Unlocking Precision and Performance: A Deep Dive into Hornady 10mm .400 180 Grain FMJ Flat Point Bullets for Reloading

For discerning handgun enthusiasts, competitive shooters, and self-reliant reloaders, the pursuit of optimal ammunition performance is an ongoing journey. Every component plays a crucial role in achieving the desired accuracy, reliability, and ballistic characteristics. Among the most critical choices is the bullet itself. This comprehensive guide explores the Hornady 10mm .400 180 Grain Full Metal Jacket Flat Point (FMJ-FP) bullets, model number 40047, a premier choice for those committed to crafting superior 10mm Auto ammunition.

Who is This Product For?

Are you a dedicated reloader looking to maximize the value and performance of your 10mm Auto handgun? Do you seek consistent, high-quality components that deliver repeatable results on the range, whether for target practice, competitive shooting, or simply enjoying the powerful capabilities of your 10mm firearm? This product is specifically engineered for individuals who:

• Reload their own ammunition: These are components, not loaded cartridges, designed for the intricate process of handloading to achieve custom specifications.
• Own 10mm Auto firearms: Optimized for the unique demands of the 10mm Auto cartridge, from Glock 20s to 1911 variants chambered in 10mm.
• Prioritize consistency and accuracy: Hornady's manufacturing excellence ensures each bullet meets stringent quality controls.
• Seek cost-effective shooting solutions: Reloading is often the most economical way to enjoy high-volume shooting with calibers like the 10mm Auto.
• Value quality and reliability: When every shot counts, whether for a precise grouping or reliable function, dependable components are non-negotiable.

What Problem Do These Bullets Solve?

The Hornady 40047 FMJ-FP bullets address several common challenges faced by 10mm Auto shooters and reloaders:

1. High Cost of Factory Ammunition: 10mm Auto factory loads can be expensive, especially for those who shoot frequently. Reloading with quality components like Hornady bullets significantly reduces per-round costs, allowing for more trigger time.
2. Inconsistent Performance: Off-the-shelf ammunition doesn't always perform optimally in every firearm. Reloading allows you to tailor your loads to your specific handgun, optimizing powder charges, primer choices, and seating depths for superior accuracy and reliability.
3. Limited Bullet Choices: Factory ammunition typically offers a limited selection of bullet types and weights. Reloading opens up a vast world of projectile options, allowing you to choose the perfect bullet for your intended application. The 180-grain FMJ-FP is a versatile choice for target and practice.
4. Range Limitations: Many indoor ranges restrict the use of exposed lead bullets due to airborne lead concerns. Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) bullets minimize lead exposure, making them a preferred choice for indoor shooting environments.
5. Specific Target Characteristics: The flat point (FP) design of these bullets is excellent for punching clean holes in paper targets, making scoring easier and more precise during practice or competition.

Unpacking the Excellence: Key Features and Benefits

The Hornady 10mm .400 180 Grain FMJ Flat Point bullets (product code 40047) are a testament to Hornady's commitment to quality and performance in the reloading world. Here’s why they stand out:

• Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) Construction:
  • Reduced Lead Fouling: The copper jacket completely encapsulates the lead core, preventing lead particles from being deposited in the barrel's rifling. This leads to cleaner barrels and less frequent cleaning, extending firearm life and maintaining accuracy over longer shooting sessions.
  • Consistent Performance: The uniform jacket thickness and precise construction contribute to excellent bullet balance, ensuring consistent flight paths and repeatable accuracy.
  • Range Compatibility: FMJ bullets are generally accepted at most shooting ranges, including indoor facilities, due to their reduced lead exposure and minimal backstop wear.
• Flat Point (FP) Design:
  • Clean Paper Punching: The flat meplat (tip) creates a distinct, clean hole in paper targets, simplifying scoring and providing clear feedback on shot placement. This is particularly advantageous for precision target shooting and competition.
  • Reliable Feeding: In many handgun designs, particularly those with a ramped barrel, flat point bullets can offer reliable feeding characteristics, reducing the risk of malfunctions.
• Optimal 180 Grain Weight:
  • Versatile Performance: 180 grains is a highly popular and versatile bullet weight for the 10mm Auto. It strikes an excellent balance between manageable recoil and substantial energy transfer, making it suitable for a wide range of applications from target practice to potential self-defense loads (though FMJ-FP is primarily for practice).
  • Ballistic Consistency: This weight often achieves excellent stability and ballistic coefficients in various 10mm barrel lengths.
• Precise .400" Diameter:
  • Snug Barrel Fit: Manufactured to exacting specifications, the .400-inch diameter ensures a proper, snug fit within the 10mm Auto's bore. This minimizes gas blow-by and maximizes the effective use of propellant gases, contributing to higher muzzle velocities and better accuracy.
• Hornady Quality Assurance:
  • Trusted Brand: Hornady is a globally recognized leader in ammunition and component manufacturing, synonymous with innovation and quality. Their meticulous manufacturing processes ensure consistency from bullet to bullet, batch to batch.
  • Advanced Manufacturing: Utilizing advanced machinery and strict quality control measures, Hornady produces bullets that meet incredibly tight tolerances for weight, diameter, and concentricity. This attention to detail translates directly into superior ammunition performance.
• Bulk Packaging (100-Count Box):
  • Convenient Quantity: The 100-count box is ideal for reloaders who need a sufficient supply for numerous reloading sessions without committing to extremely large bulk purchases, making it perfect for experimenting with new loads or for regular range use.

The Science Behind Superior Performance

What makes a Hornady bullet truly exceptional? It's a combination of meticulous design, material science, and precision manufacturing.

• Core Material and Integrity: The lead core within these FMJ bullets is formulated for consistent density. This uniformity ensures a balanced bullet, critical for stable flight and predictable trajectories. Any inconsistencies in core material can lead to "wobble" or "tumbling," drastically affecting accuracy.
• Jacket Material and Application: The copper jacket is precisely applied and drawn, ensuring uniform thickness across the entire bullet surface. This not only protects the lead core but also provides the necessary bearing surface for engaging the rifling. The integrity of the jacket prevents deformation upon firing and ensures consistent pressure buildup within the cartridge.
• Swaging Process: Hornady employs advanced swaging techniques to form their bullets. This cold-forming process creates extremely uniform bullets with minimal variations, leading to:
  • Exceptional Concentricity: The bullet's core and jacket are perfectly aligned, preventing off-center rotation during flight.
  • Precise Weight Consistency: Each bullet in a box will be remarkably close in weight, eliminating one variable that can lead to flyers or inconsistent velocities.
  • Smooth Surface Finish: The swaging process results in a smooth bullet surface, reducing friction in the barrel and contributing to higher velocities and less barrel wear.

These technical aspects might seem minor individually, but cumulatively, they create a product that consistently performs at a high level, providing the reloader with a reliable foundation for crafting high-performance 10mm Auto ammunition.

Real-World Applications and Use Cases

The Hornady 10mm .400 180 GR FMJ Flat Point bullets are a versatile component that shines in several real-world scenarios:

• Everyday Range Practice: For the vast majority of shooters, these bullets are the go-to choice for regular practice sessions. Their consistency, affordability (when reloaded), and range compatibility make them ideal for honing shooting skills without breaking the bank.
• Competitive Shooting (e.g., USPSA, IDPA, Steel Challenge): While some competitive disciplines might favor specific bullet profiles, the 180-grain FMJ-FP is a strong contender for many divisions, especially for practice or in scenarios where clean scoring on paper is paramount. The flat point provides distinct holes, which is a significant advantage in scoring.
• Load Development and Experimentation: These bullets provide a stable platform for developing custom 10mm Auto loads. Reloaders can experiment with various powders, primers, and seating depths to find the absolute best combination for their specific firearm, aiming for maximum accuracy and velocity within safe pressure limits.
• High-Volume Shooting: Given the often higher cost of factory 10mm ammunition, these bullets, when purchased in bulk and reloaded, enable shooters to enjoy high-volume practice without prohibitive costs. This is crucial for developing proficiency with the powerful 10mm Auto cartridge.
• Familiarization with 10mm Recoil: For new 10mm owners, starting with a well-behaved 180-grain FMJ-FP load can help them acclimate to the cartridge's recoil characteristics before moving to more potent defensive loads.

Answering Your Questions About 10mm Auto Reloading Components

Here are common questions that aspiring and experienced reloaders often ask, with answers tailored to the Hornady 40047 bullets:

Q: Why should I choose Hornady 10mm 180 GR FMJ-FP bullets for my 10mm Auto reloading?

