It's been my observation that the .40 is treated as a somewhat evil cartridge that will blow up your pistol if you look at it cross eyed. My experience loading it has been positive. I tend to stay away from max pressures since my needs make them unnecessary for my use. Like any other new to you cartridge, approach it with respect and work up from minimum. Since I bought a 1911 chambered for .40, I've been using it more lately.
All the usual reloading rules apply. The biggest thing is: Get stupid and it's more likely to bite than other lower pressure cartridges.
FWIW, I've had good luck using AA#5.
MBC 180 gr cast are very accurate for me as well.

 

I think most of the problems related to loading the 40 stems from the glock unsupported chambers.

 

ive loaded about 700 rnds of it so far. no major problems. all have shot fine. just like any other caliber. pay attention, follow data and you should be good

 

Make sure to use a good crimp die.I use a tapper crimp on mine.If the bullet gets push back on chambering it will build higher pressure.Saw a Beretta 9000 blow the mag out when this happened.
God Bless
OldFarmer

 

It's been my observation that the .40 is treated as a somewhat evil cartridge that will blow up your pistol if you look at it cross eyed. My experience loading it has been positive. I tend to stay away from max pressures since my needs make them unnecessary for my use. Like any other new to you cartridge, approach it with respect and work up from minimum. Since I bought a 1911 chambered for .40, I've been using it more lately.
All the usual reloading rules apply. The biggest thing is: Get stupid and it's more likely to bite than other lower pressure cartridges.
FWIW, I've had good luck using AA#5.
MBC 180 gr cast are very accurate for me as well.

My dads Sig P250 .40 blew out the right hand side of the recover and demolished the extractor on his 3rd round ever made

 

The round is no more of a problem than any other. Just keep your loads consistently safe. Use only loading data from known/safe sources, watch your process and components and maintain the same C.O.L.
It is a more intense loading than say the old and great .45ACP. Maybe a little less than the 9X19.

My loads are with 155 grain lead and jacketed. Both loaded to about the same velocities. I get no leading with the lead slugs and good expansion with the JHPs. My thought is that both lead and Jackets have very close to the same trajectory for me to learn. The 180 grainers push the pressure range I like with lead and the lighter 140 grain lead scoots along with no comparable jacketed slugs. They are not .45s but will do the job well enough.

I have no first hand experience with the S&W SD40 VE, so I am no help there. I have shot way too many glocks (don't like them) in .40S&W. And a couple of Tauris (didn't think I would like them but they are much better than I expected). I carry a SPFD XD SC in .40S&W, it is much better to conceal than my 1911s and larger magazine capacities to boot.

So, if you are going to work out a reasonable and safe loading and stick with it, the .40S&W is great. If you want to load hot or specialty rounds, look for something else.

 

Thanks all. I've been reloading for a while. (Long enough to learn every load has it's little gotcha's) I always load for what the bullet grain calls for. So far not any problems with shooting a round. I learned .223 OAL can be just slightly longer than the magazine will allow. I learned .380 are the biggest little pain in the b**ts to load without ruining the case. .270 and 30-30 are a breeze, and 9mm I can load all day long.

 

The number ONE problem with the forty is powder selection. Stay away(far away) from fast powders like TiteGroup and stick to medium burners or better yet slow burners and you will have zero issues.
TiteGroup is responsible for more KB in the forty that all other powders combined.

 

Stick with bullets in the 145-180gn region.
Stick with powders from AA5 to True Blue, with AA5 and Silhouette being real stand out powders.
Load as long as you can and still have rounds that feed and chamber easily.
I am still convinced, after several years reloading .40S&W and 45+ years of loading 9x19 and .38 Super, that pressure spikes are quite common in the .40 and it really is a much more "temperamental" round than the 9x19 and .38 Super.
The only saving grace for a lot of action pistol shooters is that the cartridge can generally make major without any issue, but I don't want to be next the guy shooting 200gn bullets and TiteGroup or Clays. At least a couple of years ago, the reloading manuals were pretty much in agreement--no bullets over 180gn.