Ultimate Guide To Reloading .40 S&W Ammo | Save Big With Frankford Arsenal

Saving money in today’s economy is something that I think is on everyone’s mind. I have a lot of friends and family that ask me all the time how I can afford to shoot my .40 S&W Glock 23.

For those who don’t know, I’m a former military police officer (MP), and many more officers I know carry a Glock 23 over a Glock 19. At least the friends and family I have all 5 would rather carry the Glock 19 over the Glock 23 but are often mandated by their departments for everyone to have the same service pistol.

Even with the improved ballistics of the 9mm Luger, a .40 S&W bullet has seen improvements in ballistics as well. The added stopping power of a .40 S&W pistol that you can use as a Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW) is a great way to add power without adding size.

Personally, the Glock 23 Gen 5 feels better than any other Glock I’ve shot with (G19, G17, G26, G34, G48X, etc..) with the palm swell and natural ergonomics of the Glock Gen 5 grip. I think owning a .40 S&W CCW pistol is smart to learn with because it’s important to always diversify with the calibers you shoot with. Every handgun caliber feels differently and the more I’ve trained with each caliber, the better shooter I’ve become.

The biggest issue with owning a .40 S&W pistol is I haven’t seen .40 S&W ammo for less than $0.60/bullet for FMJ and $1.50/bullet for HP since the start of the pandemic almost 2 full years ago. It’s almost impossible to train properly and maintain your comfort with your pistol if you can’t afford the ammo that your gun uses.

I think it’s important to help as many people as possible, especially my brothers and sisters in Blue. Remember, ammo doesn’t have to cost $600-$800 for 1,000 rounds if you know how to reload your ammo.

Today, I want to share some of the specifics regarding a .40 S&W bullet and how it differs from the 9mm and .45 ACP in regards to reloading. I can show you how to create your own workbench with a full reloading kit.

Once you get started, you can start reloading 1,000 rounds for as low as $150-$350 by your 2nd and 3rd, reloads. If you’ve ever wondered how much it would cost to reload your own .40 S&W ammo, keep reading.

Why You Should Consider a Glock 23 (.40 S&W) Pistol?

There will probably always be a legitimate argument for and against each handgun caliber and today, it’s the .40 S&W. When you consider whether to buy a CCW, stopping power should always be near the top of the list.

The problem with most heavier caliber bullets is they don’t come in compact platforms as often and when they do the felt recoil is too much for many shooters to handle accurately. In short, there are 3 specific reasons why you’d want to get a Glock 23 over a 9mm Glock.

1. I have smaller hands for a guy and I think the Glock 23 has the best feel for me and my wife without modifying the pistol.
2. The Glock 23 feels like a Glock 19 with a little more weight, but I think the grip swell is better than the Glock 19.
3. If you’re looking for an upgrade in stopping power for a CCW, the Glock 23 is perfect for you.

Glock 23 Gen 5 MOS

The Glock 23 Gen 5 MOS is the best version because it comes drilled and tapped for optics and laser attachments. Most police officers are only able to carry the standard version due to regulations about using optics and lasers on their service pistols. The Gen 5 MOS is also is easier for me to acquire my target with the extended line of sight (LOS) if you chose to use some night sights instead of an optic.

The Glock 23 Gen 5 features the Glock Marksman Barrel (GMB) and ditched the finger grooves in the Gen 3 and 4 models, which makes it easier to accommodate different hand sizes and grip preferences. As far as the recoil of the Glock 23, it’s a little snappy due to the more powerful bullet inside a shorter barrel, but I shoot great with it and have no problem handling the recoil. In fact, I shoot better with the Glock 23 than I do with a Glock 30 (.45 ACP) and even the smaller Glock 26 (9mm).

Specs

The basic equipment for a reloading kit is listed below with the only exception being the Hornady .40 S&W bullet dies. There are 3 pieces of equipment I’d like to focus on because They make the most difference for me.

1. Frankford Arsenal 7L Rotary Tumbler

The FA 7L tumbler is one of the biggest game-changers a reloader can make as far as optimizing their time, especially with handgun calibers. For example, I can fit right at 1k pieces 5.56mm brass, around 1,400 .40 S&W, and about 1,200 .45 ACP cases. Being able to clean almost 1,500 pieces of .40 S&W brass per load and not even be near it while it cleans is a time saver like no other tool available.

The 7L FA Rotary Tumbler is a plug-and-play kind of tool with different time settings that are based on the caliber of brass you clean. One thing that I always try to do is wash my cases the night before I reload. This really helps because you can really make sure your cases are completely dry before trying to reload them and you don’t have to buy extra tools if you just prepare better.

