Guide

.40 S&W Ammo 2026: Self-Defense and Range Loads From the Makers

By Cole Harlan, EditorUpdated Nov 4, 2026How we verifyEditorial standards

We checked 63 current 40 S&W loads on Federal's, Remington's, Speer's, Hornady's and CCI's own product pages on November 4, 2026: 22 from Federal, 19 from Remington, 9 from Speer, 7 from Hornady and 6 from CCI. The bullet weights, velocities, energy figures, test barrels and statuses below are copied from the maker pages. We don't use retailer prices or third-party ballistics. This is a comparison of popular loads from 5 makers, not every .40 S&W load sold.

Grouping follows each maker's own usage label ("Self-Defense," "Target Shooting," "Training", "Big Game"). Hornady prints no usage label or stock status on our capture, so its loads sit in their own table. The Cartridge column shows the name the maker page uses: "40 S&W."

Self-defense loads

These are the loads Federal, Speer, Remington and CCI label Self-Defense on their own pages. Figures are copied from each maker page.

Download these 63 loads as a CSV: maker, load, item number, bullet, muzzle velocity, muzzle energy, test barrel, box count, maker status and the maker URL for each row. No prices. Free to reuse under CC BY 4.0; more files on our open data page.

Load	Cartridge	Item #	Bullet	Muzzle velocity	Muzzle energy	Test barrel	Box	Maker status (Nov. 4)
Federal Personal Defense HST	40 S&W	P40HST1S	180 gr HST Jacketed Hollow Point	1,010 fps	408 ft-lb	4 in	20	Available
Federal Personal Defense Hydra-Shok	40 S&W	P40HS3	165 gr Hydra-Shok Jacketed Hollow Point	980 fps	352 ft-lb	4 in	20	Available
Federal Personal Defense Hydra-Shok Deep	40 S&W	P40HSD1	165 gr Hydra-Shok Deep Jacketed Hollow Point	1,050 fps	404 ft-lb	4 in	20	Available
Federal Personal Defense Punch	40 S&W	PD40P1	165 gr Jacketed Hollow Point	1,130 fps	468 ft-lb	4 in	20	Available
Federal Personal Defense Punch	40 S&W	PD40P1G	165 gr Jacketed Hollow Point	1,130 fps	468 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	50	Available
Federal Practice & Defend	40 S&W	P40HST1TM100	180 gr HST JHP / Syntech TSJ	1,010 fps	408 ft-lb	4 in	100	Currently Unavailable
Federal Syntech Defense	40 S&W	S40SJT1	175 gr Segmented Hollow Point	1,000 fps	389 ft-lb	4 in	20	Available
Federal Syntech Defense	40 S&W	S40SJT2	175 gr Segmented Hollow Point	1,000 fps	389 ft-lb	4 in	50	Available
Federal Train + Protect	40 S&W	TP40VHP1	180 gr Jacketed Hollow Point	1,000 fps	400 ft-lb	4 in	50	Available
Speer Gold Dot Carry Gun	40 S&W	24259	165 gr Gold Dot Hollow Point	1,150 fps	484 ft-lb	4 in	20	Available
Speer Gold Dot G2	40 S&W	23999	180 gr G2	1,015 fps	412 ft-lb	5 in	20	Available
Speer Gold Dot Handgun Personal Protection	40 S&W	23962GD	180 gr Gold Dot Hollow Point	1,025 fps	420 ft-lb	4 in	20	Available
Speer Gold Dot Handgun Personal Protection	40 S&W	23970GD	165 gr Gold Dot Hollow Point	1,150 fps	484 ft-lb	4 in	20	Available
Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel Personal Protection	40 S&W	23974GD	180 gr Gold Dot Hollow Point Short Barrel	950 fps	361 ft-lb	3.5 in	20	Available
Remington Golden Saber Bonded	40 S&W	29365	180 gr Bonded Brass Jacketed Hollow Point	1,015 fps	412 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	20	Available
Remington Golden Saber Bonded	40 S&W	29363	165 gr Bonded Brass Jacketed Hollow Point	1,150 fps	484 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	20	Available
Remington Golden Saber Defense	40 S&W	27608	180 gr Brass Jacketed Hollow Point	1,015 fps	412 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	20	Available
Remington Golden Saber Defense	40 S&W	27607	165 gr Brass Jacketed Hollow Point	1,150 fps	484 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	20	Available
Remington Golden Saber Defense Compact	40 S&W	27618	180 gr Brass Jacketed Hollow Point	785 fps	246 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	20	Discontinued
Remington High Terminal Performance	40 S&W	22308	180 gr Jacketed Hollow Point	1,015 fps	412 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	20	Available
Remington High Terminal Performance	40 S&W	22306	155 gr Jacketed Hollow Point	1,205 fps	500 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	20	Available
CCI Blazer Brass HP	40 S&W	5241	180 gr Jacketed Hollow Point	1,015 fps	412 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	50	Available

