Federal American Eagle .40 S&W 180gr FMJ Ammo Ballistics
Brass Case • FMJ
Federal American Eagle .40 S&W 180gr FMJ Ammo Ballistics
Brass Case • FMJ
Solved from this product's advertised 1000 fps, 180gr bullet and G1 BC 0.170, with the sight 0.5" over the bore at standard conditions. Compare every zero for .40 S&W.
How to read it: filled circles are the near and far zero, where the bullet's path crosses the line of sight;the triangle is the peak (max ordinate). The shaded band is the 4" vital zone, ±2" either side of the line of sight. The dashed line marks the edge of the hold-dead-on window. The chart is zoomed to where the zero matters; the tables below run to 100 yards.
.40 S&W 180gr with a 10-yard zero
Zeroed at 10 yards with a 0.5" sight height, this load crosses the line of sight at 10 and 27 yards, peaks +0.1" at 19 yards, and is -1.7" at 50 and -12.6" at 100 yards.
| Range (yd) | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) | Drop (MIL) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Wind drift, 10 mph (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -0.5" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,000 | 400 | 0.1 |
| 5 | -0.2" | -3.75 | -1.09 | 994 | 395 | 0.1 |
| 10 | 0.0" | -0.05 | -0.01 | 988 | 390 | 0.1 |
| 15 | +0.1" | +0.66 | +0.19 | 982 | 386 | 0.2 |
| 20 | +0.1" | +0.58 | +0.17 | 977 | 381 | 0.2 |
| 25 | +0.1" | +0.19 | +0.06 | 971 | 377 | 0.3 |
| 30 | -0.1" | -0.36 | -0.10 | 966 | 373 | 0.4 |
| 35 | -0.4" | -1.01 | -0.29 | 960 | 369 | 0.5 |
| 40 | -0.7" | -1.72 | -0.50 | 955 | 365 | 0.6 |
| 45 | -1.2" | -2.47 | -0.72 | 950 | 361 | 0.7 |
| 50 | -1.7" | -3.26 | -0.95 | 945 | 357 | 0.9 |
| 55 | -2.4" | -4.07 | -1.18 | 940 | 354 | 1.0 |
| 60 | -3.1" | -4.90 | -1.43 | 936 | 350 | 1.2 |
| 65 | -3.9" | -5.76 | -1.67 | 931 | 347 | 1.4 |
| 70 | -4.9" | -6.62 | -1.93 | 926 | 343 | 1.6 |
| 75 | -5.9" | -7.50 | -2.18 | 922 | 340 | 1.8 |
| 80 | -7.1" | -8.39 | -2.44 | 917 | 336 | 2.0 |
| 85 | -8.3" | -9.30 | -2.70 | 913 | 333 | 2.3 |
| 90 | -9.6" | -10.21 | -2.97 | 909 | 330 | 2.6 |
| 95 | -11.1" | -11.13 | -3.24 | 904 | 327 | 2.8 |
| 100 | -12.7" | -12.06 | -3.51 | 900 | 324 | 3.1 |
180gr G1 .170 at 1,000 fps, 0.5" sight height over bore, standard conditions (59°F, sea level), 10 mph full-value crosswind. Positive drop is above the line of sight. This load is subsonic from the muzzle, so there is no transonic zone to cross. Source: Manufacturer's advertised velocity and BC.
.40 S&W 180gr with a 15-yard zero
Zeroed at 15 yards with a 0.5" sight height, this load crosses the line of sight at 15 and 18 yards, peaks 0.0" at 17 yards, and is -2.1" at 50 and -13.4" at 100 yards.
| Range (yd) | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) | Drop (MIL) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Wind drift, 10 mph (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -0.5" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,000 | 400 | 0.1 |
| 5 | -0.2" | -4.42 | -1.29 | 994 | 395 | 0.1 |
| 10 | -0.1" | -0.71 | -0.21 | 988 | 390 | 0.1 |
| 15 | 0.0" | -0.01 | 0.00 | 982 | 386 | 0.2 |
| 20 | 0.0" | -0.08 | -0.02 | 977 | 381 | 0.2 |
| 25 | -0.1" | -0.47 | -0.14 | 971 | 377 | 0.3 |
| 30 | -0.3" | -1.03 | -0.30 | 966 | 373 | 0.4 |
| 35 | -0.6" | -1.67 | -0.49 | 960 | 369 | 0.5 |
| 40 | -1.0" | -2.38 | -0.69 | 955 | 365 | 0.6 |
| 45 | -1.5" | -3.14 | -0.91 | 950 | 361 | 0.7 |
| 50 | -2.1" | -3.93 | -1.14 | 945 | 357 | 0.9 |
| 55 | -2.7" | -4.74 | -1.38 | 940 | 354 | 1.0 |
| 60 | -3.5" | -5.57 | -1.62 | 936 | 350 | 1.2 |
| 65 | -4.4" | -6.42 | -1.87 | 931 | 347 | 1.4 |
| 70 | -5.4" | -7.29 | -2.12 | 926 | 343 | 1.6 |
| 75 | -6.4" | -8.17 | -2.38 | 922 | 340 | 1.8 |
| 80 | -7.6" | -9.06 | -2.64 | 917 | 336 | 2.0 |
| 85 | -8.9" | -9.96 | -2.90 | 913 | 333 | 2.3 |
| 90 | -10.3" | -10.88 | -3.16 | 909 | 330 | 2.6 |
| 95 | -11.8" | -11.80 | -3.43 | 904 | 327 | 2.8 |
| 100 | -13.4" | -12.73 | -3.70 | 900 | 324 | 3.1 |
180gr G1 .170 at 1,000 fps, 0.5" sight height over bore, standard conditions (59°F, sea level), 10 mph full-value crosswind. Positive drop is above the line of sight. This load is subsonic from the muzzle, so there is no transonic zone to cross. Source: Manufacturer's advertised velocity and BC.
