Best .40 S&W Hand Load?

RayGT3 · #1 01-14-2009, 07:20 PM

Just bought a Kimber .40 3" and am going to load up some hand loads for it. Wondering if there is a prefered configuration. Also reliable cast bullet shape, don't want any feeding problems. As always, your comments would be appreciated.

Tnx.
Ray

RayGT3 · #2 01-14-2009, 07:20 PM

Just bought a Kimber .40 3" and am going to load up some hand loads for it. Wondering if there is a prefered configuration. Also reliable cast bullet shape, don't want any feeding problems. As always, your comments would be appreciated.

Tnx.
Ray

flop-shank · #3 01-14-2009, 08:13 PM

What type of load? Hunting, target, defense......?

RayGT3 · #4 01-14-2009, 08:31 PM

An agressive target load is what I'd be looking for.

Forester · #5 01-15-2009, 07:04 AM

I had real good luck with a 155 grain lead RN using HP-38 or Unique. Both mid-range loads according to data. Good function and fairly accurate. I had no chrony then so I can't tell you what they were traveling at.

Don't have the caliber anymore but still have around 600 rounds of ammo for it.

I also had good results with Hornady XTP 180's and HP-38. Very accurate.

Edited: It just occurred to me that I am not in the reloading section anymore.

As far as factory goes, I only bought a bit of that. Gold Dots functioned well and showed good accuracy from my Sigma. Blazer Brass is what I bought for cheap rounds. Functioned fine for shoot em up type ammo and the brass was reloaded for the above rounds.

flop-shank · #6 01-15-2009, 05:09 PM

If you are using the gun with factory loads for defense, I would suggest a lighter end of midweight bullet and then find loading data that mimics that load with whatever bullet of similar weight. Sorry I can't offer more, I don't handload for that caliber.

yellowf4 · #7 01-16-2009, 06:56 PM

Is your gun picky at all when it comes to bullets? I have loaded just about every bullet you can think of in my Glock 27 and 22 over the last 15 years and have settled on a load of 6.8gr of AA #5 behind a lead 180gr Bear Creek TC lead bullet. Neat thing is that I shoot the same powder and weight with the 125gr 357 Sig load and it shoots great too.

This is a hotter load, but due to my background, I tend to shoot loads that copy velocity and recoil of duty or self defense loads.

The lead is a hard cast bullet and is cast with moly. They are extremely slippery and do not lead even above the 1000 fps range. I have also used a lot of berry's plated bullets...