40 S&W Reloading Formula Question

Mendozaco · Aug 31, 2014

To the reloading gods.

I'm reloading for the first time 40 Smith and Wesson for my Glock 23 (LW barrel). I have reloaded 9mm, 45 ACP, 30-06, 30-40 kraig, but this is my first time with 40 S&W. I'll be using a single stage press.

Can this combination work and can it be safe?

1. Lead 175 grains, Lee Precision # 90690
http://leeprecision.com/bullet-casting/hand-gun-bullet-molds/bullet-mold-double-cavity/
2. Primer CCI 500 SP
3. Powder IMR 800x, 5.8gr to 6.3gr (testing all six for accuracy)
4. OAL 1.100"

Item 1, 3 & 4 are from the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook. The primers are my concern.
Thanks for sharing...

DaemonAssassin · Sep 1, 2014

Follow the book for your powder charge and you'll be fine. I don't have my books in my hands right now.

Do you have Lyman's 49th?

Mendozaco · Sep 1, 2014

DaemonAssassin said:
Follow the book for your powder charge and you'll be fine. I don't have my books in my hands right now.

Do you have Lyman's 49th?

It is the Lyman's 49th edition. Is the CCI 500 sp an adequate replacement?

DaemonAssassin · Sep 1, 2014

Mendozaco said:
It is the Lyman's 49th edition. Is the CCI 500 sp an adequate replacement?

Yes. You can use small pistol primers, no matter what the brand name is.

Make sure you don't use small rifle, small rifle magnum, or small pistol magnum primers.

Mendozaco · Sep 1, 2014

DaemonAssassin said:
Yes. You can use small pistol primers, no matter what the brand name is.

Make sure you don't use small rifle, small rifle magnum, or small pistol magnum primers.

Thanks for the info. :thumbsup:

Pinecone · Sep 1, 2014

There are some people who use Small Rifle primers in pistols. However some pistols will not strike the primers hard enough to be reliable. Rifle primers tend to have thicker cups. But the dimensions of the two are the same.

Large Rifle and Large Pistol primers have different design dimensions.

If you were to use Magnum primers, you should reduce the load and work it up again. Magnum primers are "hotter" and can seriously increase pressures.

http://ballistictools.com/articles/primer-pocket-depth-and-diameter.php

It's interesting to note that while small pistol and small rifle primers are exactly the same size, the same is not true of large pistol vs large rifle. I have heard of people substituting small pistol and small rifle primers during desperate times, but one should always be careful of pressure increases and the potential for pierced primers if one resorts to such extreme measures. It's always best to use components as they were intended.

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=91985

Using Winchester primers, I have gone from using small pistol primers to small rifle primers and back and never made an adjustement in my powder measure. I typically run 170 or so pf and have never noticed any fps change to speak of.

noylj · Sep 2, 2014

If it is in a reloading manual, then it is almost always safe to start with the starting load and work up. I prefer to reference at least two independent manuals and start at the lowest starting load.
The only data I have is for Lyman L-SWC and L-TC (just like your Lee mold) cast bullets (reference: Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook, 4th edition), with starting loads of 5.6-5.8gn and max loads of 7.4-7.6gn. Based on this, and if you use a COL longer than shown in your manual (the Lyman manual shows COL of 1.100 (L-TC) and 1.125" (L-SWC), which is the MINIMUM COL for this data), you are as "good to go" as any other cartridge to reloaded.
Remember, the COL is NOT a recommended COL—it is simply what they used for their testing and, per SAAMI, testing is to be at a shorter COL than factory or reloaded ammunition will be loaded. They may or may not follow SAAMI testing guidelines, but their COL should still be taken as no more than the minimum COL that data applies to.
You can go up by 0.1gn, but it isn't necessary. 0.2-0.3gn is the normal increment.

40 S&W Reloading Formula Question

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast

Member Benefits:

Mendozaco

Active Member

DaemonAssassin

Why should we Free BSD?

Mendozaco

Active Member

DaemonAssassin

Why should we Free BSD?

Mendozaco

Active Member

Pinecone

Ultimate Member

noylj

Active Member

Users who are viewing this thread

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Latest threads

Forum statistics

Share this page