Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association
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  1. #1
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    Apr 2007
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    Default Best powder for .40 S&W

    I was over at my favorite local gun store a few days ago, and talking to the owner about some of my reloading efforts. I mentioned that I was using Titegroup for reloading .40 S&W, but that even with loads close to the maximum, they bullets still sounded and felt slow. His response was that Titegroup burned too fast to get the best velocity out of the round. He mentioned a powder, but of course I neglected to write it down, and now I cannot remember. So if anyone has some experience with this, I would be interested to hear it - or read it, anyway.

    Thanks.

  2. #2
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    Mar 2009
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    Audubon, Pennsylvania
    (Montgomery County)
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    Default Re: Best powder for .40 S&W

    I settled on 3.8 grains of bullseye behind a 175 grain swc (I think). Nice comfortable round and shooting very accurately out of my 4.25" barrel M&P40. I tried them as hot as 4.4 grain, but that was brutal.

  3. #3
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    Oct 2006
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    Clay County, Florida
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    Default Re: Best powder for .40 S&W

    Check out this link:

    http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

    It covers three brands and all their powders. You can filter it for brand/bullet weight.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2008
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    Fleetwood, Pennsylvania
    (Berks County)
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    Default Re: Best powder for .40 S&W

    I've used Longshot for some loads. IIRC the velocity according to the manual was 1050 - 1100 ft/s at max load. Its got one hell of a kick compared to titegroup or HP-38. Load was somewhere around 7.5 grains so it filled the case pretty well.

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Best powder for .40 S&W

    Thanks for the input guys. Dave, I appreciate the link, but that is the chart I am using. It will give me data for any powder I care to try, but it doesn't give me recommendations as to which will work the best.

  6. #6
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    Mar 2008
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    Lansdowne, Pennsylvania
    (Delaware County)
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    Default Re: Best powder for .40 S&W

    I had good results from using blue dot.

    8.9gr of Blue Dot
    155gr Magtech JHP
    1.125 OAL
    CCI primer

    shot 1in groups at 7 yards.
    Peace, Prosperity, and Liberty

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    El Paso, Texas
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    Default Re: Best powder for .40 S&W

    Power Pistol or WSF.
    The_Vigilante
    "A man can never own enough guns."

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Sugar Notch, Pennsylvania
    (Luzerne County)
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    Default Re: Best powder for .40 S&W

    Personally, I've had the best results for .40 S&W with IMR 800-X, which is substantially slower burning than bullseye. I use 160 gr TMJ bullets and 7.5 gr 800-X. I started using 7.2 gr, but had some unburnt powder, so I moved up to 7.5 gr and had no problems. I shoot them out of my XD 40 subcompact.

    What weight bullets are you using?
    Last edited by max384; September 9th, 2009 at 09:06 PM.
    loose≠lose; you're=you are; 'your' shows possession.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Robinson, Pennsylvania
    (Allegheny County)
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    Default Re: Best powder for .40 S&W

    .180 gr Cast FP
    6.0 - 6.5 Unique
    WSP primers

    I use this most of the time and its been really good out of both my Steyr M40 and CZ-40B. I've tried Bullseye and 231 but I always go back to Unique for my 40's.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
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    Default Re: Best powder for .40 S&W

    Thanks for the continued replies everyone!

    Quote Originally Posted by max384 View Post
    What weight bullets are you using?
    I thought I had put this in, but apparently I didn't. I have a bunch of 200 gr and 180 gr Berry's from Cabela's.

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