40 S&W

[DragonDJ11]

Looking for insight from anyone loading for 40. My dad just bought the SA XD 3" Compact and it has a pretty sharp recoil to it. I'm planning on doing his reloads and while I plan to work multiple different loads up, I wonder if anyone here has a decent recipe for anything that'll lighten that felt recoil?

Being shot from a 3" barrel I was thinking about working some with a fast powder like win 231. Thinking, maybe shorter time in the barrel would help, but then again, for every action equal and opposite right. Would love to hear some opinions to add to the mix. Thanks

[orangeusa]

Do you have a Lyman or Lee Reloading Manual? I don't know your level of expertise with reloading. I am assuming you are starting...

Read a couple of reloading manuals - you can probably borrow some (a LGS near my house has some for loan - I'm sure other places will let you).

Once you have the basics, the best sites are websites by the powder manufacturers. They show minimums and maximum loads for 40 Cal given a powder, and bullet characteristics/weight.

Hope that helps...

I doubt most posters will present anything other than the above. Reloading FOR PISTOL is not an art, it's more like cooking - follow the recipe.

Win231 and it's clone HP38 are excellent powders for .40. Titegroup also. It really boils down to what Powder you can get. I myself look at the standard weights for ammo (on the box) and buy those bullets to start with, then dig up the recipe either on Lee's book or on the powder website. For pistol, you are just trying to emulate what you can buy.

EDIT: Added FOR PISTOL.

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[orangeusa]

Add - I would load a few loads with 'stock weight' ammo and make sure you are GTG. Then - pick a lighter bullet and load it at just above minimum. Recoil should be less than 'stock weight'.

[DragonDJ11]

I have Lyman and Lee manuals, plus I use manufacturer sites. I've been loading 45 acp for a couple thousand rounds. More I'm looking to see what recipe others have found in similar firearms that balances everything.

Testing out different combinations of powders, loads, primers, and bullets is fun. But would like to narrow down options.

Just as comparison, my 45 likes cci primers with bull's-eye powder. Same or similar loads with federal primers, not so much.

[orangeusa]

Okay, I have tried probably a dozen different powders using 9mm and 40. Other than smoke and smell, I found little difference. Same bullet weight.

I did load the 40 with lighter bullets and it seemed to have less felt recoil. Smarter guys will chime in.

I use CCI primers exclusively, but have used Remington when I couldn't get them. Nothing wrong with CCI or Remington, in my opinion. I have not used others.

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[hambam105]

The best thing to do to lighten-up that 40 S&W snap is to shoot 9mm.

[diveRN]

I've loaded some mouse-fart .40s with Unique as far down as 5.4gr using CCI, Winchester, and S&B primers. I don't have the book in front of me to show starting, but 5.4gr is pretty light. 9mm almost has more recoil.

[DragonDJ11]

Dang, guess I best go and trade it in for a 9mm. lol not exactly constructive.

I was considering Unique, and possibly titegroup.

[MrElectric03]

I loaded some light .40 loads for my son back when that was my only pistol. It took a lot of time to get the load hot enough to cycle the action but not so hot to get that snap. .40 is known to be a snappy round, IMO if e isn't a fan trade it for a 9mm. I like .40 and have quite a few but I think you will find most guys are bigger fans of 9mm than .40 anyway.

[slayer61]

Not very helpful, I'm sure... but I normally use HS-6 in my 40 S&W loads and find it to be "middle-of-the-road" for recoil.

What you don't want to use for recoil sensitive is Longshot.

[DragonDJ11]

It is sounding like there is going to be a bit of trial and error for this one.

we rented and tried multiple different guns while he was deciding on what he wanted. He really liked the 4" xd when he shot it. 3" was not available for rent and when he held it with the short Mag he did not like it as much. We went to buy the 4" and there was a 3" there with the extended mag and he absolutely fell in love with it. Went back and bought it the next day.

I realized last night while reading through the different loads listed in the books and playing with muzzle energy numbers that this could be a situation where the rounds that we shot when we rented the 4" were had a lower velocity than those we were shooting yesterday. I am guessing that what we shot yesterday was around 1100fps, and if I load to get in the neighborhood of 900fps, we should have a much different feeling gun

[diveRN]

Dang, guess I best go and trade it in for a 9mm. lol not exactly constructive.

I was considering Unique, and possibly titegroup.

Don't know your reloading skill level or setup - just know that as a flake powder, Unique tends to meter inconsistently and per-charge tolerances of +/- 0.3gr are usually accepted. Use extra caution when loading on a progressive and weigh frequently.

Also worthy to note that at lower charge weights, Unique tends to burn dirty. Because of this, I eventually brought my charge weights to above mid-range and while recoil is slightly more, it is still very manageable and it burns more cleanly. Accuracy is average or slightly better - however, fired from a 3" gun, I don't know how much better it'll get regardless of powder.

[sofbak]

All the recipes one could ever need for light recoil .40 loads can b found here:

http://www.handgunsmag.com/ammo/ammunition_40lite_091806/

[DragonDJ11]

All the recipes one could ever need for light recoil .40 loads can b found here:

http://www.handgunsmag.com/ammo/ammu...40lite_091806/

Thank You. That was very helpful. And pretty much confirms my theory that the massive difference between the two guns was, in fact the ammo used.

[robert101]

I've used 165 grain bullet with 5.2 grains of Unique with good results. It functions fine in my G27. I guess I've shoot maybe 350 rounds so far. Fairly easy shooting and minimal recoil.