Need Help Reloading .40 S&W

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Sniper69

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Hi everybody

I am a beginer at reloading. What is a good starting load for .40 S&W using hodgdon titegroup powder and 175 grain SWC/BB hard match grade cast bullets . What do you think the maximum and the minimum grains of powder would be? Do you guys have any hints and tricks for reloading .40 S&W.

Thanks
 
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sorry that i do not use that combo but this is what i use if it helps. 200 grain lead bullet 3.5 grains wst( winchester super target) pmimers does not matter. Not a very heavy load only makes miner in ipsc but good for target shooting. also a little eaiser on your gun with out that real heavy recoil . i was told by an other member that you can use my same combo as mine useing tight group and get about the same results a miner load. If you call hodgon they will tell you they have no info for useing lead bullets in a .40 because of pressure spikes . they recommend only jacketed bullets . but i have been useing my combo for a year now with no problems.
 
motoman said:
sorry that i do not use that combo but this is what i use if it helps. 200 grain lead bullet 3.5 grains wst( winchester super target) pmimers does not matter. Not a very heavy load only makes miner in ipsc but good for target shooting. also a little eaiser on your gun with out that real heavy recoil . i was told by an other member that you can use my same combo as mine useing tight group and get about the same results a miner load. If you call hodgon they will tell you they have no info for useing lead bullets in a .40 because of pressure spikes . they recommend only jacketed bullets . but i have been useing my combo for a year now with no problems.
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I use the same powder and weight. However I use 180gr RNFP from Frontier. I like this powder as it is really clean.
 
First I'm a big fan of Lead Bullets in 40... it's a hot load
Second I don't like SWC unless I need a perfect hole in the target.....

I don't have a load in either of the books I have for that combination..

Tightgroup is a great powder for 40 but not with those bullets....
 
I use wsf for the most part in my para 40,I have found that seating the bullets about .030 longer than the recommended c.o.l. worked better in my gun,with deeper seating I had more jams than I like.
 
hello,
you can start at 4.0grs and make your way up (4.5), look for excessive pressure signs by checking you fired primers. this starting loads of mine is good for the 1.170 oal. if your seating the std. factory .oal, then reduce your starting load.
 
Thanks for your help guys

How do you check the primers for excessive pressure? Do they flatten out from being forced back in the primer pocket? And what is a good way to check the over all length of your bullets (without buying a really expensive tool). I was just going to compare it to a factory round.

Thanks, I'll try starting out with 4.0grs of powder
 
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I just saw the powder burn rate chart and titegroup and bullseye powder are right beside each other. Does this mean I can safely use bullseye recipes with my titegroup powder?

Thanks
 
Sniper69 said:
I just saw the powder burn rate chart and titegroup and bullseye powder are right beside each other. Does this mean I can safely use bullseye recipes with my titegroup powder?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Don't know what chart you were looking at, but:

Faster
*2 Bullseye
3 AP-30N
4 BA-10
5 P-803
6 S-121
7 N-310
8 AS
9 Competition
10 N-31
11 Nitro 100
12 Titewad
13 Red Dot
14 Clays
15 700-X
16 N-2010
17 N-312
18 Solo 1000
19 N-318
20 Promo
*21 Titegroup
Slower
 
Sniper69 said:
Thanks for your help guys

How do you check the primers for excessive pressure? Do they flatten out from being forced back in the primer pocket? And what is a good way to check the over all length of your bullets (without buying a really expensive tool). I was just going to compare it to a factory round.

Thanks, I'll try starting out with 4.0grs of powder
Click to expand...

.40S&W is not a round that you want to be experimenting with, especially if you have little experience from what it sounds like. Buy a good load manual and read, flattened primers in a .40 while watching for pressure signs is a disaster waiting to happen. Don't substitute powders, even if they have the same burn rate. Start at the minimum loads and work your way up slowly and carefully. You need calipers to check your OAL length properly, cutting corners while reloading can or will get you hurt or killed. I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade, just preaching to BE SAFE! A chronogrhaph is an invaluable tool when working up new loads.

Using 180gr. plated bullets I use 4.5gr. Titegroup @ 1.125" in Winchester cases and primers. Does 960fps and is very accurate in my G22.
 