A: Hornady is a leading manufacturer known for quality and consistency. The 180-grain FMJ-FP design is highly versatile, offering clean paper punching, reliable feeding in many firearms, and reduced lead fouling thanks to the full metal jacket. This translates to reliable performance and cleaner shooting sessions, especially for high-volume practice.

Q: Are these bullets suitable for self-defense loads?

A: While these bullets can be loaded to defensive velocities, their primary design purpose, as Full Metal Jacket Flat Point (FMJ-FP), is for target practice and general range use. For self-defense, expanding bullets (like Hornady XTP or Critical Duty) are generally recommended due to their terminal ballistics designed for energy transfer and stopping power in soft tissue. However, FMJ-FP loads are excellent for training with the same felt recoil and point of aim as your defensive rounds.

Q: What powder types work best with 180-grain 10mm bullets?

A: Many reputable reloading manuals (such as those from Hornady, Speer, Lyman, or Sierra) list various suitable powders for 10mm Auto with 180-grain bullets. Common choices include Hodgdon Longshot, Accurate No. 7, Blue Dot, and Alliant Power Pistol. Always consult multiple, up-to-date reloading manuals for specific powder charges, primer recommendations, and overall cartridge length to ensure safety and optimal performance. Start with minimum loads and work your way up cautiously.

Q: How do I ensure accuracy when reloading with these bullets?

A: Accuracy in reloading is a multi-faceted endeavor. To maximize accuracy with Hornady 40047 bullets:

• Consistent Components: Use consistent primers and brass.
• Precise Powder Charges: Weigh each powder charge meticulously.
• Proper Seating Depth: Experiment with seating depth to find the optimal OAL (Overall Length) for your specific firearm, ensuring reliable feeding and barrel fit.
• Crimp Consistency: Apply a consistent crimp (usually a taper crimp for 10mm Auto) to ensure proper neck tension and prevent bullet setback.
• High-Quality Dies: Use well-maintained reloading dies.
• Practice and Technique: Ultimately, your shooting fundamentals play a significant role.

Q: What is the benefit of a Flat Point (FP) design over a Round Nose (RN) or Hollow Point (HP) for range use?

A: The Flat Point (FP) excels at making clean, discernible holes in paper targets, which greatly aids in scoring and immediate feedback on shot placement during practice or competition. While Round Nose (RN) are also good for practice, the FP often leaves a crisper hole. Hollow Point (HP) bullets are typically designed for expansion on impact and are less about creating clean target holes; their cost also makes them less economical for high-volume practice.

Q: Where can I reliably purchase these Hornady 10mm components?

A: For genuine Hornady 10mm .400 180 GR FMJ Flat Point bullets (40047) and all your other reloading needs, DEGuns is a trusted source for a wide selection of quality components and firearms accessories.

The Hornady Advantage for Reloaders

Choosing Hornady bullets for your reloading projects isn't just about buying a component; it's an investment in consistency, accuracy, and the peace of mind that comes from using products from a globally recognized leader. The 10mm Auto, known for its formidable power and versatility, benefits immensely from high-quality components. By selecting Hornady 40047 180 GR FMJ-FP bullets, reloaders gain the ability to produce ammunition that performs reliably, shoots accurately, and offers an economical path to more trigger time. Whether you're a seasoned competitor striving for tighter groups or a recreational shooter looking to master the 10mm, these bullets provide the foundational quality needed to achieve your reloading goals.

Remember: Always consult multiple, up-to-date reloading manuals for specific load data, including powder types, charge weights, primer selection, and overall cartridge length (OAL). Safety is paramount in reloading, and adherence to established guidelines is crucial.

Product Specifications and Details

Here's a concise overview of the Hornady 10mm .400 180 GR FMJ Flat Point bullets:

Feature	Detail
Manufacturer	Hornady
Product Type	Handgun Bullets (Reloading Components)
Caliber	10mm Auto
Diameter	.400 inches
Bullet Weight	180 Grains (GR)
Bullet Type	Full Metal Jacket Flat Point (FMJ-FP)
Quantity	100 Bullets per Box
Model Number	40047
UPC	090255400476