Hunting loads

Federal labels this load Big Game on its page.

Load	Cartridge	Item #	Bullet	Muzzle velocity	Muzzle energy	Test barrel	Box	Maker status (Nov. 4)
Federal Solid Core	40 S&W	P40SHC1	200 gr Solid	1,000 fps	444 ft-lb	4 in	20	Available

Hornady loads

Hornady's pages show no usage label and no stock status on our capture, so these loads are listed by product line. Velocity and energy are the muzzle figures from each page's ballistics table.

Load	Cartridge	Item #	Bullet	Muzzle velocity	Muzzle energy	Test barrel	Box	Maker status (Nov. 4)
Hornady American Gunner	40 S&W	91364	180 gr XTP® American Gunner®	950 fps	361 ft-lb	4 in	20	Not listed on maker page
Hornady BLACK	40 S&W	91321	180 gr XTP ® Hornady BLACK ®	950 fps	361 ft-lb	4 in	20	Not listed on maker page
Hornady Critical Defense	40 S&W	91340	165 gr FTX® Critical Defense®	1,045 fps	400 ft-lb	4 in	20	Not listed on maker page
Hornady Critical Duty	40 S&W	91376	175 gr FlexLock® Critical Duty®	1,010 fps	396 ft-lb	4 in	20	Not listed on maker page
Hornady Custom	40 S&W	9132	155 gr XTP®	1,180 fps	479 ft-lb	4 in	20	Not listed on maker page
Hornady Custom Subsonic	40 S&W	91369	180 gr XTP ® Subsonic	950 fps	361 ft-lb	4 in	20	Not listed on maker page
Hornady Handgun Hunter	40 S&W	91361	135 gr MonoFlex ® Handgun Hunter ®	1,130 fps	383 ft-lb	4 in	20	Not listed on maker page

Range and training loads

These are loads the makers label Target Shooting or Training. Several are the same load in different box counts, and each box size has its own item number.

