So after a recent thread on what folks used in loading the 40 SW,

What's your favorite/best powder for 40 SW?


I picked up some Power Pistol. Loaded some 180 gr FMJ FN with near Max of 7.0grs.

Man this stuff is LOUD! I wear foam ear plugs and passive ear muffs as I have a bad ear drum. I though I was shooting some kind of Magnums!

I didn't notice that the loads had more recoil than other loads I had, just louder. Guess I need to decrease a bit as it sure is not economical to use at this rate.

Guess they named it right

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running against the wind

There's another powder, Longshot, that I've often heard referred to as Loudshot. Some powders have interesting quirks.

Power Pistol and Longshot are very good powders for higher end 40 S&W loads. But they both have the same characteristics. Both are very loud and they will put on a very bright light show if you shoot in dim light.

I just loaded some more and dropped it down to 6.0 grs. Will see how they perform.

I gotta say, I have not loaded FMJ bullets for a while and it was real nice to come home, run a few patches and brush a few times and all clean! Patches were hardly dirty at all. That lube on the lead bullets sure holds a lot of carbon and whatever "dirt"

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running against the wind

I was give a load of 6.4 gr pf Power Pistol for 9mm with a 125 gr. cast bullet. I have only loaded 15 rounds for trial as I thought it might be a little hot. Anyone have experience with it in 9MM?

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

I use Power Pistol for 9mm in my 940 and for .45 ACP in my 625s. It's the best high velocity powder I have found yet for these two cartridges, when used in revolvers.

I have not tried it in the .40 S&W and probably never will. The only .40 I own is a Glock 35 with the factory barrel and it will shoot the factory loaded Speer 180 gr. FMJFP at 1080 FPS. I don't think I can ask for more from this gun/cartridge combo and won't press my luck.

Dave Sinko

Power pistol burns clean. Seems like a lot burns outside the barrel, guessing a lot of nitroglycerin in it. Be interesting to try it in a long barrel revolver and capture the energy thats lost outside the barrel.

Is that why it sounds so loud??

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running against the wind

According to the 2005 Alliant manual 6.9 gr. Power Pistol is the max load with 180 gr. jacketed bullet. As always one should start below maximum and work up the load with a chronograph.

Well perhaps a newer manual would help

Speer, Hornady Manuals and Alliant online differ from the 2005 addition.

Edit: Speer #14 lists for a 180 FMJ FN 7.2 grs PP

Hornady #8 (new) lists for the same bullet 7.1

Alliant (online)lists for the 180 gr GDHP 7.2

These are shot out a Sig and a HK which do not like light loads.

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running against the wind

I've had good success with 165 gr. jacketed bullets over 7.5 gr. of PowerPistol for .40 S&W handloaded ammo.

I have some of those also, will give them a try,

Loading some 124gr, 9mm with it now see how they work out. Per the new Hornady manual they like PP in the 9mm.

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running against the wind

Funny this thread popped up, I just came upstairs from loading 100 rounds of 115gr FMJ 9mm over 6.0 gr power pistol with an O.A.L of 1.150

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sw9ve, 24/7 pro Ds, Hs M4