Preferred .40 Ammo?

[guntherapist]

What is some of the most preferred ammo for the .40 S&W?
I am new to the 40 caliber world and am planning on purchasing an M&P 40. I have seen bullet weights in 155, 165, and 180 grains and had thought to get the 180's to get me started, in JHP.
The pistol will be used for personal and property defense, and at all conceivable distances.

 

[guntherapist]

What is some of the most preferred ammo for the .40 S&W?
I am new to the 40 caliber world and am planning on purchasing an M&P 40. I have seen bullet weights in 155, 165, and 180 grains and had thought to get the 180's to get me started, in JHP.
The pistol will be used for personal and property defense, and at all conceivable distances.

 

[OKFC05]

Good loads available in all those wieghts.
OK highway patrol favors 180gr because it penetrates windshields.
Many people use 165, some 155.
Usual idea is to find a defense load, then buy a practice load of same weight to save $$.

 

[MattB]

Originally posted by OKFC05:
Usual idea is to find a defense load, then buy a practice load of same weight to save $$.

This may be a stupid question, but why would it be important to use the same weight bullet for practice as self-defense? I fired both 165s and 180s the other night at the range at 50 feet and couldn't tell any difference between the two.

 

[Munsterf18]

Different weights will usually shoot to different points of aim.

Having said that, I carry 165 gr Speer GDHP's, and practice with the 180 Winchester white box, because it's cheap! I shoot the carry ammo once about every 6 months.

Munster

 

[cshoff]

Originally posted by Munsterf18:
Different weights will usually shoot to different points of aim.

Having said that, I carry 165 gr Speer GDHP's, and practice with the 180 Winchester white box, because it's cheap! I shoot the carry ammo once about every 6 months.

Munster

Point of aim/impact difference should be nil inside of any reasonable personal protection distance. Certainly not enough to concern yourself over at the practice range.

 

[OKFC05]

Originally posted by MattB:

Originally posted by OKFC05:
Usual idea is to find a defense load, then buy a practice load of same weight to save $$.

This may be a stupid question, but why would it be important to use the same weight bullet for practice as self-defense? I fired both 165s and 180s the other night at the range at 50 feet and couldn't tell any difference between the two.

Not stupid at all. But why practice with the same gun? Why not use a .22 for practice?
If you are experienced enough to hammer out accurate double taps, the recoil and cycle timing differences in ammo are noticeable. If your practice ammo is the same as your defense ammo, that's one less thing to throw you off.

Suggest you try IDPA instead of just practicing from a firing line. The gun handling practice alone is worth it. Only in the movies and IPSC can you stand still in the open and have a shootout.

 

[Forester]

As for carry loads, anything with a Gold Dot on it is good.

 

[safearm]

The majority of LE agencies carrying the .40 S&W are using 165 or 180 grain loads. Some of the ones carried are:
Speer 165 gr GDHP
Speer 180 gr GDHP
Win 165 gr Ranger T
Win 180 gr Ranger T
Fed 165 gr Tactical Bonded
Fed 180 gr HST

 

[cshoff]

Originally posted by OKFC05:
Not stupid at all. But why practice with the same gun? Why not use a .22 for practice?
If you are experienced enough to hammer out accurate double taps, the recoil and cycle timing differences in ammo are noticeable. If your practice ammo is the same as your defense ammo, that's one less thing to throw you off.

Suggest you try IDPA instead of just practicing from a firing line. The gun handling practice alone is worth it. Only in the movies and IPSC can you stand still in the open and have a shootout.

That still doesn't fly. Even if you use practice ammo that has the same projectile weight as your carry ammo, that doesn't necessarily mean they contain the same powder charge. The only way you would be able to insure they react the same is to actually use your carry ammo for all of your practice, or to use a matched target ammo system like Winchester was offering in their SXT line for a while.

 

[Farmer17]

I used to like the heavy bullets and then went to the light high velocity loads, and now I'm in the middle with 155-165 grain. Pretty similar to .357 Mag performance out of short barrel.

 

[OKFC05]

The only way you would be able to insure they react the same is to actually use your carry ammo for all of your practice, or to use a matched target ammo system like Winchester was offering in their SXT line for a while.

Or handload your practice ammo, like I do.

 

[cshoff]

Originally posted by OKFC05:

The only way you would be able to insure they react the same is to actually use your carry ammo for all of your practice, or to use a matched target ammo system like Winchester was offering in their SXT line for a while.

Or handload your practice ammo, like I do.

If you know the exact loading of your carry ammo, and can match it with your handloads, than that would work as well. However, most people do not reload their own ammo.

 

[38-44HD45]

My favorite choices for .40, in no particular order, but based largely upon which gun I'm carrying, are as follows:
Cor-Bon 135gr. JHP
Federal 155gr. Hydra-Shok
Speer 165gr. Gold Dot
Double Tap 165gr. Gold Dot

 

[Deltaboy]

Speer Lawman and WWB is what my Sigma has liked so far.

 

[natrona848]

I use 180gr blazer brass from walmart for practice because it's cheap and works well in my SW40VE. for defense i like federal. i hope i'm not violating any site rules and if i do, i'm sorry, delete this post.

my test here:

http://www.steelcityriders.com...wtopic=4671&hl=carry

 

[RobO]

180 grain gold dots.

I was given a bunch of various ammo for the .40, and I'll use them all if I need to.

I have a .22lr Advantage Arms conversion for my Glock. I love it for practice and plinking.

 

[Hermann]

Taget shooting: CCI 180 grains
Self Defense / Hunting: Federal Hollow Point 180 grains

 

[cigar858]

Right now its whatever is available to buy, either at the Walmart/Gun shops or online.

 

[triggernick]

you need to also consider the difference in recoil. Thats another reason it is a good idea to practice with the same weight as you carry.