Nitro-100 for 40 S&W

[vta]

I finally got some small pistol primers this week after looking for months. I guess I was stubborn (or cheap) since I didnt want to order online and pay the hazmat charge.

I have only been reloading 45 ACP so the only powder I have on hand is the Accurate Nitro 100 I have been using for that. It is great for 45 ACP. Since I have a couple pounds of it and so far I am not reloading in quantity, I wanted to try to make it work for my 40 S&W loads as well. Having done some research online, I have only come across one thread on another board where someone else has asked this question and didn't seem to have gotten anywhere.

Nitro 100 is a double based fast burning powder designed originally for shotguns but it is perfect for 45ACP. In that aspect it is similar to Win231 or H38 which have published load data for 40 S&W. Has anyone tried using it for 40 S&W? I am using my own 170 grain lead cast truncated cone bullets with home made lube. Do you think it would be safe to start with the minimum of the Win231 or H38 load data and work my way up from there?

[eaglemike]

IIRC Nitro 100 is faster than HP38/WW231. Pressures go up quickly in .40, so I would not do as you suggest. Find a load in a manual (or on a site that you trust) for the powder and bullet weight you want to try. Pay attention to OAL, (again) as pressures go up quickly in .40 as the OAL is reduced - faster than 9mm due to greater bullet/case capacity.

Too late for me to dig out the manuals tonight, but try the manufacturer's sites to see what you can find......

all the best,
Mike

[vta]

thats just the problem I am having, I can't seem to find any existing published data for nitro 100 in 40 S&W. What manuals do you have and does it have any data for my setup?

[eaglemike]

It's faster than Bullseye or Clays. I looked in the Lyman 49 and the Hornaday manuals (they were close) and zero data. I'm pretty sure it's because it's such a fast powder and the .40 pressure curve.

You might look for some aa#5, Unique, WSF, Universal Clays - something midrange on the pistol burn rates. I'm sure others will be along shortly to add their favorites. These powders will drive any weight bullet in .40, and work well in nearly any pistol cartridge. The pressure curve is usually pretty friendly with these. They are not for maximum loads in magnum calibers though. You can pretty much always get a load that will cycle a semi--auto and be as accurate as you can shoot with these.

Where are you in Socal? How much reloading experience do you have?

YMMV....................

all the best,
Mike

[vta]

if i had to buy powder specifically to load 40s, i was going to get ether aa#5 or aa#7. Since nitro100 is too fast on the 40 pressure curve, would you think its too sketchy to try to work up my own formula? My reloading experience is not real extensive. Just 45, 223, 308 on single stage presses. I do however take a lot of time to make sure they are precise. I have casted all of my lead pistol bullets and made all of my own bullet lube FWIW.

[eaglemike]

With an uncoated lead bullet and fast powder, you're going to get leading..... I'd suggest finding a lb or so of another powder. With a conventional lead bullet, I'd look to drive it about 900 fps, with a fairly cool powder. I'd also suggest making sure you're bullet are properly sized for the bore. Straight wall pistol is much easier than bottle-neck rifle stuff.

all the best,
Mike

[vta]

yeah i am sizing all my casts to .401 for 40sw and .452 for 45acp before pan lubing them. I am not getting any leading with my 45acp out of an 1911 at about 850 fps. do you think it would be worst in a 40? I guess the fps will be higher so maybe that will cause more leading. xd40 tactical to be exact.

[eaglemike]

In my experience 900 fps gets is somewhere close to where leadng starts, regardless of caliber, for conventionally lubed bullets. I'm pretty sure I also read this in one or more reloading manuals, too. a 170 grain bullet won't make major at 900 fps (if that's important) but you could try a few at 950 and 1000 or so and see what happens. Yupper, .402 should likely be good!

all the best,
Mike

ETA: Several typo's in this post. I meant .401 for the .40 oops!

[vta]

thanks eaglemike for your advice. I am gonna give it a shot and work my way up little by little. hopefully i can come up with a good working load. I will post it back up here once i dial it in if anyone else is also looking to use the same setup.

[vta]

btw, i ended up buying a lb of WSF. it just was safer than to try to work up a load without data....

[eaglemike]

Cool. I went through a lot of that back when I was shooting USPSA. Easy to get a strong & safe load.
all the best,
Mike