Good Powders for 40 S&W - The Firearms Forum

mikea5232 · 08-08-2008, 10:25 PM

What is a good powder for the 40 s&w I picked up myself a XDM today and now i need some powder.

Shellback · 08-09-2008, 07:48 AM

I reload 40SW I use 5.4 gr universal clays 165 gr JHP. It is a good clean powder. I have asked the same question you have and got limited replys. I really like this powder because I use it for 12 gauge loads. I have limited expereince with others though. I started out using 4.8 grains of universal and worked up. 5.4 seems to be the load I prefer, hope this helps...
Tim

Haligan · 08-09-2008, 11:06 AM

Unique is good.

DWARREN123 · 08-09-2008, 12:39 PM

I have tried a few, mostly Hodgdon brands and have settled on Longshot. I like 165gr and 180gr bullets and can use 7.5gr of Longshot for both weights and get good, clean, accurate bullets with good velocity.
I like Longshot because the velocity and pressures are very good.

mikea5232 · 08-13-2008, 08:58 AM

thanks alot for the info. i have unique so i will try that.

SDefender · 08-15-2008, 08:01 AM

The following is out of a Glock 27, 3.5" barrel with the chrono start sensor @ 10 feet. Used 7.6 grains of Longshot and CCI primers. 7.8 gave me slightly greater velocity (1077), but the SD, 95% and ES doubled. Also tried Federal, Winchester and Remington primers, with Remington giving me 100 FPS greater velocity, but need to retest the Remington primers. The recoil I considered in the moderate-plus range.

Longshot is my chosen HP/SD powder in .40 S&W. In .45 auto it is AA #5.

String 42 Zero 165 JHP .40 / 1.125" COAL Power Factor= 176 7.6 grains Longshot
E.S.: 19
Ave.: 1068.3
S.D.: 6.2
95%: 7.1

gdmoody · 08-24-2008, 11:32 PM

I use 5.5 grains of Accurate #5 pushing a 180 grain bullet. A little on the mild side but it shoots good.

EDIT: I have also used Accurate #7 and Titegroup, also. All seem to work fine

Terry_P · 08-25-2008, 08:26 AM

Power pistol was developed specifically for the 40 and that is what I use. I use a 155 gr bullet over 8.0 gr of PP. It gives me great accuracy.

bobkreeger · 05-14-2009, 07:03 PM

Unique, Power Pistol, Accurate #5. All are good in .40 S&W

techoca · 05-15-2009, 10:28 AM

1+ to gmoody's load. That is what I load for my M&P 40. It is a great target load.

techoca

scotdj2 · 05-15-2009, 04:53 PM

I use 4.8gr. of tightgroup in a 165gr.jrn in both XD & XDM. works real good.
measures real well and go's a long way.

JLA · 05-16-2009, 01:17 AM

BULLSEYE.... good for just about everything from .25 to .45

BobMcG · 05-17-2009, 11:27 AM

Depending on what bullet, weight and use I'm loading for, my three most common choices are SR7625, Blue Dot and Bullseye.

Bruce FLinch · 05-17-2009, 07:15 PM

50,000 rounds of .40 using W231 can't be wrong!

08-08-2008, 10:25 PM	#1
mikea5232 Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 20	Good Powders for 40 S&W What is a good powder for the 40 s&w I picked up myself a XDM today and now i need some powder. -->

08-09-2008, 07:48 AM	#2
Shellback Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Broken Arrow Ok Posts: 950	Re: Good Powders for 40 S&W I reload 40SW I use 5.4 gr universal clays 165 gr JHP. It is a good clean powder. I have asked the same question you have and got limited replys. I really like this powder because I use it for 12 gauge loads. I have limited expereince with others though. I started out using 4.8 grains of universal and worked up. 5.4 seems to be the load I prefer, hope this helps... Tim __________________ The Plumber Protects The Health of the Nation New World Order never, Sovreignty Forever

08-09-2008, 11:06 AM	#3
Haligan Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: FEMA Region II Posts: 1,900	Re: Good Powders for 40 S&W Unique is good. __________________ "He who knows nothing is closer to the truth than he whose mind is filled with falshoods and errors." - Thomas Jefferson

08-09-2008, 12:39 PM	#4
DWARREN123 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: BETWEEN TN & KY Posts: 764	Re: Good Powders for 40 S&W I have tried a few, mostly Hodgdon brands and have settled on Longshot. I like 165gr and 180gr bullets and can use 7.5gr of Longshot for both weights and get good, clean, accurate bullets with good velocity. I like Longshot because the velocity and pressures are very good. __________________ Have a nice day!

