.40 'Smith reoading

ipscchef · January 29, 2009, 01:07 AM

O.K. I reload for about a dozen or so calibers and am getting ready to reload for .40 S&W. I have heard that there are some unique issues to this caliber as was posted in a recent thread. Is there something different about this round that I should be aware of ? What is this "unsupported chamber" thing? I have read about this before but do not know what it is.
I will be loading for an HK USP and a Ruger P94 using a Rockchucker and a Dillon 650.
Any advice would be most appreciated.

Nnobby45 · January 29, 2009, 01:43 AM

The .40 S&W is known for being less tolerant of bullets seated deeper than the spec calls for because of the pressure's involved. Bullet setback due to inadequate crimp could cause problems.

All cartridges have their limits as far as part of the case being unsupported. If you check a bunch of .40 brass from the range, you'll probably see some bulged cases caused by the high pressures and unsupported case heads.

Guys are always asking if it's o.k. to reload them. I have. But I don't anymore. If I had a gun that bulged cases with factory ammo, then I'd back off my reloads so it didn't happen.

I load and shoot a lot of .40's and shoot them in SIG's mostly. Also in a G22. I shoot them for practice and like to keep my 180 gr. bullets at about 850 to 900. Those aren't whimp loads, but they're below max. Then again, I don't have bulges with hotter factory ammo, either.

Shoney · January 29, 2009, 03:38 AM

I've shot thousands of 40SW cases that had been 'Glocked'. However, I do not shoot them at full max. I have made it a practice to work up to full max loads with cases which I know were once fired in other than Glocks.

I select the loads that give accuracy at moderate ranges and stick with them as practice rounds. I have PD rounds that are very stout using 200 gt XTP's and VihtaVuori N105 that are loaded in once fired nickel cases.

scsov509 · January 29, 2009, 03:48 AM

40 loads just like anything else, so don't let people scare you off at all. Work your loads up just like you would anything else, watch for pressure signs, pay attention to OAL, and make sure you're getting sufficient crimp. I don't know what powders you've been using for other pistol rounds, but in 40 my favorites are Unique, Power Pistol, and AA5.

WESHOOT2 · January 29, 2009, 12:28 PM

Sized case, new or used.
Rainier 180g TCJ-FP.
CCI500 (can substitute WSP).
6.0g Alliant Power Pistol.
OAL 1.130"+/-.005".
Finish using the LEE Carbide Factory Crimp Die.
Test every single one FIRST in your barrel's chamber or a Dillon case gauge.

(Crimp will not secure a bullet; case neck tension secures the bullet.)

Mark7282 · January 29, 2009, 10:24 PM

Noticed you are loading for a P94. If it helps...I just tried my first .40 loads for my P94 this weekend. Used the minimum reccomended loads. 4.2 of HP-38 ,180gr Berry round nose, plated. OAL 1.125, federal primers. The loads shot accurately and consistently. HOWEVER the big drawback was they wouldnot "push" the slide or action all the way through a cycle and jammed on every round. I have used the Berrys 9mm plated and HP-38 powder for a CZ 75 9mm and have had great results. The Load was light I beleive and I will be trying 4.7 this weekend to see if it clears up. FYI....

SwampYankee · January 30, 2009, 11:22 AM

Had the same problem with some .40 reloads in my Beretta Cougar a few months back, light loads with W231 would not cycle properly and kept jamming. Light loads with Unique did better. I think the volume of powder was just too low and not being ignited properly with the W231. I do like the recoil better with the W231 but its moot if it's not going to cycle.

SDDL-UP · January 30, 2009, 11:37 AM

I've tried Unique and didn't care for it in this application. I also tried AA No.5 and it was okay, but I couldn't get listed velocities from my USP. I tried Blue Dot and was happy with it, but have since switched to True Blue and that's now the powder I use for to 40 S&W (165 & 180gr. loads).

It's no different than loading for any other caliber.

KBmmr2 · January 30, 2009, 04:28 PM

SDDLUP,

I have no experience with BlueDot. I have a new sigma 40 and I just tried to load up a few rounds with 155 XTP, 10.8gns Blue Dot and CCI500. I was having the same cycling problem. Alliant lists 11gns as Max. The 10.8 charge seems noticably compressed.
Factory rounds work flawlessly. Do you think I may need to switch to another powder or up my charge to 10.9?