Go to Hodgdon website and you will have all the info you need for Titegroup. Never assume a powder has the same/similar burn rate due to location on a chart. Lots change and true burn characteristics can be miles apart.

As to good load, let your pistol tell you. Cast bullets usually don't like going hot. So start at the listed min load and go up 3 tenth increments. You will see what it likes real fast.

If for some reason, the pistol likes loads too light to function properly, swap out springs. With cast, you are forced to make the pistol run with the load the barrel likes.

I make my own 175gr SWC cast from Lee molds and Alox for lube (tumble mold - real nice bullets) and now use Titegroup and Win SP primers. Either Speer or Win cases. My load is under listed max in my XD.

Jerry
 
Hi there,
I use Titegroup and 180gr jacketed truncated cone projectiles in .40 S&W.

I shoot IPSC had had quite a bit of trouble getting a load that would help me make major power factor with Titegroup.

I started at 4.4 gr and eventually ended up at 5.1 gr (over the recommended load). I know this is not a good idea, but I do not see signs of excessive pressure and I am just making major power factor. I also highly recommend getting a chamber checker and checking each reloaded round. I had one that I had not checked that blew off teh rim and left the rest of the brass in the chamber, not fun.

5.1 Gr of Titegroup and a 180 gr projectile work well in my pistol.

For 9mm I have not found a load that will work properly in my pistol, where Winchester 231 worked flawlessly. With titegroup I get fail to eject problems (acts like the case is still expanded against the chamber and the extractor slips off of it).

Dez
 
5.1gr. of TG with a 180gr. bullet? You are .4 over max! Still not making major with TG you have some issues, try a different bullet or something, you are gonna get yourself hurt, have you never read any of the warning about making major in .40 chambers with 180gr. bullets? Way to easy to have over pressure problems, especially when you are way over max and still having problems with making major. I can make major with 4.3gr. in my Glock using plated bullets, well within the 4.7 listed MAX load in Hodgdon's manual. 5.1 is going to get you or some newbe on this forum hurt!

As far as 9mm goes what are you shooting? I use 4.1gr of Titegroup for 1050fps and have no problems from 3.0-4.5grains, maybe your pistol needs some tuning?

I've found Titegroup to be a great all round powder for the three calibers I shoot (9mm, .40 and .45GAP) and it consistantly outperforms any other powder I put up against it, and I've tried most.
 
sniper,
get a reloading manual, just in case you cant find the starting load for a particular bullet weight, you can use the heavier bullet loading data. good luck
 
ricciardelli said:
Don't know what chart you were looking at, but:

Faster
*2 Bullseye
3 AP-30N
4 BA-10
5 P-803
6 S-121
7 N-310
8 AS
9 Competition
10 N-31
11 Nitro 100
12 Titewad
13 Red Dot
14 Clays
15 700-X
16 N-2010
17 N-312
18 Solo 1000
19 N-318
20 Promo
*21 Titegroup
Slower
Click to expand...
I was looking at this burn rate chart http://www.hodgdon.com/data/general/burnratechart.php ,, yours it totally different.

I do have a reloading manual that I’m borrowing from a friend but it doesn’t have titegroup recipes in it

Thanks for all your help guys.
 
Hodgon has tons of reloading recipes online, as to most of the other component suppliers. All the information of a reloading manual without the cost.

Just be sure to follow them and NOT exceed maximums. Even very experienced individuals can have surprises when they decide they know better than the manuals and take short cuts. Often its relatively minor, a few shrapnel wounds, a damaged or destroyed gun, but personally I like my hands and eyes just fine the way they are, even if it not usually life threatening its a hell of a risk to take to save a little money.
 
There has been a lot of xlnt advice on this thread for you. Take heed. However, I would venture to guess that Hodgons has data for that very load that is not online nor published.:cool: I can tell you from experience that if you call and ask for the technical guys, tell them what you are looking for, chances are it is listed in their "recipe" file. Further to that, if you request it, they will send(email) you their recipe file for that caliber which shows all Hogdons powders and bullets used, many of which are not printed:D . It may cost u a $2 phone call but it is well worth it. I have not been skunked with a combo there yet after researching in manuals.. Just a suggestion.
Good luck,
dB:)
 
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