Load	Cartridge	Item #	Bullet	Muzzle velocity	Muzzle energy	Test barrel	Box	Maker status (Nov. 4)
Federal American Eagle Handgun	40 S&W	AE40R1	180 gr Full Metal Jacket	1,000 fps	400 ft-lb	4 in	50	Available
Federal American Eagle Handgun	40 S&W	AE40R100	180 gr Full Metal Jacket	1,000 fps	400 ft-lb	4 in	100	Available
Federal American Eagle Handgun	40 S&W	AE40R3	165 gr Full Metal Jacket	1,130 fps	468 ft-lb	4 in	50	Available
Federal American Eagle Handgun	40 S&W	AE40R2	155 gr Full Metal Jacket	1,160 fps	463 ft-lb	4 in	50	Available
Federal American Eagle Indoor Range Training	40 S&W	AE40N1	180 gr Full Metal Jacket	1,000 fps	400 ft-lb	4 in	50	Available
Federal American Eagle Indoor Range Training Lead Free	40 S&W	AE40LF1	120 gr Lead Free IRT	1,330 fps	471 ft-lb	4 in	50	Available
Federal Champion Training	40 S&W	WM5223	180 gr Full Metal Jacket	1,000 fps	400 ft-lb	4 in	50	Available
Federal Champion Training	40 S&W	WM52232	180 gr Full Metal Jacket	1,000 fps	400 ft-lb	4 in	200	Available
Federal Gold Medal Action Pistol	40 S&W	GM40AP1	180 gr Total Metal Jacket Flat Nose	950 fps	361 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	50	Available
Federal Syntech Action Pistol	40 S&W	AE40SJAP1	205 gr Syntech Jacket Flat Nose	850 fps	329 ft-lb	4 in	50	Available
Federal Syntech Range	40 S&W	AE40SJ1	165 gr Syntech Jacket Flat Nose	1,060 fps	412 ft-lb	4 in	50	Available
Federal Syntech Training Match	40 S&W	AE40SJ2	180 gr Syntech Jacket Flat Nose	1,010 fps	408 ft-lb	4 in	50	Available
Speer Lawman Handgun Clean-Fire Training	40 S&W	53880	180 gr Total Metal Jacket	1,000 fps	400 ft-lb	4 in vented	50	Available
Speer Lawman Handgun Clean-Fire Training	40 S&W	53954	165 gr Total Metal Jacket	1,050 fps	404 ft-lb	4 in	50	Available
Speer Lawman Handgun Training	40 S&W	53652	180 gr Total Metal Jacket	1,000 fps	400 ft-lb	4 in	50	Available
Speer Lawman Handgun Training	40 S&W	53955	165 gr Total Metal Jacket	1,150 fps	484 ft-lb	4 in	50	Available
Remington Remington Range	40 S&W	R27781	180 gr Full Metal Jacket	990 fps	392 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	50	Available
Remington Remington Range Clean	40 S&W	27685	180 gr Flat Nose Enclosed Base	990 fps	392 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	50	Available
Remington UMC Handgun	40 S&W	23791	180 gr Flat Nose Enclosed Base	990 fps	392 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	50	Available
Remington UMC Handgun	40 S&W	23647	180 gr Full Metal Jacket	990 fps	392 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	650	Available
Remington UMC Handgun	40 S&W	23742	180 gr Full Metal Jacket	990 fps	392 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	50	Available
Remington UMC Handgun	40 S&W	23779	180 gr Full Metal Jacket	990 fps	392 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	250	Available
Remington UMC Handgun	40 S&W	23795	180 gr Full Metal Jacket	990 fps	392 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	100	Available
Remington UMC Handgun	40 S&W	23976	180 gr Full Metal Jacket	990 fps	392 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	300	Available
Remington UMC Handgun	40 S&W	23687	180 gr Jacketed Hollow Point	1,015 fps	412 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	100	Available
Remington UMC Handgun	40 S&W	23694	180 gr Jacketed Hollow Point	1,015 fps	412 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	50	Available
Remington UMC Handgun	40 S&W	23746	165 gr Full Metal Jacket	1,150 fps	484 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	50	Available
Remington UMC Handgun	40 S&W	23773	165 gr Full Metal Jacket	1,150 fps	484 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	250	Available
CCI Blazer Aluminum	40 S&W	3589	165 gr Full Metal Jacket	1,100 fps	443 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	50	Available
CCI Blazer Brass	40 S&W	5220	180 gr Full Metal Jacket	985 fps	388 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	50	Available
CCI Blazer Brass	40 S&W	5210	165 gr Full Metal Jacket	1,050 fps	404 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	50	Available
CCI Blazer Brass Clean-Fire Suppressor	40 S&W	5220S	180 gr Total Metal Jacket Flat Nose	970 fps	376 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	50	Available
CCI Blazer Clean-Fire	40 S&W	3477	180 gr Total Metal Jacket	1,000 fps	400 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	50	Discontinued

Barrel length matters: the test barrels

Muzzle velocity depends on barrel length, so compare loads tested on the same barrel. Of the 63 loads, 33 list 4 in, 27 list Not listed on maker page, 1 list 5 in, 1 list 3.5 in, 1 list 4 in vented. Remington's and CCI's pages list no test barrel on most loads. A pocket pistol with a shorter barrel than the maker's test barrel will likely give lower velocities than the box. For how velocity changes with barrel length in .40 S&W, see our barrel length vs velocity data for .40 S&W.