2. Single-Stage Coaxial Reloading Press

The single-stage M-Press coaxial reloading press from Frankford Arsenal is hands down the most universal single-stage reloading press online. When loading .40 S&W brass you simply change whatever die you have in the press with the Hornady Lock-N-Load Bullet Feeder Pistol Dies. Once the die is changed, the M-Press will lock down the base of the case while you press the bullet into the case. There are some presses that are unable to be used with multiple calibers because of incompatible base plates and die casters, but the M-Press delivers with every caliber, even a .338 Lapua can be reloaded.

For less than $200, my M-Press machine will load every caliber I have by simply changing out bullet dies and adjusting the C.O.L. depth for the intended caliber. I have it secured with heavy-duty commercial screws and bolts onto my workbench and I’ve never had any issues with stability or inconsistent bullet depths.  This is a must-have tool for reloaders who want to save time, patience, and money.

3. Electronic Powder Measure

I have the FA Electronic Intellidroper Powder Measure that I use for every caliber, including .40 S&W. The Intellidropper is so crucial because it offers the most precise measurements of any other powder measure tool that I’ve seen or used. There are a lot of calculations to be made when measuring something as tiny as a grain or powder and I appreciate the fact that I can get within 0.1 +/- of my intended load. Most other electronic powder measure tools only can get within 0.5 +/- of your intended loadout.

The level of accuracy that I’m able to obtain with reloading .40 S&W bullets has drastically improved my accuracy and dependability in my ammo. Just like any great tool you use in life, the Intellidropper improves my overall confidence in reloading due to the very little effort it requires from me. If you’re interested in learning more about the Intellidropper, we’ve written extensively on the topic. Check out, The Best Powder Measure for Reloading. 

Hornady XTP (eXtreme Terminal Performance) Series Reloading Bullet

$31.99

at Sportsmans Warehouse

VIEW DETAILS

Prices accurate at time of writing

Most Affordable .40 S&W Brass

You’ll find better brass at public ranges when shooters “forget" to clean up after they’ve shot a bunch of rounds. However, for less than $30.00 it comes with 100 cases ready to be primed. Sportsman’s Warehouse is one of the few companies that I buy from because they seem to have the best supply chain and price. I would recommend buying here and choosing a pickup time to avoid any Covid issues that might come up with your area.

HP-38 Load Data

The HP-38 powder is better used for slower bullets, such as the .45 ACP and .40 S&W. The best way I’ve learned to start is to go with a common bullet weight that you would see on a commercial box of ammo. The 155Gr for .40 S&W ammo is a popular weight for the caliber and one that I find the most success with. This is the load data that I use to reload the bullets listed above with the HP-38 powder.

What Weight Should I Start With?

I started with the Hodgdon Reloading Data Center recommended starting load of 5.0 Grains. Even though it doesn’t seem like there is a lot of flexibility with the bullet velocity, you’d be surprised by the consistency you’re achieving. Another reason I started with the recommended weight is knowing that my optimal load will not be less than 5.0 Grs. I can make minor adjustments from there and go up if I feel like I need to increase my velocity to the max of 1,103 ft/s.

How Much Money Can I Save Reloading My .40 S&W?

You can expect to spend just over $100-$120 for the components to make 100 charged .40 S&W ammo. I didn’t include priers because those mythical little things are incredibly rare to find. When you find small Winchester pistol primers, buy them if you can because you never know when they’ll be available again. The big difference is primers are normally sold in packs of 1,000 for around $70.00.

I know at this point you’re probably thinking about how is reloading saving me money, but the savings are in subsequent reloads. For example, I may have to spend $120 for the components once, but each case has the capability of being reloaded up to 8 times before discarding. The $38 (per lb) I spent on the HP-38 powder (I bought the 8lb tub) will give me 6,000-8,000 charged rounds. The only components you’ll have to buy consistently are the bullets, themselves. One thing I really like to do is wait for the holiday season at department stores and look for deals on bullets.

The average .40 S&W ammo is about $0.65 per round for FMJ target ammo and $1.55 per round for self-defense ammo. Even if you buy the raw components and were to never use them again, it would still be $0.50 cheaper to load them yourself.

The amount of money you’d save with the reloading kit above and the components throughout the blog would be around $955 dollars for 1,000 after the first reload. Each time you reload your cases compounds that savings so you could save more than $4,700 in .40 S&W ammo by reloading with Frankford Arsenal.

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