40 caliber load recommendation info

[kelljp]

Looking to see what most shooters have found to be their preferred load info for a 40 caliber.
Never have had one before and need a good starting place to start tweeking from.
Thanks for any input.

 

[Mulebrain]

I run 40 grains fff, same charge all the way out to the 100yd.

40 grains would be a good baseline to start from as well

 

[Don Steele]

Starting at 40 will get you going. Your final "best" load will be determined by a variety of factors but ya gotta start somewhere. I have a friend with a very slow twist 40 caliber barrel ( 1:60 0r 66 can't remember which) that gets great results in the 60-70 gn range. My Rice barreled 1:48 40 cal. was most impressive at 55 gn 3f.

 

[Togo]

35 gr fff out of my 1:48 Rice barrel with .016 pillow ticking for rendezvous action, club shoots ect.

 

[Bad Karma]

Remington #11 cap, 65 grains of 2f Swiss. .030” x .412” veggie fiber card wad and a 330 grain .401” bullet… this is a fine antelope load.

 

[Flintleather]

I have a Rice 1-48” twist that likes 40g 3f with a .395 Hornady ball and .018 pillow tick patch moist with BC-77.

 

[kelljp]

Fairly wide gap between loads. 35-65 grains. Think I'll start at 40. Barrel is 1:48 and I'll be using Goex FFFG. Waiting on balls to arrive, seems I'll need to get a mold for these as the local businesses don't have 40s on the shelf.

 

[nhmoose]

My 40 is a GM 42", .390 Hornady RB, .015 pillow tick patch, bear/beeswax lube by Foggy Mountain, Target and small game 35 grains of GOEX 3F, Deer 70 grains GOEX 3f.

 

[hanshi]

From the .40 I best accuracy with 40 grns of 3F and a thick patch. At 100 yds 60 grns was accurate and ball drop minimal.

 

[Bad Karma]

Fairly wide gap between loads. 35-65 grains. Think I'll start at 40. Barrel is 1:48 and I'll be using Goex FFFG. Waiting on balls to arrive, seems I'll need to get a mold for these as the local businesses don't have 40s on the shelf.

And from 90 grains round ball to 350 grain conical. .40 is an interesting caliber. Sadly most western states think it’s not powerful enough for big game.

 

[smokepolehall]

I have several .40's, one is a XX Douglas i use .395 prb 30 gr 3 F powder for my tree rat load. My 2 .40 cal Under-Hammer barrels i have not started on. I do hope to get them up & running by late Oct., one of the barrels is a .400/.408 1:24 32" long is 7/8" Oct. My other one is 1:48 13/16" 32" . 30 - 70 gr 3 F is good range to work with.

 

[nchawkeye]

What is your intended purpose?

My Ed Rayle barrel groups well from 30-60 gr, Goex FFF...I usually load 30 for squirrel hunting and have it sighted in at 25 yards for that...

 

[kelljp]

You guys have me anxious to shoot.
I just traded for a TC Cleland 40 caliber,
Only to find none of the local stores have the rb. Order some from Graf, hopefully they get here Tuesday.
Sounds like an all around caliber !

 

[garypl]

Out of a 45 year old Douglas barrel with 1:48 twist, I use 55 gr Swiss 3f with .400 ball and blue stripe ticking for distances up to 50 yds. Beyond 50 yds I increase to 65 gr.

 

[roundballman]

Mine is an old Douglas XX and shoots well with 395 ball and almost any charge of 3f from 35 to 85 grs. Have taken 2 deer with it , 55 grs and 85 grs powder. Both deer were less than 50 yds.

 

[rkg1]

I use 40 gr of 3F in both of mine with a RB and .017 pillow tick patch.

 

[Ohio Rusty]

For hunting I use 65 grains of 3F and 4F in the pan. Probably a max load with a .395 round ball and 10 thous. patch in my .40 caliber.

 

[BruceHH]

You guys have me anxious to shoot.
I just traded for a TC Cleland 40 caliber,
Only to find none of the local stores have the rb. Order some from Graf, hopefully they get here Tuesday.
Sounds like an all around caliber !

I have three of the Cleland's and all three like the same load. 60 grains of Swiss 3F w/ a .022 patch and .395 ball. I tesyed them with many loads and this was the hands down winner.