Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .400 Legend with .400 | 200gr | Hornady DGH bullet and 12 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Hodgdon LilGun, Lovex S040 and ReloadSwiss RS 14.
Important Notice: DO NOT go below Minimum Charge or above Maximum Charge. Since we have no control over the equipment and components used, any responsibility and liability for the results achieved is rejected.
Only powders/loads that match the current filter criteria are displayed: max pressure of a load ≤ 90% of max. standardized pressure, fill rate ≥ 80% and propellant combustion ≥ 95%. Use the sliders above the tables to adjust these thresholds.
Charge: Powder weight in grains. Start with the minimum load and work up carefully.
FR (Fill Rate): Case fill as a percentage. Values above 100% mean compressed loads.
MaxP / %: Maximum chamber pressure in bar and as a percentage of the standardized maximum for this caliber.
V(0): Muzzle velocity in feet per second (fps) at the standardized barrel length.
z (Powder Burn): Estimated propellant combustion percentage at bullet exit.
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Max Load - Barrel Length: 20"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 98% | 39,827 psi | 89% | 2211 fps | 99.3% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 98% | 39,827 psi | 89% | 2211 fps | 99.3% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 22,104 psi | 49% | 1247 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 22,104 psi | 49% | 1247 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 92% | 38,667 psi | 86% | 2021 fps | 97.9% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 92% | 38,667 psi | 86% | 2021 fps | 97.9% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 21,103 psi | 47% | 1273 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 21,103 psi | 47% | 1273 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 25,730 psi | 57% | 1808 fps | 96.8% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 25,730 psi | 57% | 1808 fps | 96.8% |
| Vihtavuori N110ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 31,647 psi | 70% | 1978 fps | 97.2% |
| Vihtavuori N110ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 31,647 psi | 70% | 1978 fps | 97.2% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 20"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hodgdon LilGun | 24.4 gr | 84% | 25,092 psi | 56% | 1926 fps | 95.3% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | 24.4 gr | 84% | 25,092 psi | 56% | 1926 fps | 95.3% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 15,954 psi | 35% | 1109 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 15,954 psi | 35% | 1109 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | 20.4 gr | 82% | 28,979 psi | 64% | 1844 fps | 95% |
| Lovex S040 | 20.4 gr | 82% | 28,979 psi | 64% | 1844 fps | 95% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | 7.7 gr | 80% | 15,403 psi | 34% | 1135 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | 7.7 gr | 80% | 15,403 psi | 34% | 1135 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 94% | 22,466 psi | 50% | 1722 fps | 95.1% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 94% | 22,466 psi | 50% | 1722 fps | 95.1% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 94% | 26,847 psi | 60% | 1880 fps | 95.4% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 94% | 26,847 psi | 60% | 1880 fps | 95.4% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
ᴾ possible press load - work up slowly to this load while watching for signs of excessive pressure.
This overview compares 12 powders for .400 Legend loaded with the .400 | 200gr | Hornady DGH. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,211 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,247 fps to 2,211 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 12 of the 12 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (310 MPa), the top charges use 47–89 %, leaving at least 11 % headroom. Hodgdon TrailBoss, Hodgdon TrailBoss, ReloadSwiss RS 14 reach 100 % fill or more at maximum charge, so these are compressed loads: they need a long drop tube to seat cleanly and react sensitively to the case capacity of your own brass lot. Hodgdon LilGun, Lovex S040, ReloadSwiss RS 14 rank at the top here: for .400 Legend with the .400 | 200gr | Hornady DGH they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. Hodgdon TrailBoss, Hodgdon TrailBoss stay subsonic at start load. Always begin at the start load and work up in small increments while checking case and primer for pressure signs.