That's what I got. In the future I'm going to a different powder, but for right now it's HS-7.

Has anyone else loaded this combination?

I've looked at as many reloading manuals (and web sites) as I can find and don't find a load for 180gr lead, for HS-7.

Thanks, Alf

I've loaded for my .40 using Power Pistol with the 180's and had tremendous luck with velocity and accuracy. Very impressed with that powder.

I have not loaded the 40 short and weak, but you can use the jacketed data for the same bullet weight. Hogdons shows 7.0-865 to 8.0-1028 fps for the 180 gr JHP, lead bullets will produce less pressure than jacketed of similar weight.

quote:

Originally posted by swheeler:
I have not loaded the 40 short and weak, but you can use the jacketed data for the same bullet weight. Hogdons shows 7.0-865 to 8.0-1028 fps for the 180 gr JHP, lead bullets will produce less pressure than jacketed of similar weight.

I disagree w/ this general statement. Check various powder data & you'll see lead bullets reaching sim. vel. as jacketed w/ equal pressure using less powder. That tells me pressures run higher, not lower. You can use jacketed data, just start low & work up. I like HS7 in the 357sig & 10mm but never got around to trying it in the 40s&w & now it's discontinued.

In general a harder bullet will produce more pressure than a softer one due to the greater resistance to the rifleing, if all else is equal, bullet diameter, length of bearing surface and weight.

Then there is the better seal of the lead bullet to the bore.
125 GR. LCN Hodgdon HP-38 .356" 1.125" 3.9 1009 25,700 CUP 4.4 1086 31,200 CUP
125 GR. SIE FMJ Hodgdon HP-38 .355" 1.090" 4.4 1009 24,600 CUP 4.8 1088 28,800 CUP
There may be a slight diff. in bearing surface but pressures are def. higher using less powder for lead bullets.
230 GR. LRN Winchester WST .452" 1.200" 4.0 750 16,200 PSI 4.5 805 20,100 PSI
230 GR. FMJ Winchester WST .451" 1.275" 4.1 710 15,500 PSI 4.9 800 19,900 PSI
I find about 5% reduction in charge wt. for lead bullets yields about the same vel. as the jacketed.

Thanks, FredJ338,

While most everyone lists loads for lead bullets in .45ACP, evidently lead hasn't caught on in .40S&W.

I've ended up by putting 7.8gr of HS-7 under the 180gr bullet. Gun functions well. Recoil not excessive. No apparent signs of overpressure. Once the weather warms up, I'll chronograph the load.

Alf

This is tested by Lyman in universal reciever, same barrel-max loads, the cast give higher velocity at equal or less pressure with a greater powder charge- uh huh less resistance
45 ACP
225 gr cast-700x-5.0gr-855fps-17.3K
225 gr jack-700x-4.8gr-796fps-17.2k

357 mag
158 gr cast-h110-18.3gr-1460fps-40.1k
158 gr jack-h110-17.7gr-1387fps-42k
From lymans cast bullet handbook third edition page 110" Bullets: As previously indicated, slight variations in bullet style can influence the pressure of the load. All else being equal, a heavier or harder bullet will boost pressure do to it's increased weight/mass or it's greater resistance to the rifling. Oversize bullets and bullets with more bearing surface will also up pressure."
Alf; there is published data for the 40S&W in Lyman 47th manual with 2 different 175 and 200 gr cast bullets, but what I posted from Hodgdons 26,7-8 grs will be fine.

Thanks, swheeler,

I've download/copied all the fee on-line loading stuff about .40S&W and have the latest speer manual. Lyman, since they're big into lead molds, obviously is where I should have looked. That'll be my next addition to my reloading library.

It isn't cut and dried with every caliber, but I had looked at .45acp and .357mag to extrapolate the 7.8gr load. It seems to work well and I'll probably run through the powder by this summer, then I'll switch to something else. I'm thinking Unique since that's what I use in the my 1911.

Alf

Unique should be a good choice, very versatile, and Lyman has it listed with every cast bullet for the 40 fron 175 to 200 gr. W231 is listed with all cast too and did me proud with 230 gr cast in 45 acp, just personal opinion here but seemed cleaner in 45.

I use the unique in the .40 with lead bullets also. using the min. load now, about 4.5 gr. Works very well but I had to seat the bullet a little deeper to get it to chamber and eject. Good luck.

Do you know how deep, Bill? I'm using SWC and I've seated them to an overall length of 1.12 inches. Several times, the first round failed to feed but hung up at a slight angle.

Thanks, Alf

Don't know if anyone's going to check this old thread, but FYI.

I finally got good chronograph numbers off this load. I settled on 7.7grs of HS-7 over 175 lead SWC. Over 10 shots, it averaged 1005fps with a std dev of 4 and an extreme spread of 10.

I may down load it just a tad to about 950fps. I don't need to squeeze every fps out of it.

Thanks to all for their replies.

Alf

Alf; looks like you are right inline with Hodgdons jacketed loads, 8 grs hs7-1028 for 180 gr, how did it shoot?

It shoots great in my Walther P99. A little more perceived recoil than my .45ACP (colt 1911 all steel 780fps with 230gr LRN).

I'm not a great shot but here were my first 50 shots. Sights needed a little adjusting.
http://tinyurl.com/6hq99d

Alf

quote:

Originally posted by alfsauve:
Thanks, swheeler,

I've download/copied all the fee on-line loading stuff about .40S&W and have the latest speer manual. Lyman, since they're big into lead molds, obviously is where I should have looked. That'll be my next addition to my reloading library.

It isn't cut and dried with every caliber, but I had looked at .45acp and .357mag to extrapolate the 7.8gr load. It seems to work well and I'll probably run through the powder by this summer, then I'll switch to something else. I'm thinking Unique since that's what I use in the my 1911.
Alf

Unique under lead bullets is just a natural in just about any caliber. My range load is 5.5gr under a 175grLFP or 170grLTC for just over 950fps. I like HS&, but it's been discontinued. I have started playing w/ Longshot, I think it replaced HS7.

alfsuave: I'm terribly sorry I didnt catch this post. I am using LFP bullets with unique. I seated them at 1.109. Since then I've adjusted my dies more and have finally got them to seat at 1.125 which is the callef for oal. I havnt tried swc bullets yet but i'm looking to. I just loaded a batch of about 150 rounds. Shot my first 50 on that 1.108 length and all went well but i feel more comfortable now that i've got it to 1.125. thanks bill

Thanks, Bill,

My first batch were loaded to 1.11-1.12. The first round from the mag doesn't always chamber. I've found if I pull the slide ALL the way back and release it the first round feeds, but if I use the slide release it may hang up.

I'm going to try the slightly longer 1.125 on the next batch. That would be about the limit of the magazine. I'll try a dummy round first to make sure.

Alf

I'm bragging a little. While I'm not in the class with the IPSC boys, I do okay. Here's there results of 18 shots at 5 yds. Three, 6-shot strings. Each under 10 seconds.