Thanks

amamnn · January 31, 2009, 05:31 PM

If you have a glock in .40 SW then you might have some bulged cases. If it is worth it to you, you might want to buy the new die Redding has out that will fix "glcocked" cases.

totalloser · January 31, 2009, 10:29 PM

I've loaded many thousands of rounds in .40, all range brass. No problems whatsoever. Easy to load IMO. No worse than 9mm. Just my experience with it. Some folks seem to see bulged cases regularly, I haven't seen one.

6.5 grains of AA no5 behind 180grain Ranier plated hp's seems to work well enough. For better accuracy, I'd go with a Jacketed bullet, though. (work up, of course! this is a max load)

Nnobby45 · January 31, 2009, 10:39 PM

WAP (Win. Action Pistol) was a wonderful powder for 9mm and .40 S&W. Alas, it was discontinued.

GOOD NEWS: Ramshot Silhouette is the SAME powder. The Speer Manual, for one, has loads listed with Silhouette.
I buy mine thru Powder Valley.

I've had no problems with W231 in .40 cal. When WAP was discontinued, and before I found out about Silhouette, I worked up loads using W231 for both 9mm and .40.

RickV · February 1, 2009, 07:04 AM

I load 40SW for my M&P 40. I have not had any issues with range brass. I use W231. I worked my way up from 4.2g, gun would not cycle properly. At 4.6g gun cycled but, never knew where the ejcted brass was going to go. Finally at 4.9g works perfectly. I have not seen any case bulging. I do not use factory crimp.

January 29, 2009, 01:07 AM	#1
ipscchef Senior Member Join Date: November 1, 2008 Location: South Central Pa. Posts: 427	.40 'Smith reoading O.K. I reload for about a dozen or so calibers and am getting ready to reload for .40 S&W. I have heard that there are some unique issues to this caliber as was posted in a recent thread. Is there something different about this round that I should be aware of ? What is this "unsupported chamber" thing? I have read about this before but do not know what it is. I will be loading for an HK USP and a Ruger P94 using a Rockchucker and a Dillon 650. Any advice would be most appreciated. __________________ Don' keep shooting them until you think they are dead, Keep shooting them until they think they are dead.- Clint Smith

January 29, 2009, 03:38 AM	#3
Shoney Senior Member Join Date: February 21, 2002 Location: Transplanted from Montana Posts: 2,311	I've shot thousands of 40SW cases that had been 'Glocked'. However, I do not shoot them at full max. I have made it a practice to work up to full max loads with cases which I know were once fired in other than Glocks. I select the loads that give accuracy at moderate ranges and stick with them as practice rounds. I have PD rounds that are very stout using 200 gt XTP's and VihtaVuori N105 that are loaded in once fired nickel cases. __________________ I pledge allegiance to the Flag - - -, and to the Republic for which it stands….Our Forefathers were brilliant for giving us a Republic, not a democracy! Do you know the difference??? and WHY?http://www.wallbuilders.com/LIBissue...les.asp?id=111

January 29, 2009, 12:28 PM	#5
WESHOOT2 Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 1999 Location: home on the range; Vermont (Caspian country) Posts: 14,324	"millions served" Sized case, new or used. Rainier 180g TCJ-FP. CCI500 (can substitute WSP). 6.0g Alliant Power Pistol. OAL 1.130"+/-.005". Finish using the LEE Carbide Factory Crimp Die. Test every single one FIRST in your barrel's chamber or a Dillon case gauge. (Crimp will not secure a bullet; case neck tension secures the bullet.) __________________ . "all my ammo is mostly retired factory ammo"

January 29, 2009, 10:24 PM	#6
Mark7282 Junior Member Join Date: January 29, 2009 Location: WA Posts: 4	P94 .40? Noticed you are loading for a P94. If it helps...I just tried my first .40 loads for my P94 this weekend. Used the minimum reccomended loads. 4.2 of HP-38 ,180gr Berry round nose, plated. OAL 1.125, federal primers. The loads shot accurately and consistently. HOWEVER the big drawback was they wouldnot "push" the slide or action all the way through a cycle and jammed on every round. I have used the Berrys 9mm plated and HP-38 powder for a CZ 75 9mm and have had great results. The Load was light I beleive and I will be trying 4.7 this weekend to see if it clears up. FYI....

January 30, 2009, 11:37 AM	#8
SDDL-UP Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2007 Location: Idaho Posts: 205	I've tried Unique and didn't care for it in this application. I also tried AA No.5 and it was okay, but I couldn't get listed velocities from my USP. I tried Blue Dot and was happy with it, but have since switched to True Blue and that's now the powder I use for to 40 S&W (165 & 180gr. loads). It's no different than loading for any other caliber. __________________ Arm yourself, arm a friend!

