Newbie loading .40 cal with Excel 180gr projectiles

tinymike66

tinymike66

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I'm going to be loading my own .40 cal for first time.
I got a good deal on brass and 20lbs 180gr Excel Projectiles.
After some research I am wondering if being new I should be loading 180gr. I read it leave min margin for error due to weight and how deep it seats?

Any advice would be great.
I want to be safe. Also can't find a lot of loading specs for Excel bullets.

Thank you.
 
tinymike66 said:
I'm going to be loading my own .40 cal for first time.
I got a good deal on brass and 20lbs 180gr Excel Projectiles.
After some research I am wondering if being new I should be loading 180gr. I read it leave min margin for error due to weight and how deep it seats?

Any advice would be great.
I want to be safe. Also can't find a lot of loading specs for Excel bullets.

Thank you.
Click to expand...

Assuming you are using properly sized brass, and the large majority of powders that are well suited for loading .40, you will not have an issue for depth and seating. If you are, you're using the wrong powder. I have no experience with excel bullets either, but typical strategy is to use a similar projectile i.e. 180gr? Flat nose? Plated? Jacketed? Lead? etc. And use that as a reference then start towards the lower end, but high enough to not have to worry about a squib. And obviously if you're not using a chronometer, you're "shooting blind". Do a ladder test. I generally start with 1 mag of something factory, or a known reload I've worked out already to foul and warm up the barrel just to take that out of the equation and to warm myself up, and to verify the chronometer's functioning. I do increments of .2gr, 1 mag of each. Just my strategy, others will suggest their own I'm sure, but ultimately you want to find some consistency. Oh and a scale with at least a 0.05 grain accuracy is key as well when you consider that's only 1% of 5gr which is close to many loads for .40. I usually manually powder charge my test loads until I get something I like, then setup my progressive for it.
 
I load 180gr for .40 and 200gr for 10mm (.40s&w and 10mm are the same projectile, BTW. All that changes is the length of the case) Don't worry about depth and seating, just follow the suggested OAL at first and you'll be GTG.

Worry about finding powder. After that, follow the min starting loads and work your way up to what is the most accurate in YOUR gun, without going over max. Even a full case isn't a problem, as some powder/calibers work best with a full case. It all depends on the type of powder.

If you stay within the published parameters of charge weight per type of powder and OAL, you'll be just fine.
 
Thanks, I shoot a S&W M&P
I will follow specs and find a good scale.
I have a Lee breach lock single stage press, so I can take my time and be picky.
The thought of setting some alone time and reloading sounds therapeutic more than just the savings in $$.

Appreciate the advice :)
 
Single stage works just fine. Size a bucket of brass, then flare the mouths, then prime them, then drop powder and then seat the bullets. A Lee Autoprime would be a real good investment.

Buy a carbide sizer die, so you don';t have to lube the cases.

Excel is a plated bullet, I think. I use plated bullets for my night shoots (less smoke than cast).

I use 3.5 of Titegroup or 4.5gr of 231. OAL is around 1.125"
 
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