sierra accuracy 180 with 5.4 grains of unique.about the same as you said.im getting about 3 inches at 25 yards off hand from a sig p239,thanks,keith

[TIR]

I've good luck with 6.4gr. of Accurate Arms #5 and 180gr. bullets, results are about the same as with the load you tried. Just giving you another option. Keep a close eye on the OAL though.

[HunterWarrior]

I get excellent accuracy and low standard deviation with 6.0 gr of VihtaVuori N350 using the Black Panther 185 gr bullet out of my Glock 22.

Another big plus, it is very clean and ZERO muzzle flash.

http://www.precisionbullets.com/

http://www.vihtavuori.fi/vihtavuori/pistol/40sxw.htm

[Shoney]

Here are my experiences loading 40S&W. Mine is very picky on what it likes and dislikes.

I’ve tried hundreds of different bullet manufacturer/bullet weight/powder combinations. A difference in 0.25 grains of powder can make a big difference (again in my weapon) in accuracy. I got the best accuracy with the 180 gr Gold Dot and H. Longshot powder at max listed load. Several different 180 gr bullets and powders achieved good accuracy. I got acceptable accuracy with 135, 150, 155, and 165 gr bullets, but different brands per bullet weight seemed to perform well.

Bottom line, you just have to pick several powder/bullet/bullet weight combinations and work out the loads, as I’m sure your weapon will have an entirely different appetite than mine.

Best, Shoney