January 29, 2009, 01:43 AM	#2
Nnobby45 Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2004 Posts: 3,150	The .40 S&W is known for being less tolerant of bullets seated deeper than the spec calls for because of the pressure's involved. Bullet setback due to inadequate crimp could cause problems. All cartridges have their limits as far as part of the case being unsupported. If you check a bunch of .40 brass from the range, you'll probably see some bulged cases caused by the high pressures and unsupported case heads. Guys are always asking if it's o.k. to reload them. I have. But I don't anymore. If I had a gun that bulged cases with factory ammo, then I'd back off my reloads so it didn't happen. I load and shoot a lot of .40's and shoot them in SIG's mostly. Also in a G22. I shoot them for practice and like to keep my 180 gr. bullets at about 850 to 900. Those aren't whimp loads, but they're below max. Then again, I don't have bulges with hotter factory ammo, either.

January 29, 2009, 03:48 AM	#4
scsov509 Senior Member Join Date: November 22, 2006 Posts: 819	40 loads just like anything else, so don't let people scare you off at all. Work your loads up just like you would anything else, watch for pressure signs, pay attention to OAL, and make sure you're getting sufficient crimp. I don't know what powders you've been using for other pistol rounds, but in 40 my favorites are Unique, Power Pistol, and AA5.

January 30, 2009, 11:22 AM	#7
SwampYankee Registration in progress Join Date: November 1, 2008 Location: I can be found on a number of other forums. Posts: 1,333	Had the same problem with some .40 reloads in my Beretta Cougar a few months back, light loads with W231 would not cycle properly and kept jamming. Light loads with Unique did better. I think the volume of powder was just too low and not being ignited properly with the W231. I do like the recoil better with the W231 but its moot if it's not going to cycle.

January 30, 2009, 04:28 PM	#9
KBmmr2 Junior Member Join Date: January 29, 2009 Posts: 3	SDDLUP, I have no experience with BlueDot. I have a new sigma 40 and I just tried to load up a few rounds with 155 XTP, 10.8gns Blue Dot and CCI500. I was having the same cycling problem. Alliant lists 11gns as Max. The 10.8 charge seems noticably compressed. Factory rounds work flawlessly. Do you think I may need to switch to another powder or up my charge to 10.9? Thanks

January 31, 2009, 05:31 PM	#10
amamnn Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2006 Location: WA, the left armpit of the USA Posts: 1,323	If you have a glock in .40 SW then you might have some bulged cases. If it is worth it to you, you might want to buy the new die Redding has out that will fix "glcocked" cases. __________________ "If the enemy is in range, so are you." - Infantry Journal

January 31, 2009, 10:29 PM	#11
totalloser Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2007 Location: Fort Bragg, CA Posts: 679	I've loaded many thousands of rounds in .40, all range brass. No problems whatsoever. Easy to load IMO. No worse than 9mm. Just my experience with it. Some folks seem to see bulged cases regularly, I haven't seen one. 6.5 grains of AA no5 behind 180grain Ranier plated hp's seems to work well enough. For better accuracy, I'd go with a Jacketed bullet, though. (work up, of course! this is a max load) __________________ You only truly believe in freedom if you believe in the freedom of those you disagree. Last edited by totalloser; February 1, 2009 at 01:08 PM. Reason: add bullet weight

January 31, 2009, 10:39 PM	#12
Nnobby45 Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2004 Posts: 3,150	WAP (Win. Action Pistol) was a wonderful powder for 9mm and .40 S&W. Alas, it was discontinued. GOOD NEWS: Ramshot Silhouette is the SAME powder. The Speer Manual, for one, has loads listed with Silhouette. I buy mine thru Powder Valley. I've had no problems with W231 in .40 cal. When WAP was discontinued, and before I found out about Silhouette, I worked up loads using W231 for both 9mm and .40.

February 1, 2009, 07:04 AM	#13
RickV Senior Member Join Date: November 7, 2008 Location: North Florida Posts: 172	I load 40SW for my M&P 40. I have not had any issues with range brass. I use W231. I worked my way up from 4.2g, gun would not cycle properly. At 4.6g gun cycled but, never knew where the ejcted brass was going to go. Finally at 4.9g works perfectly. I have not seen any case bulging. I do not use factory crimp.