Quick question - not asking for specific loads - on 180 grain .40 loads

[M1A4ME]

Well, those darn FNS pistols don't seem to like the 135 grain hollow points my P07 (and CZ75B and Tactical Sport) shoot so well.  I haven't tried the 140 grain Missouri Bullet Co. reloads yet, so I can't say about those.

In my limited (Winchester 180 grain FMJ and hollow points and Federal 180 grain FMJ) the FNS Long Slide did pretty well with the Winchester 180 grain ammo (better with the hollow points) and one of the 4" slides/barrels did it's best with the Winchester 180 grain FMJ.

I've ordered some 180 grain hollow points for some testing with the FNS pistols with the hope that the CZ's will shoot them well, too.  I hate having different loads for different guns when I can avoid it.

Does anyone here load 180 grain jacketed bullets for their CZ's in .40 and if so, do you find the best reliability and groups with fast or slow burning powders? 

How about velocity?  With loads similar to factory 180 grain loads, or slower?

Thanks for any advice on powder.

I've got Blue Dot, AA#7, BE86, Unique and a few faster burning powders like Bullseye, Tite Group, Red Dot, etc. and some oddball powders like Green Dot and Herco (Herco is the powder I use for the 140 grain Missouri Bullet Co. loads, gives me the same POA/POI as the fast 135 Noslers and Blue Dot).

Nice shed/garage weather coming up for a month or month and half and I intend to get some loading done so I can do some testing.

[skin]

 I've used blue dot with very good results at the upper end of the loading scale. I haven't had any luck with the faster burning powders.

[Boogalou]

the only powders I've used with .40 lately is unique and universal.  They've both worked fine for me.   I haven't been shooting the P-09 much lately  since I purchased a phantom and P-10C

[M1A4ME]

Thanks, guys.  I've got the Blue Dot and Unique.

[ReloaderFred]

It's no surprise that your pistol works well with the 180 gr. load, since that was the original loading for the .40 S&W when it was introduced by Winchester at the 1990 SHOT Show.  It was the only load that was offered at the time.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[M1A4ME]

I didn't know that Fred.  I never had an interest in the .40 till I got the P07 DUTY. 

I bought it with the idea of converting it to .357 SIG.

Then I shot it.  No way am I messing with something that shoots like that one does.  So it stayed a .40 S&W.  Then, of course, I bought more of them.

Now, with the FNS pistols/extra slides I find they don't shoot that 135 grain Nosler HP load very well at all (the one that shoots so well in the P07, TS, CZ75B) and I'm experimenting with different loads/bullet weights of factory ammo first before reloading for them.

[FALer]

The .40's are so cheap, how could you not get a couple. I did it with HK's and Sigs though.

[M1A4ME]

My bullets came in Friday while I was out of town.  1,000 180 grain hollow points from Everglades Ammo.

Now, to get some other stuff done so I can do some reloading/testing.

[Dan_69GTX]

Why does the "other stuff" always get in the way?!?!    At least it isn't just me....

[2morechains]

My interest in loading .40SW was for competition purposes to “make major PF” in Limited division shooting a 2011 (with a brief period using a Glock 35).  Heavy bullet with fast powder was the combination I sought as it gave me the softest recoil (shooting 170 PF ammo instead of 180-190 pF helps).  I also loaded long (1.180-1.200”) to facilitate ammo feeding reliability.  Albeit in my G35 I was limited to 1.140” OAL. 

I did some experimenting with lighter weight bullets (165 gr and 135 gr) for minor PF at one point when I was using that same 2011 as my 3-gun pistol.  I ran into feeding issues with the lighter bullets.  I suspect the fat/squat bullet shape without a rounded ogive was the issue.  So I abandoned that experiment and went back to the 180 gr TC or FP bullets that seemed to run well in all my guns. 

[M1A4ME]

I started loading for the P07, my first CZ, and it was a .40.  I can load "long" for it.  That same ammo feeds/chambers fine in my P09 .40 as well.

It was Nosler 135 grain hollow points and Missouri Bullet Co. 140 lead flat points.  Blue Dot for the hollow points and Herco for the lead bullets (and coated now that I buy those, too).

Those same bullets will not chamber in the Beretta 90-Two or the Tactical Sport, or the CZ75B all in .40 S&W.  So I had to shorten up and reduce powder charge and was just shooting up the supply of old "long" ammo in the P07.  One day at the range, I grabbed one of the "long" cartridges from my P07 DUTY magazine and it plunked just fine in the FNS barrels.  No length issues with those pistols, but then I can't use them in the metal framed CZs.

We'll have to see how it works out.