What bullets in 40 S&W

[3leggedturtle]

Do you use or prefer? 165gr or 180's. Cant get to exited over the 135's but woud be fun for high velocity blow up water bottle exercize at short range.

[COSteve]

I've found that in full power loads, the 165grns are a bit more snappy than the 180grns. However, if you want to shoot longer ranges, the 165grn have a flatter trajectory. Like many things, it depends upon what you want to do with your loads. Most of my 40s are mid to full power and most of the time I load them with 165grn. But, my CCW piece, a G23, is loaded with 180grn Speer Gold Dots.

[damienph]

I usually shoot Laser-Cast 180gr lead but I also shoot 155gr JHPs that I got bulk pack from MidwayUSA (repacked in their blue plastic boxes). Not sure who made them, I think Remington but not sure.

[3leggedturtle]

Steve, just got done shooting S&B 180gr factory loads. What a pussycat!! Damienph, how do your loads compare to each other? Am plinking with a Ruger P94.

[Goat]

Do not know if you subscribe to the "One Shot Stop" theory of the Marshall and Ayoob school of thought but they used to have rated the 165gr Remington Golden Saber as about as good as it gets from the 40. They also had high marks for the 135gr loads from Cor-Bon which were either Sierras or Noslers component bullets. For what it is worth I have carried both in a G-23 for concealed carry loads. I seldom have to worry about anyone in heavy clothing and have less concern about over penetration with the lighter weight bullet.
I am more convinced than ever that there are three things that are required to stop an attack. They are in order...placement, placement and placement.
Goat

[damienph]

how do your loads compare to each other? Am plinking with a Ruger P94.

I shoot them through a 4" XD Service model. Recoil feels about the same to me and close to same POI at about 25 yards, which is what I typically shoot it at. The JHPs group a little tighter but both stay inside center mass (usually) on silhouette targets at 25 yards offhand.

It's not a match gun and I am not a match shooter...

[MrMurphy]

Corbon can have some QC issues on occasion, they also run a bit hot.

Most .40 users (police departments) stick to 155/165's, or go old school with 180s.

[1894cfan]

180's with 155's a close second. Also have both 23 and 27 loaded with either GDs or Win JHPs in 180.

[olyinaz]

Buffalo Bore makes a hot (not for Glocks) 180gr hollow point load that has some impressive stats. I put heavy springs in my Para 16-40 to run them and they're 100% for fuction so far and really seem to have some stank on 'em.

https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l ... tail&p=116

Oly

[COSteve]

Buffalo Bore makes a hot (not for Glocks) 180gr hollow point load that has some impressive stats. I put heavy springs in my Para 16-40 to run them and they're 100% for fuction so far and really seem to have some stank on 'em.

https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l ... tail&p=116

Oly

Buffalo Bore's warning is a bunch of bull. Every single pistol that uses JMB's basic design has some degree of lowered support at the feed ramp. Glock's pistols made in the last 5-6 years have tighter chambers than their earlier versions and so have more chamber support in this area but like every other brand, it's not 100%



Note in this comparison of different brands, that all have some degree of lowered support. Glock's 1998 barrel is clearly an early version and as such, the newer Glocks have the same support as most other brands and even more so than some.

[W.E.G.]

When the caliber starts with a "4," I want a heavy bullet.

[olyinaz]

Steve, I would say "an abundance of caution" vs. "a bunch of bull", but in any case the folks at B.B. are the ones facing the liability so I think it's up to them to make that call. It's not an issue with my pistol (fired cases look great) so I use the stuff and like it.

Remington Golden Sabers work great in all of my .40s also. I don't think I've ever suffered a failure of any kind with an RGS in any .40 I've owned.

Oly

[piller]

My S&W 99 likes the 180 grain bullets at ranges of 50 yards or less. I haven't tried it at anything more than that. I get a little better accuracy with 180 grain loads.

[tman]

For self-defence on humans, they're all good. For bear protection, 180 grain and above.

[rimrock]

almost all I use in a .40S&W is Lee TL401-175SWC with Lyman #2 alloy.

[COSteve]

Steve, I would say "an abundance of caution" vs. "a bunch of bull", but in any case the folks at B.B. are the ones facing the liability so I think it's up to them to make that call. It's not an issue with my pistol (fired cases look great) so I use the stuff and like it.

Remington Golden Sabers work great in all of my .40s also. I don't think I've ever suffered a failure of any kind with an RGS in any .40 I've owned.

Oly

I spent 41 years working with lawyers and the single most important thing to remember is that they live on 'Billable Hours'. What that means in real life is if they can take an insignificant issue and grow it into a concern; better yet into a huge problem, they are happy. Further, if they can grow an insignificant issue into a calamity, they are ecstatic. Their billable hours skyrocket in that event.

I don't how many dozens of times I had to tell our lawyers, "I've heard what you said, however, this business is in the business to do business and so we'll take you counsel under advisement but we'll do what is the right business thing to do." They are called counselors for a reason; they're job is to provide advice, not direction. They aren't responsible for keeping the business growing, for making a profit, or even for keeping the doors open.

They're opinions are based upon the position that they have to do everything possible, no matter how ridiculous, to limit or better yet, eliminate any liability. Any risk is unacceptable. If the world were run by lawyers, civilization would cease to exist; too much risk. Babies wouldn't ever be born; too much risk. No one would risk to do anything. No, if lawyers were in control this planet would be sterile in a generation.

[Old Ironsights]

In my G27 I settled on 180gr bullets of whatever loading because they were faster on followup shots.

It's the same reason I use 180s in my SP101 .357...

[1894c]

the LE Agency that I serve is issed 180gr. Speer Gold Dots... :)

[44shooter]

I have a variety of 40 S&W ammo. My Firestar is loaded with some bulk Speer LE ammo with 165 Gold Dots. I think this is the "LE Lite" load. Recoil is comparatively light but the bullets expand very well from the short barrel, in dirt and paper anyway.

I think against human and canine foes, choices in bullet weight don't really matter. I would feel comfortable with about any hollow point in the forty.

Pick one that is reasonably accurate and shoots to POA.