Help with .40 S&W/ win 231 recipe?

[QUADZILLA]

Just wondering if anyone can help me out here.....

Looking for a recipe using:

Winchester 231 powder (same as HP38)
180g lead flat nose (LFN) bullets.

From what I gather I'm looking at 5.0 grains?

I'm not sure if that's too "hot" or not, but I'd rather not take a chance, especially with .40.

If it matters, this will be used in a Styer M40 (as oppossed to a unsupported .40 Glock).

Thansk for ANY help!!!!

[The_Vigilante]

I found these:

.40 Smith & Wesson / .40 S&W Handgun (Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading 7th Edition)

Warning! Notes: handgun: S&W 4006; barrel: 4", 1 in 16" Twist; case: Hornady; primer: Winchester WSP; bullet diameter: 0.400"; maximum C.O.L.: 1.135"; max. case length: 0.850"; case trim length: 0.845"
Be Alert: Publisher cannot be responsible for errors in published load data.

Wt. Bullet Powder Manufacturer Powder Charge Velocity (FPS)
180 Hornady SWC Winchester W-231 3.8 750

180 Hornady SWC Winchester W-231 4.3 800

180 Hornady SWC Winchester W-231 4.7 850

180 Hornady SWC Winchester W-231 5.2 900

180 Hornady SWC Winchester W-231 5.7 950
Remarks: maximum load


(c) 2004 Loaddata.com

[WVBob]

My Ruger 944 cycles better with a high mid range up to max load, around 5.5 of 231. It does not like any low or mid range load. None of them cycle well. It's had over 2000 rounds through it so it's not the spring, just likes a hotter round.

[pacomdiver]

try 155's with 6.0g unique, thats a great load in my buddys glock 23

[Innovative]

I don't have any accurate loads with 180 gr bullets or 231 powder. I've tried both, and no luck. I had doubts about ever getting my 40 cal. to shoot well.

However, I finally found ONE accurate load for my Glock 27. After trying many different loads (every chance I had) for a few years, I actually came across a load that surpassed all of my expectations. This small defense handgun now shoots 5 shot groups (at 25 yards) that are always well under 3". It's not a super hot dragon load, but it performs very well in our penetration and expansion tests. Recoil is actually less than other loads with similar velocity.

If you find that this is a safe load in your gun, give it a try. The odds are you'll like it.

BULLET: 155 gr. Speer - Gold Dot (Velocity = 1,040 fps)
CASE: Win.
POWDER: 5.4 gr. TiteGroup
PRIMER: Fed
OAL: 1.113"

- Innovative

[Lycanthrope]

My M40 loves Titegroup!


LycannoW231datasorrythrope

[Flash]

Just wondering if anyone can help me out here.....

Looking for a recipe using:

Winchester 231 powder (same as HP38)
180g lead flat nose (LFN) bullets.

From what I gather I'm looking at 5.0 grains?

Lyman Reloading Handbook, 49th edition sez:

175 gr (close enough to 180 to be of no matter) cast lead
starts with Win 231 posder, 4.3 grains produces 863 fps
MAX load 5.8 gains gives sometning like 970 fps.

Are you using the truncated cone bullet with the one grease groove, or the one with two grease grooves? It really doesn't matter, except the one with the two grooves has a small shoulder and is a good paper-puncher, and the trunc-cone one probably is more reliable feeding.

Flash

[QUADZILLA]

Lyman Reloading Handbook, 49th edition sez:

175 gr (close enough to 180 to be of no matter) cast lead
starts with Win 231 posder, 4.3 grains produces 863 fps
MAX load 5.8 gains gives sometning like 970 fps.

Are you using the truncated cone bullet with the one grease groove, or the one with two grease grooves? It really doesn't matter, except the one with the two grooves has a small shoulder and is a good paper-puncher, and the trunc-cone one probably is more reliable feeding.

Flash

Thanks for the info guys! About two weeks ago I purchased the Lyman manual for pistols...it was a GREAT read. It was interesting to read about powder burn rates and how it relates to barrel leading.

I was loading the truncated cone with a single grease groove. I found that it makes a HUGE hole in paper and very easy to see visually. I found these at Shyda's in Lebanon for $8.00 per 100 rounds! They are made by "Precision Cast" who are also located in Lebanon. Suprisingly VERY accurate as well.

I LOVE being able to reload for $5.00-$6.00 per 50 rounds of .40 S&W. Makes those prolonged range sessions much more bearable!

I ended up going to 4.6 of 231 (I love the Lee auto-powder measure!) on the 180g lead bullet.

I think I', going to try Titegroup next. As much as I like the Win231, it IS a little (well, a lot!) smokey.

Thanks to everyone who posted!

[Flash]

Thanks for the info guys! About two weeks ago I purchased the Lyman manual for pistols...it was a GREAT read. It was interesting to read about powder burn rates and how it relates to barrel leading.

I was loading the truncated cone with a single grease groove. I found that it makes a HUGE hole in paper and very easy to see visually. I found these at Shyda's in Lebanon for $8.00 per 100 rounds! They are made by "Precision Cast" who are also located in Lebanon. Suprisingly VERY accurate as well.

I LOVE being able to reload for $5.00-$6.00 per 50 rounds of .40 S&W. Makes those prolonged range sessions much more bearable!

I ended up going to 4.6 of 231 (I love the Lee auto-powder measure!) on the 180g lead bullet.

I think I', going to try Titegroup next. As much as I like the Win231, it IS a little (well, a lot!) smokey.

Thanks to everyone who posted!

QZ,

You may be as surprised as I was with Titegroup. I bought a pound of it this spring to try in 9mm. I found that it took a lot less of TG to obtain the same velocities as I was getting on a 115 gr FMJ with 6.8 grains of Accurate #5. That translates to more bang per buck, by about half again as many charges per pound. Every bit as servicibale and functional as the Acc#5 loadings, and in the bargain, they were consistent velocities - for me a very low extreme spread and SD. I didn't have the opportunity to shoot for accuracy, but the velocities promised good results.

I don't seem to recall if there was much smoke associated with them or not. There will, however, be a bit more with cast and lubed bullets than the jacketed which I was shooting.

Please keep us informed of your results. I'm interested in trying TG in the 40S&W as well.

Flash

[IronButt]

I use Hodgdon Universal in my 9mm, .40 & .45 Glocks. All are midrange loads & it's been working pretty good. Burns fairly clean, too. I use Berrys plated bullets for practice & HTPs for carry.