ATTENTION:  Effective Sept 1, 2020, the BBTI Project is in "Archive Status."  No further tests will be conducted, but we will maintain this site and data for the use of the firearms community.  Thank you.

.40 S&W Results in fps

Click here for a Muzzle Energy graph for the tests in this caliber.

barrel length Cor Bon
135 gr.
JHP
Cor Bon
150 gr.
JHP
Cor Bon
165 gr.
JHP
Cor Bon
140 gr.
DPX
Federal
135 gr.
expand'g
FMJ
Federal
180 gr.
JHP
Federal
135 gr.
Hydra-
Shok
JHP
low recoil
Federal
180 gr.
Hydra-
Shok
JHP
Federal
165 gr.
Hydra-
Shok
JHP
Federal
155 gr.
Hydra-
Shok
JHP
Speer
180 gr.
Gold Dot
Short Barrel
18" 1662 1457 1378 1442 1411 1165 1425 1189 1117 1355 1105
17" 1650 1498 1387 1460 1403 1196 1414 1207 1133 1346 1133
16" 1636 1464 1351 1433 1398 1142 1398 1175 1084 1317 1143
15" 1672 1478 1392 1438 1421 1165 1398 1181 1114 1341 1149
14" 1649 1460 1377 1448 1382 1156 1401 1170 1128 1337 1134
13" 1630 1429 1379 1393 1385 1148 1392 1160 1132 1327 1137
12" 1618 1438 1341 1414 1373 1120 1371 1163 1123 1313 1143
11" 1591 1408 1350 1403 1359 1124 1355 1132 1103 1300 1124
10" 1587 1405 1329 1392 1345 1123 1338 1148 1124 1294 1125
9" 1555 1406 1297 1382 1349 1113 1342 1133 1096 1297 1136
8" 1537 1382 1293 1384 1314 1104 1318 1115 1096 1257 1099
7" 1514 1354 1272 1368 1305 1084 1288 1092 1064 1241 1101
6" 1476 1340 1251 1328 1281 1067 1267 1081 1052 1209 1068
5" 1453 1303 1225 1308 1233 1047 1225 1051 1038 1190 1053
4" 1350 1240 1164 1236 1201 1016 1155 1022 985 1126 1011
3" 1212 1169 1085 1190 1152 962 1080 964 924 1065 979
2" 1117 1071 998 1093 1032 905 964 892 869 972 930

 

real
world
weapons
Cor Bon
135 gr.
JHP
Cor Bon
150 gr.
JHP
Cor Bon
165 gr.
JHP
Cor Bon
140 gr.
DPX
Federal
135 gr.
expand'g
FMJ
Federal
180 gr.
JHP
Federal
135 gr.
Hydra-
Shok
JHP
low recoil
Federal
180 gr.
Hydra-
Shok
JHP
Federal
165 gr.
Hydra-
Shok
JHP
Federal
155 gr.
Hydra-
Shok
JHP
(no graph)
Speer
180 gr.
Gold Dot
Short Barrel
Ruger
PC4
carbine
16" barrel
1675 1436 1355 1407 1349 1076 1400 1083 1097 n/a 1136
Browning
Hi-Power
4.625" barrel
1422 1247 1179 1202 1181 979 1228 987 1022 n/a 1026
Rocky
Mountain
Sphinx
4.5" barrel
1403 1276 1190 1194 1189 1006 1226 1018 1026 n/a 1042
Beretta
96
Brigadier
4.9" barrel
1381 1227 1151 1191 1151 967 1183 960 986 n/a 996
Steyr
M40
4" barrel
1366 1232 1118 1202 1159 995 1152 989 943 1107 984

Other Resources

BBTI is not the end-all of ballistics testing, just one more component available for the common good.  In addition to extensive discussion about ballistics to be found at many gun forums, here are some other great resources pertaining to ballistics testing you should check out.  (And if you would like to recommend a site to list here, please send an email.)
  • BrassFetcher:  excellent resource, with an emphasis on bullet performance in ballistic gelatin
  • The Box O' Truth:  testing ammo penetration through various barriers
  • Terminal Ballistics Research:  Specializes in the research of cartridge & projectile performance, using hard data gathered from 20 years of hunting game.

Acknowledgements

We'd like to personally and specifically thank Pat Childs at Fin & Feather in Iowa City, as he not only helped get most of our ammunition and other supplies, he was the brilliant gunsmith who worked with us to make this insane project much more practical.  Without his help all of this would have been much more difficult and perhaps impossible.  Anyone who uses our data owes him a debt of gratitude.

And thanks to our spouses, who were not just tolerant but enthusiastically supportive of this rather nutty project.

Disclaimer

This project, and all of its results, is only our fault.  We (well, Jim K, mostly) paid for everything ourselves, and we did not receive any kind of sponsorship or remuneration from anyone.  We did all the work.  We used products we were either familiar with, or because they were what was available, and mentioning them by name does not constitute an endorsement of any kind.  Furthermore, the data is provided purely for entertainment purposes - to better facilitate arguments over what ammo or caliber or gun is "best."  How you use the data is entirely up to you.  And if you think you could do better, feel free to spend the money and do the work and publish your own results.  Or not.  Your choice.