Weak 40 ammo

[theJanitor]

This isn’t going to be the thread you expect. I’m looking for weak-ish ammo to use in a little gun, chambered in that caliber. It’s a handful now, and I thought maybe lighter ammo would suit it (me) better. I’m ok with it not being a super performing SD load. Just something milder and reliable/accurate

Any ideas?

[spence]

Long ago, I had a KelTec P40. Full strength ammo was brutal. However, 135 gr low recoil HydraShok were pretty mild. However, "poor performer" would be putting it mildly.

[sparkyv]

Do you reload? You can roll exactly what you want.
This isn’t going to be the thread you expect. I’m looking for weak-ish ammo to use in a little gun, chambered in that caliber. It’s a handful now, and I thought maybe lighter ammo would suit it (me) better. I’m ok with it not being a super performing SD load. Just something milder and reliable/accurate

Any ideas?

[SCCY Marshal]

Remington's 180 grain Golden Saber has shown to be relatively low recoil when I've played with it.

[awp_101]

Isn’t “weak .40” redundant?:confused:



I’ll show myself out now...:o

[revchuck38]

Isn’t “weak .40” redundant?:confused:

It is if your wrists are still intact. :rolleyes: Unfortunately, that's not the case with a bunch of the retired LEOs on this forum.

Gotta wonder when it changed from "Short & Weak" to "Snap & Whip"? ;)

[ST911]

Try one of the ~1000fps 165gr rounds, over the years there were several offered for both carry and practice. The 165 GDHP FBI variant is one. I've also seen some downloaded 155-165 FMJs at the reman places, perhaps Georgia Arms, but it's been many years. Someone may still have such a load.

The 140gr Barnes TAC-XP from BHA is also pretty mild as 40s go, and may be worth a try for you: http://www.black-hills.com/shop/new-pistol-ammo/40-smith-wesson/

.40 in a little gun doesn't give you a lot of options, and as you download ammo reliability starts to drop off too. Best answer is a 9mm transition, but I hope this helps.

[awp_101]

It is if your wrists are still intact. :rolleyes: Unfortunately, that's not the case with a bunch of the retired LEOs on this forum.

Gotta wonder when it changed from "Short & Weak" to "Snap & Whip"? ;)
I get it for sure! Other than recurring carpal tunnel my wrists are still (relatively) OK but my hands can't take the pounding of baby .45s anymore and all my .40s are FS pieces.

[Danjojo]

Winchester Train and Defend is the PDX1/Ranger Bonded 180gr bullet at very mild levels, still expands well down to looowww velocity. They are even milder than the 165gr reduced loads...only about 162PF vs Win and Speer's reduced 165gr loads being 172PF. Plenty for purpose with a really soft impulse. Same thing with the 9 version and tiny pistols.

Only bad thing, "Defend" doesn't come in cheap 50rd boxes. Available locally all over the place though.

[medic15al]

Not wanting to step down to a 9mm?

[Navin Johnson]

The lightest .40 I have shot is still quite snappy in a sub 27 oz. gun..I find most .40 just tolerable in a G22.

This caliber has ruined most compact and smaller guns up till now because they are built around .40 pressure and recoil instead of 9mm. (so their bigger than necessary)

Around here .40's have little trade in value especially small ones.

If it is going to be used for real stuff then a 9 is the "weak" load you are looking for.

[jetfire]

For practice, the Federal Syntech 205gr Action Pistol load is extremely pleasant to shoot for a .40. It's about the nicest factory .40 out there that I can recall.

[donmacc]

I have found the Barnes TAC-XPD to be a soft shooter in the 40 Shield. 140 grain all copper bullet @ 1120 FPS.


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[JonInWA]

For practice, 180 gr Federal Champion, either brass or aluminum cased; the propellant charge is the same. Best, Jon

[awp_101]

What about the practice loads in purple brass I see for sale from time to time? Is that stuff loaded lighter?

[Tensaw]

Any chance of throwing a comp on the gun? .40 seems like an ideal caliber for that.

[Chuck Haggard]

I have found the Barnes TAC-XPD to be a soft shooter in the 40 Shield. 140 grain all copper bullet @ 1120 FPS.


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Solid advice.


There are also mid range Gold Dots and Hydrashocks in the 165gr flavor.

[LtDave]

If you can find someone who handloads, there are lighter .40 loads that shoot very soft and accurate. My favorite is 5.4 grains of Ramshot Silhouette with a 180 grain bullet. My Glocks love that load. It runs about 850 fps.

[farscott]

If you can find any, Federal Syntech Defense Ammunition 40 S&W 175 Grain Synthetic Jacket Segmented Hollow Point might work. 175-grain bullet at 1000 fps for 389 ft-lbs of energy.

[Duelist]

What about the practice loads in purple brass I see for sale from time to time? Is that stuff loaded lighter?

I don’t think so. Others with more experience with it may have a different perspective on it, but all of it that I have seen/used has come from Federal LE contracts, and it didn’t seem particularly light or different than standard 180gr SD loads - But it is lighter than the nuclear 165gr loads no one uses anymore.

I’ve had 3 .40s in my possession and shot a few more, and I’ve found that while I can shoot .40 just fine, I tolerate it at about the same level as I do a similar size/weight .45 ACP, which is much more than I can tolerate from an Airweight Jframe .38, but much less than I can a similar size/weight 9mm or steel .38.

Hence, I mostly shoot 9mm and .38 in centerfire, and plan to work a lot more with .22 this year than in the last few.

[10mmfanboy]

I like 155 gn, I don't know if you can find factory loads with 155 or not.

[HCM]

What about the practice loads in purple brass I see for sale from time to time? Is that stuff loaded lighter?

No, that is DHS contract training ammo, it’s loaded to mimic 180 grain HST.

[HCM]

I like 155 gn, I don't know if you can find factory loads with 155 or not.

We issued 155 grain JHP from Remington, Winchester and Federal. The extra recoil and blast is not worth it.

180 grain works just fine and easier on both guns and the shooter.

[HCM]

For practice, the Federal Syntech 205gr Action Pistol load is extremely pleasant to shoot for a .40. It's about the nicest factory .40 out there that I can recall.

In a yer when we actually have choice in Ammo availability again I’ll have to try some.

[BobM]

We issued 155 grain JHP from Remington, Winchester and Federal. The extra recoil and blast is not worth it.

180 grain works just fine and easier on both guns and the shooter.

That was my experience when we bought the M&P40s back in 06. I started us with the 155 Gold Dot, but it seemed to “snappy” especially for the less experienced shooters. I switched to the 180 Gold Dot and also noted that pistols seemed to have the POA/POI better aligned than with the 155s.

[jetfire]

In a yer when we actually have choice in Ammo availability again I’ll have to try some.

It'll probably be 3 months for the supply chain to get caught up again, just in time for people to freak out about the election. What a year 2020 is going to be.