.40 S&W 180gr with a 25-yard zero
Zeroed at 25 yards with a 0.5" sight height, this load crosses the line of sight at 11 and 25 yards, peaks +0.1" at 18 yards, and is -1.8" at 50 and -12.8" at 100 yards.
| Range (yd) | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) | Drop (MIL) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Wind drift, 10 mph (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -0.5" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,000 | 400 | 0.1 |
| 5 | -0.2" | -3.93 | -1.14 | 994 | 395 | 0.1 |
| 10 | 0.0" | -0.23 | -0.07 | 988 | 390 | 0.1 |
| 15 | +0.1" | +0.48 | +0.14 | 982 | 386 | 0.2 |
| 20 | +0.1" | +0.40 | +0.12 | 977 | 381 | 0.2 |
| 25 | 0.0" | +0.01 | 0.00 | 971 | 377 | 0.3 |
| 30 | -0.2" | -0.54 | -0.16 | 966 | 373 | 0.4 |
| 35 | -0.4" | -1.19 | -0.34 | 960 | 369 | 0.5 |
| 40 | -0.8" | -1.90 | -0.55 | 955 | 365 | 0.6 |
| 45 | -1.3" | -2.65 | -0.77 | 950 | 361 | 0.7 |
| 50 | -1.8" | -3.44 | -1.00 | 945 | 357 | 0.9 |
| 55 | -2.5" | -4.25 | -1.24 | 940 | 354 | 1.0 |
| 60 | -3.2" | -5.08 | -1.48 | 936 | 350 | 1.2 |
| 65 | -4.1" | -5.94 | -1.73 | 931 | 347 | 1.4 |
| 70 | -5.0" | -6.80 | -1.98 | 926 | 343 | 1.6 |
| 75 | -6.1" | -7.68 | -2.23 | 922 | 340 | 1.8 |
| 80 | -7.2" | -8.57 | -2.49 | 917 | 336 | 2.0 |
| 85 | -8.5" | -9.48 | -2.76 | 913 | 333 | 2.3 |
| 90 | -9.8" | -10.39 | -3.02 | 909 | 330 | 2.6 |
| 95 | -11.3" | -11.31 | -3.29 | 904 | 327 | 2.8 |
| 100 | -12.8" | -12.24 | -3.56 | 900 | 324 | 3.1 |
180gr G1 .170 at 1,000 fps, 0.5" sight height over bore, standard conditions (59°F, sea level), 10 mph full-value crosswind. Positive drop is above the line of sight. This load is subsonic from the muzzle, so there is no transonic zone to cross. Source: Manufacturer's advertised velocity and BC.
Product Overview
Federal's American Eagle 180-grain FMJ sits in the middle of the .40 S&W 180-grain ball loads: 1,000 fps, 400 ft-lbs, power factor 180 with 15 points over the USPSA major floor of 165. From a 25-yard zero the bullet is 1.8 inches low at 50 yards, carrying 945 fps and 357 ft-lbs, and 12.8 inches low at 100 yards at 900 fps and 324 ft-lbs.
CCI Blazer Clean Fire Lead-Free 180-grain TMJ matches it to the number at the muzzle, 1,000 fps and 400 ft-lbs, with identical recoil in the same pistol; the differences are Blazer's aluminum case, which is not reloadable, and its frangible TMJ bullet. Sellier & Bellot's 180-grain is 32 fps and 26 ft-lbs slower at 968 fps, and the gap at 100 yards is 14 fps, 10 ft-lbs and 0.8 inch of drop. Armscor's 180-grain is the slowest here at 953 fps and 363 ft-lbs, 47 fps and 37 ft-lbs behind. In recoil the American Eagle produces about 6 percent more energy than Sellier & Bellot and 8 percent more than Armscor.
Buy this as the default 180-grain practice load: full major margin, brass case, and a velocity that keeps recoil close to a 180-grain carry load. If your indoor range refuses exposed lead, Blazer Clean Fire gives the same numbers with a TMJ bullet. Shooters who find the .40 S&W sharp in a compact pistol should look at Sellier & Bellot, which cuts recoil energy by about 5 percent and still makes major at 174. HSM's Training 180-grain lead RNFP is a closer match to the Federal at 985 fps, only 15 fps down and about 3 percent less recoil.
- Power factor of 180 leaves 15 points over the major floor, against 9 for Sellier & Bellot and 6.5 for Armscor
- Still carries 945 fps and 357 ft-lbs at 50 yards, 21 fps and 16 ft-lbs ahead of Sellier & Bellot
- Brass case reloads, where CCI Blazer Clean Fire's aluminum case does not
- Identical to CCI Blazer Clean Fire at the muzzle, so at an indoor range that restricts exposed lead it offers nothing over the TMJ load except the brass case
- Sellier & Bellot's 180-grain recovers 18 fps of its 32 fps muzzle deficit by 100 yards, so the Federal's lead shrinks downrange
- Middle-of-the-set recoil; it is not the soft option in this group, and Armscor at 953 fps is
All Federal American Eagle .40 S&W 180gr FMJ Ammo Prices
| DEALER | QTY | PRICE | SHIPPING | TOTAL | PRICE/RD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Ammo | 1000 | $373.49 | $9.99 | $383.48 | $0.38 |
| Sentry Ammo | 1000 | $393.49 | $9.99 | $403.48 | $0.40 |
| Fast Ammo | 500 | $200.12 | $13.99 | $214.11 | $0.43 |
| Sentry Ammo | 500 | $204.71 | $13.99 | $218.70 | $0.44 |
| BulkAmmo.com | 1000 | $419.00 | $23.33 | $442.33 | $0.44 |
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