08-15-2008, 08:01 AM	#6
SDefender Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 6	Re: Good Powders for 40 S&W The following is out of a Glock 27, 3.5" barrel with the chrono start sensor @ 10 feet. Used 7.6 grains of Longshot and CCI primers. 7.8 gave me slightly greater velocity (1077), but the SD, 95% and ES doubled. Also tried Federal, Winchester and Remington primers, with Remington giving me 100 FPS greater velocity, but need to retest the Remington primers. The recoil I considered in the moderate-plus range. Longshot is my chosen HP/SD powder in .40 S&W. In .45 auto it is AA #5. String 42 Zero 165 JHP .40 / 1.125" COAL Power Factor= 176 7.6 grains Longshot E.S.: 19 Ave.: 1068.3 S.D.: 6.2 95%: 7.1

08-13-2008, 08:58 AM	#5
mikea5232 Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 20	Re: Good Powders for 40 S&W thanks alot for the info. i have unique so i will try that.

08-24-2008, 11:32 PM	#7
gdmoody Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Northeast Georgia Contributor Posts: 6,408	Re: Good Powders for 40 S&W I use 5.5 grains of Accurate #5 pushing a 180 grain bullet. A little on the mild side but it shoots good. EDIT: I have also used Accurate #7 and Titegroup, also. All seem to work fine __________________ NRA Endowment Member GeorgiaCarry.Org Member Retired US Army Postal Worker Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take an ass whoopin'.....author unknown (but obviously brilliant) Last edited by gdmoody; 05-15-2009 at 12:23 PM..

08-25-2008, 08:26 AM	#8
Terry_P Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: NH Posts: 2,513	Re: Good Powders for 40 S&W Power pistol was developed specifically for the 40 and that is what I use. I use a 155 gr bullet over 8.0 gr of PP. It gives me great accuracy. __________________ NRA and NAHC Life "Both oligarch and tyrant mistrust the people, and therefore deprive them of their arms." -Aristotle

05-14-2009, 07:03 PM	#9
bobkreeger Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Powell, Ohio Posts: 7	Re: Good Powders for 40 S&W Unique, Power Pistol, Accurate #5. All are good in .40 S&W

05-15-2009, 10:28 AM	#10
techoca V.I.P. Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 329	Re: Good Powders for 40 S&W 1+ to gmoody's load. That is what I load for my M&P 40. It is a great target load. techoca

05-15-2009, 04:53 PM	#11
scotdj2 Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 4	Re: Good Powders for 40 S&W I use 4.8gr. of tightgroup in a 165gr.jrn in both XD & XDM. works real good. measures real well and go's a long way.

05-16-2009, 01:17 AM	#12
JLA TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Heart Of Texas Contributor Posts: 17,407	Re: Good Powders for 40 S&W BULLSEYE.... good for just about everything from .25 to .45 __________________ It takes 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 3 for proper trigger squeeze. The latest caliber or gear is no substitute for experience and skill. Rifles and cartridges don't make hits -- shooters do. Fact of life: After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF!

05-17-2009, 11:27 AM	#13
BobMcG Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Somewhere in the Twilight Zone. Contributor Posts: 1,119	Re: Good Powders for 40 S&W Depending on what bullet, weight and use I'm loading for, my three most common choices are SR7625, Blue Dot and Bullseye.

05-17-2009, 07:15 PM	#14
Bruce FLinch Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Bay Point, Kali..aka Gun Point Posts: 5,016	Re: Good Powders for 40 S&W 50,000 rounds of .40 using W231 can't be wrong! __________________ A bad day @ the Range, is better than a good day @ work.