40 S&W: what SAAMI lists

SAAMI lists the cartridge as "40 SMITH & WESSON [40 S&W]" in ANSI/SAAMI Z299.3-2022, its centerfire pistol and revolver standard (approved Dec. 13, 2022). The cartridge drawing was issued 02/01/1990 and revised 07/09/2021. SAAMI lists a maximum average pressure of 35,000 psi, measured by transducer (the table shows 350 in psi/100). Cartridge overall length runs from 1.085 in minimum to 1.135 in maximum. Case length is .850 in (−.010), and bullet diameter is .4005 in (−.0030). Bore is .390 in and groove is .4005 in. Read the standard at the SAAMI Z299.3 PDF.

Not yet verified

These makers and loads are not in the tables.

Winchester: not checked for this caliber this round. Its .45 Auto product pages said "There is no ballistics data available at this time," so we have no Winchester figures to copy yet.
SIG Sauer: the maker's site returned an access error (403) to our automated check, and we did not verify its product pages this round.
CCI Pest Control shotshells: CCI lists two 40 S&W shotshell loads (items 3740 and 3740B), marked discontinued, with no energy figure. They are not in the tables.
Test barrels and stock status: Remington's and CCI's pages list no test barrel on most loads, and Hornady's pages list no stock status.

2 loads in the tables carry a "Discontinued" badge on the maker page as of Nov. 4, 2026: Remington Golden Saber Defense Compact 27618, CCI Blazer Clean-Fire 3477. We list them because the maker page still shows them.

Pistols for .40 S&W

The .40 S&W is a duty and full-size pistol round that many police agencies carried for decades. Barrel length changes velocity, as the .40 S&W barrel length data shows. See also new pistol releases.

Where to buy

We link only to maker pages, listed in the sources below. Federal, Speer, Remington and CCI show availability on their own product pages (for example "Available" or "Currently Unavailable"). Hornady's pages show none on our capture. We don't track retailer stock. Before you order, check your state's ammunition rules, because some states require a background check or restrict shipping.

Comparing cartridges? See 10mm Auto vs .40 S&W. For more handgun ammo, see 9mm ammo, .380 ACP ammo, .45 ACP ammo, 357 SIG ammo, the .40 S&W barrel length data, new ammo for 2026 and all ammo releases.

Frequently asked questions

What is the SAAMI maximum pressure for .40 S&W?

SAAMI lists a maximum average pressure of 35,000 psi for 40 S&W, measured by transducer, in ANSI/SAAMI Z299.3-2022 (the table shows 350 in psi/100).

What grain is .40 S&W ammo?

In our tables the bullets run from 120 gr to 205 gr. Check your firearm maker's manual for what your pistol is set up to shoot.

How fast is .40 S&W ammo?

In our tables, listed muzzle velocities run from 785 fps to 1,330 fps, and muzzle energies from 246 ft-lb to 500 ft-lb. Test barrels vary, and some maker pages list none. See the test barrel section of this guide.

What does test barrel mean?

It is the barrel length the maker used to measure the listed velocity. A shorter carry-gun barrel will likely give lower velocities than the box. See our .40 S&W barrel length data.

Do you list prices or stock for .40 S&W ammo?

No. We link only to maker pages. Where a maker page shows a status, such as "Available" or "Currently Unavailable," we copy it as of Nov. 4, 2026. Hornady's pages show none.

Sources

Keep exploring

Cite this data

Suggested citation:

GunReleases.com (The Release Desk), “.40 S&W factory ammo ballistics: loads from maker pages,” updated Nov 4, 2026. https://gunreleases.com/guides/40-sw-ammo/

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