Reloading 40 cal.

[shooterdon]

What is the bullet?
What does the manual say the COL should be?
What is the powder and charge?

If the bullet is not into the lands, and everything else is in spec, it is safe to shoot. Seating a bullet out further reduces pressure unless you jam it into the lands.

 

[jasonzee]

It's just a dummy round I have no intention of doing any reloading till I buy a few items I need.

 

[RNeumann]

COAL is the Case Overall Length and OAL is the length from bullet tip to case base. The OAL changes with bullet type- flat nose, round nose, hollow point etc. Being off an arbitrary OAL number isn’t a deal breaker. The OAL is mainly used to fix feeding issues and magazine fit issues. Powder charge weight is used to set bullet velocity, which is your pressure. A few thousands of an inch on the bullet depth won’t, in and of itself, create an over pressure situation.

 

[skipperbrown]

Get a Wilson case gauge. if it sticks up out of the gauge. It is NO GO. This will gauge all of your ammo in several dimensions at about a second a round. Worth every penny. Get one for every caliber. It is what I do.

L.E. WILSON, INC. WILSON PISTOL MAX CASE GAGES | Brownells


It checks the following:

Pistol Max Gages: Used to check all critical dimensions of the pistol case - mouth diameter, base diameter, rim thickness and diameter, case overall length and bullet diameter

This, this, and this. You should have one for every caliber you reload. Wilson's go for about $30. I have one in a Hornady that is almost as nice for about $20. The gauge gives you a lot of information on your spent brass, cleaned brass, sized brass, and loaded brass.

 

[jasonzee]

I looked at midway for case gage and found only RCBS make one in 40cal. Theses HF calipers are not up to reload 40.

 

[CMV]

Without knowing the specific bullet really no way to tell. But generically, 1.125 is pretty standard for .40. Some difference among a round nose, flat point, & hollowpoint bullet for OAL.

Unless you have some strange bullet profile causing a feed issue, probably not a good reason to go that short. But in the end if you end up a much smaller amount under book, that's fine.

IF you're talking about the HF 6" digital calipers that are typically on sale for about $10 with coupon, those are very much up to task for reloading. Just have to maybe try several sets in store to get a smooth & repeatable set. But mine are 3+ yrs old & other than changing to name brand batteries when included ones died, no issues or complaints. I have Mitutoyo set also and the HF (after sorting thru to get a nice set) are very close. For $10, 0 complaints!

 

[CMV]

Oh...forgot to add....unless you are loading for a dozen different 40 cals, plunk test is a great way to set your OAL for a pistol and any given bullet. Go with lowest common denominator if you have several you're loading for.

 

[RobertN]

Guess would have to reload; 40 cal gets expensive!

4-9 Sharps Bottle Neck Black Powder Ammunition .43" 37 Grain FN for Original Sharps Rifles Box of 2 - Buffalo Arms