# What's a good powder for .40 ?



## TheReaper (Nov 14, 2008)

I've used 2400 for years reloading .44 mag and now I'm going to start reloading .40. What powder is the most popular for the .40 ?


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## Bisley (Aug 24, 2008)

I don't load or shoot .40, but Alliants data shows recipes for everything from Bullseye to 2400, so you should find something you like. That is a pretty wide range, in terms of fast to slow powders.

I personally prefer Power Pistol for hot 9mm loads. It is more or less in the middle of the range, and seems to burn pretty clean.


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## TOF (Sep 7, 2006)

I use Vihtavuori N340 for .40, 9MM and .357.
I am quite pleased with its performance.

1. Low Flash
2. Clean burning
3. Sufficient bulk to prevent double charge
4. Feeds well
5. Produces accurate loads.

Down side, it costs a little under one cent per round more than the cheaper and dirtier stuff.


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## TheReaper (Nov 14, 2008)

TOF said:


> I use Vihtavuori N340 for .40, 9MM and .357.
> I am quite pleased with its performance.
> 
> 1. Low Flash
> ...


You sold me on it.


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## jeffreybehr (Feb 10, 2009)

I started reloading rifle ammo about 45 years ago. Over the years I gravitated toward medium-weight bullets and slow-burning powder, and those have served me well over the decades. Just this January I bought my 1st hobby handgun, a Glock 35, and since then I purchased a Glock 23 for PD.

I searched on-line and in print and became fascinated with the data Hodgdon publishes for Longshot... http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp ...and bought a 'bucket' plus one of Winchester Super-Field. I've now loaded maybe 500 rounds for the 40 and have settled on Longshot and 155g. Rainiers for target use. Ten-foot velocities are c. 1000 to 1200FPS, accuracy is high, and recoil is low.

One piece of GREAT news--ALL of my reloads have functioned perfectly in my G35, even more reliably than some factory loads.

So 'most popular'? I have no idea--except I'm confident it's NOT Longshot! But LS surely works well in my pistol, and that's what counts.


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## jeffreybehr (Feb 10, 2009)

*Muzzle flash*

One more point--if you'll be loading PD rounds, I believe low muzzle flash should be a consideration, and I've researched that recently.

This http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BTT/is_190_31/ai_n27380935/?tag=content;col1 is the most-useful I found; details are on page 5. I'll soon be loading PD ammo and I'll start with Hodgdon Universal.


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