Loads for a .40 caliber

[Ron Wilkerson]

Picked up a nice .40 long rifle. Now I would like to know what works well in a .40?

 

[hanshi]

I can only tell you what works in my .40. 40 grains of 3F gives excellent accuracy and over 1700 fps; it's a great all around load. Switching to 60 grains gives close to 2000 fps and great accuracy at 100 yards.

 

[Tom Compton]

Mine has a 42" Douglas barrel w 1/66 twist and deep grooves. Hanshi's load will work in it I'm sure but I use .395 balls, .015" patch and either spit or MAP for range work. Powder is 50 gr Goex FFg and prime is 4F or finer (Null B or 7F) when I have it.

Hanshi is using 3F so Velocities are similar. My 75 gr load was pushing a little over 2100 fps w that old liner.
TC

 

[Ron Wilkerson]

Thanks for the info. Hanshi what size of balls are you using?

 

[Ron Wilkerson]

What size balls are you using?

 

[nkbj]

Mine is a 28" GM barrel on a TC Renegade.
It loads pretty tight with .397 balls (because that's what diameter the Lee mold throws). Jacks Battle powder seems to work just fine.

 

[Don Steele]

My 42" SMR with a Rice bbl. does best with a .395 ball and 55 gns. 3f Goex. For offhand shooting at 25-50 yds I generally use 50 gns. which allows me to use "center-hold" on any target.
I haven't done enough shooting at 100 yds with this rifle to have any idea what will work.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

You should start with grains of powder = the number of your caliber, using the old rule-of-thumb..., so that' would be 40 grains. That's often what folks find works for them.

I have to use, by law, 60 grains of powder IF I hunt deer with my flinter in .40 so..., I have a 30 grain measure for small game and targets, and will double the load if I try for deer.

I use a patched .389 round ball (hey that's what the box says is the diameter). I also have custom 180 grain conicals for deer or coyote, but haven't had a chance to try them yet.

LD

 

[hanshi]

I cast and shoot .390" ball from a Lee mold. I'm wanting to try some .395" with the .022" patches I cut myself.

40 Flint, it's a swamped, "B" weight 38" Green Mountain barrel.

 

[nhmoose]

My 42 inch GM barrel has won many medals [NMLRA Territorials to Ft TY and local shoots] with 35 grains GOEX 3fg.

Double charged I used it for deer. I shot two deer with the 70 grain load. That killed them but I now use my 54 42 inch for that purpose. I like to knock them down for no trailing needed.

 

[bob308]

I have a 34 inch hoyt barrel 1-48. I use .395 .020 patch 40 gr.3f. it shoots clean. no wiping all day for paper at 25,50 and 75 yd. for 100 yd. 50 gr. will knock down bowling pins.

 

[hanshi]

Sounds to me like you have it nailed. Excellent success, IMO. :hatsoff:

My .40 drops bowling pins pretty good, too; never had one run after the shot. :rotf: :rotf:

 

[Eddie Southgate]

I am old folks and we were always taught to shoot 1 grain per caliber + 5 . I use a .395 Ideal ball with fifteen thousandths ticking with spit patch on the range and sperm oil for hunting . Also like Bore Butter . I only have 1/2 pint of the oil left so I use it kinda sparing . I like 2f in anything .40 or larger .

Eddie

 

[hanshi]

I might need to try 2F in my .40; been using 3F for just about everything.

 

[Rifleman1776]

My wife's .40 hasn't seen enough shooting to recommend a load. But, using a patched .395 rb and 25 gr. of Swiss 3Fg it booms like an 8 inch cannon. :shocked2: Can't explain that but it is very loud. Compared it to my .44 magnum revolver and the little .40 won the loud match by a lot. Why? I dunno.

 

[hanshi]

Interesting because the first time I took my .40 to a friends house to burn some powder, he commented several times about how sharp the report of my rifle was. He described it as a loud CRACK.

 

[Tom Compton]

My wife's .40 hasn't seen enough shooting to recommend a load. But, using a patched .395 rb and 25 gr. of Swiss 3Fg it booms like an 8 inch cannon. :shocked2: Can't explain that but it is very loud. Compared it to my .44 magnum revolver and the little .40 won the loud match by a lot. Why? I dunno.

A shorter barrel w a heavy charge might have a lot of the powder combustion out in front of the muzzle. Yes/no?

 

[Eddie Southgate]

The sharp crack rather than a boom is how you know you loaded right . Right charge + right patch + correct seating pressure = Nice Sharp Crack !

Eddie

 

[Eddie Southgate]

My wife's .40 hasn't seen enough shooting to recommend a load. But, using a patched .395 rb and 25 gr. of Swiss 3Fg it booms like an 8 inch cannon. :shocked2: Can't explain that but it is very loud. Compared it to my .44 magnum revolver and the little .40 won the loud match by a lot. Why? I dunno.

A shorter barrel w a heavy charge might have a lot of the powder combustion out in front of the muzzle. Yes/no?

25 Grains would not be a heavy charge regardless of having a shorter barrel. If the loud noise is a sharp crack you have the rifle loaded correctly if a dull but loud boom then it is not . A very short barrel is usually louder than a longer one anyway you look at it . You want loud find someone with a .30 carbine chambered Ruger Blackhawk .

Eddie

 

[Rifleman1776]

My wife's .40 hasn't seen enough shooting to recommend a load. But, using a patched .395 rb and 25 gr. of Swiss 3Fg it booms like an 8 inch cannon. :shocked2: Can't explain that but it is very loud. Compared it to my .44 magnum revolver and the little .40 won the loud match by a lot. Why? I dunno.

A shorter barrel w a heavy charge might have a lot of the powder combustion out in front of the muzzle. Yes/no?

Understood. But hers is not a particularly short barrel, 34". It is a ladies sized full stock long rifle. But loud. And I do mean LOUD!