[squirrel hunter]

i recently got a hi point chambered in 40 s&w. i love it, it is as accurate as any auto pistol i have ever shot. It feeds FMJ ammo perfect. here is my question. what bullets do ya'll recommend for full power hunting rounds? Hi Point touts there guns as being +P+, and after doing a little research, i found that a full potential 40 is about the same as a mid range .357. i am going to hunt with my 44 (210 seirra gamekings over a stiff charge of 2400), and will hunt with it till i kill one, but i would like to take out the 40...what do ya'll recommend?

 

[flintknapper]

I've never reloaded the .40, yet. I've only got the one and don't shoot it much. Mr C loads for competition, which is a whole 'nother deal all together from hunting.

Seeing as you're rated for +P+, I'd experiment with the hottest loads in the book. If any of them shoot/group well, then that's what I'd use. Not a lot of help, am I? :smack:

If I had 210 grain .44 rem. mag. loads that leave out at 2400 FPS and grouped well, well, that's what I'd be hunting with! :thumb:

 

[Mr. Chitlin]

I've reloaded a 40 or 2 in my days, just happened to load 1500 this morning.

The 40SW operates at a higher pressure than the 45ACP or 9mm, and as such, there are no +P+ loading for it. Your loading manuals will give you some good loads to use.

I use a 40 in pistol competition and shoot 10-15K per year. I load a 175 grain hard cast SWC bullet over a moderate load of Hodgdon TiteGroup powder. There are lots of great powders for the 40, Bullseye, Unique, TiteGroup, 231 just to name a few. Most people in competition use 165 and up, and more of them use at least a 180 grain bullet. In the type of competition we shoot, the bullet must meet a certain energy to get a higher score. The heavier bullets will actually give a lower recoil impulse than the lighter bullets, therefore you can shoot faster.

As for a hunting bullet for the 40, several companies make great bullets. Speer makes the Gold Dot, Remington makes the Golden Saber, Federal has the Hydra-Shok and Hornady has the XTP. Any of those would make a great hunting bullet. Your main objective would be not trying to stretch the round farther than is practical. Personally, I'd limit my shots to 35 yards or so with a 40.

 

[Mr. Chitlin]

If I had 210 grain .44 rem. mag. loads that leave out at 2400 FPS and grouped well, well, that's what I'd be hunting with! :thumb:

I think he's saying that he shoots the 210 grain bullet over a stiff load of 2400 Powder. Probably getting ~1500 FPS or so with that load.

I'd be surprised if you could drive a 210 grain bullet to 2400 FPS out of a 44 Magnum case, even from a rifle.

 

[flintknapper]

I think he's saying that he shoots the 210 grain bullet over a stiff load of 2400 Powder. Probably getting ~1500 FPS or so with that load.

I'd be surprised if you could drive a 210 grain bullet to 2400 FPS out of a 44 Magnum case, even from a rifle.

Brain ft alert! I was thinking 1400 FPS, that would make sense. 2400 would blow something up in a handgun :smack: That first digit makes a lot of difference....

I'll be over in the corner if you need me.

 

[Mr. Chitlin]

I'll be over in the corner if you need me.

OK flint, you can come out a play now...

 

[snydedawg]

I don't actually hunt with a .40, but I do with a fullbore 10mm. That being said... at 40yds... Remington Express .40 cal180 FMJ's print to the same point-of-aim, point-of-impact in my 610 as do the Corbon 10mm Bonded Core 180SP's that I hunt with.

So it's economical for me to shoot the .40-180's in practice and load up the 10-180's to hunt. I'd stick to a 180gr bullet myself if I were going to hunt with a .40. And I'd tend to think of it as a "bow range" weapon. Hit the range and shoot out to distances where you can keep you're rounds in an 8-inch pattern and you're done... that is YOUR maximum range with it. JMO