Author Topic: 40S&W reloading (Read 1068 times)

TexasRedNeck · « **on:** August 22, 2021, 10:42:22 PM »

Starting to reload 40 for the first time. Fortunately the carbide dies I bought for 10mm years ago work on .40 as well.

First step was to clean all the once fired brass I had. Just bought a new Dillon vibratory cleaner and media separator.

Then 40 S&W requires some extra care in case prep. The .40 is a high pressure round and those cases shot from a glock will have a glock smile or bulge at the base of the case that a standard sizing die will not remove.

One of the reasons a glock always goes bang(unlike Ken’s hammers) is the chamber is partially unsupported which aids in feeding. But that results in a case bulge.

You don’t shoot a glock you say? Well unless you know for sure that all your brass came from your gun you need to prep it like it was run through a glock.

Look carefully and you’ll see the bulge

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TexasRedNeck · « **Reply #1 on:** August 22, 2021, 10:43:16 PM »

Measures .431 at the bulge

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TexasRedNeck · « **Reply #2 on:** August 22, 2021, 10:45:11 PM »

Using a single stage press and a Redding GRX die that pushes the entire case through it removes this bulge.

And now measures .422

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stlaser · « **Reply #3 on:** August 23, 2021, 07:59:44 AM »

Hammer reference……

I never knew about the bulge, good info Charles

Bear9350 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 23, 2021, 09:23:45 AM »

Good info. I've never reloaded for pistol before but been thinking I should get into it lately. Maybe when I get my new barrel in I should do a similar write up for precision rifle reloading.

TexasRedNeck · « **Reply #5 on:** August 23, 2021, 01:13:21 PM »

Feel free Bear, I’ll get to it eventually but I haven’t been competing for a while now so I have plenty of PR ammo on hand. Then…..someone may want to do benchrest ammo thread…that would be detail overload

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Bear9350 · « **Reply #6 on:** August 23, 2021, 01:56:55 PM »

I keep it pretty simple, even compared to most of the precision rifle guys I shoot with. So many rabbit holes you can go down when it comes to reloading and I don't have time for most of them.

TexasRedNeck · « **Reply #7 on:** August 23, 2021, 02:16:08 PM »

I do sort and weigh cases and use a micrometer die and neck bushing but I don’t measure neck tension or case mouth thickness or volume of case

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Bear9350 · « **Reply #8 on:** August 23, 2021, 02:26:34 PM »

I don't sort anything. Sometimes I don't even weigh powder for practice rounds, just drop from a cheap lee powder measure and seat a bullet. SD still in the teens so good enough for what I need.

JR · « **Reply #9 on:** August 23, 2021, 03:06:00 PM »

Sammconn · « **Reply #10 on:** August 23, 2021, 03:58:15 PM »

I went down to case weight at one time, rabbit holes is an understatement...

TexasRedNeck · « **Reply #11 on:** August 23, 2021, 05:42:57 PM »

Yeah. Unless you are bench rest shooting 1/2moa is plenty accurate

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JR · « **Reply #12 on:** August 23, 2021, 06:08:49 PM »

I normally carry factory loads for SD. My SU200o is not as picky and with the long barrel its pretty spot on.

TexasRedNeck · « **Reply #13 on:** August 23, 2021, 06:49:28 PM »

You bring up something that is worth talking about in the realm of reloading.

Aside from considering if your reloading skills meet the definition of reliability, you must also weigh whether your local DA would use your reloads against you in a court of law. With all the Soros funded DAs and judges in this country, even in red states like Texas, you do need to consider what opening up a discussion of your reloading hobby in court might do to taint the jury.

Certainly be aware of “hot loads” and how that be perceived as well. Staying close to a factory load is better, but not as good as just shooting good factory ammo.

https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/blog/what-are-the-legal-implications-of-handloading-ammo/

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JR · « **Reply #14 on:** August 23, 2021, 06:58:29 PM »

I believe I am "required" to use factory loads for my CC.

TexasRedNeck · « **Reply #15 on:** September 04, 2021, 04:58:52 PM »

Ok back to .40

I found significant variance in recipes for3N37 Vihtavuori with 180gn. My Quickload software showed much more powder than the mfg website.

So I loaded 5 rounds of a mid load off the mfg website 6.0 gn and then 5 each at 6.2,6.4,6.6 noting that max on the mfg website is 6.3

I’ll run them over the chrono tomorrow and we’ll find out real quick who’s data is right.

I bought case gauge checkers for my pistol calibers. Made by EGW. Got one each in 9mm .40 and .45. If the ammo sits flush its GTG.

Loaded to 1.125 OAL. I hope to find a round that will get me about 975ft/sec which is close to Hornady factory ammo. All without blowing up a pistol or losing fingers. AAR tomorrow. Stay tuned.

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Bob Smith · « **Reply #16 on:** September 04, 2021, 05:18:26 PM »

Usually when there is a large difference in max loading of same powder between sources it has to do with the other components involved. I found the bullet used is usually the reason. One made with lighter material would take up a lot more case volume, and the harder the bullet the more resistance going down the barrel. Granted most of my work is with rifle not pistol.

TexasRedNeck · « **Reply #17 on:** September 04, 2021, 07:54:25 PM »

Good observation Bob. The mfg website specified a particular 180gn projectile and my software for the same projectile was way off. We’ll do it the old fashioned way and work it up

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Bob Smith · « **Reply #18 on:** September 04, 2021, 08:26:20 PM »

I agree with working up the load instead of taking anyone’s advice. Lots of problems are avoided that way.

TexasRedNeck · « **Reply #19 on:** September 05, 2021, 12:57:45 PM »

So apparently my software is more accurate than the mfg website. Probably different tolerances for liability. The predicted velocity on the software was overstated by about 30fps and the mfg web site was waaaay off. At 6.3 it predicted 1075 as the max load

I fired some factory ball to make sure I had the chronograph set up correctly. Then ran some factory 180gn hp across and got this

Then worked my way up from 6.0 grains to 6.6 checking for missing fingers and bulged brass along the way.

The 6.6 yielded this

9 FPS slower than the factory ammo, which is pretty darn close. And my standard deviation (consistency ) was better.

I’ll stop here and call it good. Loading on the progressive press I need a little margin of error safety for the powder drop although the Dillon has been amazingly consistent in dropping powder. I just don’t want to take the chance of an extra 2 tenths if I’m running a max load recipe. I’ll load on the single stage and weigh each charge for max loads.

And I like that it’s subsonic so if I decide to put a hush puppy on the end of it the sound will be very well attenuated

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JR · « **Reply #20 on:** September 05, 2021, 07:49:48 PM »

Those gauges are sweet. Reverse go-no-go chamber gauge.

TexasRedNeck · « **Reply #21 on:** September 06, 2021, 08:21:13 PM »

Took that recipe and loaded 200 rounds. Didn’t fill much of a 30 cal can, so I bought 200 more on line to load since I had the machine set up already. Picked up 400 more 45acp while I was at it.

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