Followup on .40

[speaksoftly]

So I've decided to load my Smith and Wesson M&P .40 with 165 grain high velocity hollow point rounds. I see that Federal makes this round at a decent price but again, price isn't an issue and I'm looking for the round that packs the most punch. I'm looking for brand opinions on this load so please advise. Thanks

-Marcos

 

[handgunner356]

I believe the Federal 165 JHP is loaded at 980fps. I like the Remington 165 Golden Saber at 1150fps.

 

[flop-shank]

Speaksoftly, if you go to www.stoppingpower.net you should be able to find chrono results for various loads in the speed trap forum and gelatin shooting results in the test bed forum. Look for a load that will penetrate roughly 12"-14" from a gun with the same barrel length as yours, when the bullet is fired into bare gelatin, and gelatin covered with heavy cloth. There are also gelatin and chrono results at www.brassfetcher.com . Make sure you check the "old website" link on the home page.

 

[shawn mccarver]

So I've decided to load my Smith and Wesson M&P .40 with 165 grain high velocity hollow point rounds. I see that Federal makes this round at a decent price but again, price isn't an issue and I'm looking for the round that packs the most punch. I'm looking for brand opinions on this load so please advise. Thanks

-Marcos

The Federal 165 grain HydraShok was the FBI round, but ballistically, it was sort of like their old 38 Special +P 158 grain lead hollow point in that it had a low velocity of around 975 fps or so. The better choice in Federal HydraShok is the 155 grain which is closer to their Classic line JHP Border Patrol round at 1150 fps or so.

The FBI recently adopted the Winchester 180 grain PDX controlled expansion hollow point round, which apparently performs much better.

 

[sigp220.45]

The 180 grain stuff got recalled before most of it made it to the field. I'm in the Albuquerque Division and only the new guys coming out of Quantico have it.

I'm still carrying the Speer Gold Dot full-power 165, #53947, in my Model 27. We haven't had the 165 grain Hydra Shoks for several years.

 

[flop-shank]

Speer's engineers have their crap together. I'll bet a sizzling hot 165 gr. Gold Dot is one bad mother.

 

[David Sinko]

A few weeks ago I chronographed some Speer 165 gr. GDHP .40 that an FBI agent had given me about two years ago. We were at the range at the same time and he felt sorry for me because my department was too cheap to give me a box of ammo for those occasions I carry my Glock 35 to matches. So he gave me a box of what he was using. My duty ammo is the 180 gr. GDHP which did only 998 FPS out of my Sig 229. I feel this performance is nothing to brag about, but I was really disappointed when the 165 gr. GDHP managed a few FPS LESS. Frankly I was expecting higher velocity, or at least velocity higher than the 180 gr. load. I have always felt that Speer has some great bullets in the Gold Dot lineup but their factory loaded ammo seems to lack velocity. Our duty ammo has been somewhat disappointing out on the street and if I had a choice I'd rather carry our practice ammo, which is Speer's 180 gr. JFP.

Dave Sinko