Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns 40 S&W loads, need an accurate and, hard hitting load.

I have a Sig Sauer P229 with a match grad Bar-Sto barrel and I had the action smoothed out/cleaned up. Not a lot of work and it does shoot factory 180 gr ammo well. I'm looking to dust off the dies and start to get serious about loading an accurate, hard hitting defense load for it. I would like to know the best performing powder/load/bullet combo for it from your experience. Factory Federal 180 Hi shoks have done well so far.

Be careful to follow load data exactly, especially when it comes to overall lenth. The round goes critical easily. I have the Loadbook for the 10mm/40 S&W which has lots of good loads in it. Ramshot's website has lots of them as well. E

I really like Longshot for velocity/accuracy in my 40. I've also tried blue dot, unique, power pistol, HS-6, autocomp. Haven't found a bad powder yet. For sheer velocity with accuracy, Longshot has been the best performer for me, with Power Pistol coming in a close second. HS-6, AutoComp have both been great for accuracy and std velocity. Blue Dot was erratic, and I am not a fan.

There are many online sources of data: Hodgdon's site, Alliant's, Real Guns.com to name a few more.

Never shot them as they have been hard to find, but Speer Gold Dot 180's have a great rep. I like 180 XTP, and get 1160 with 7.8gr Longshot out of a 5" XD. It is accurate and powerful enough to hunt with. I installed a heavier aftermarket spring to keep from battering the frame, and I always load to the max col of 1.135" regardless of what the manuals use. The only time I'd seat deeper is if there were problems with feeding.

Anyone run one of the 200 grain Hardcast bullets out of a 40? I've seen some specialty factory loaded rounds running these. Can't recall the brand, DoubleTap or something like that.

DoubleTap does sell a 200Hardcast for the 40. I've considered trying to load some up for mine, but I've discovered that a 180 hardcast fp going 1200 hits as hard as I want my 40 to hit. Would not feel undergunned in any situation in which I pack that load. I keep hoping to get to use it on some big beast.

Do you mind sharing that load and what brand/profile bullet?

It's HSM 180 hardcast flatpoint, cci500, 7.5gr Longshot, 1.135". My test was with win brass. Chrono averaged 1199. No idea what the pressure is, but Hodgdon lists a max 8.0 gr with 180XTP. I had others loaded up at 7.8 and 8.0 gr but didn't bother to shoot them, because 1200 was my target velocity, and I hit literally everything I put my sights on with that load, out to 60 yds, .5 L water bottles. Kind of freaky. It does lead the barrel a little, so it isn't interchangeable with jacketed loads. I put it in the gun for wilderness carry. If the opportunity arises, I'll put it through a deer. If I had to deflect/stop a bear, no problem.

Awesome, just what I was looking for. I was looking at the 200 gr hard cast seriously but always thought that weight was better reserved for the full size 10mm. 180 is about ideal IMO for the 10 short. Thanks for the info.

Interesting thread. I've been wanting to try Longshot for years. Even bought a pound of it a few years ago to try, but haven't taken the time yet. In fact, when I think about it, I realize that I haven't loaded for my .40's since the mid 90's. WTF? I guess that's what happens when you become a revolver fan.

It was Longshot, really, that made me fall in love with my 40. I didn't realize I could get so much power out of that case.

Especially with the 40, a man's got to know his limitations.........just sayin', of course.

MM

I've seen weak rounds in a handgun. I call them 38's. I think the 40 handloaded properly becomes a 10mm with factory ammo. Criticism of the 40 seems to be limited to lame slogans. I have come to understand that my 40 has very few limitations.

MR. Huntnshoot has saved me a lot of typing on this , listen to him he is spot on with my experiance with full house 40 loads

40's ain't 10's & can't be........the case is just too small.

40's are also not very forgiving to overpressure loadings either.

YMMV...........full speed ahead.

MM