Underwood 40 Smith Wesson 155gr XTP Hollow Point – Superb 20 Round Box

Description

The 40 S&W spent two decades as the American police cartridge, and the loads that made its reputation were the fast lighter-bullet offerings. The Underwood 40 Smith Wesson 155gr XTP is a modern version of that recipe.

• Why the 155 Grain Load Made the 40 Famous
• Underwood 40 Smith Wesson 155gr XTP Specifications
• Honest Notes on This Load

Why the 155 Grain Load Made the 40 Famous

The 40 S&W was built in 1990 to give police the terminal performance of the 10mm in a frame sized for a 9mm. Within a decade it was the dominant American duty cartridge, and the loads that earned that position were the 155 and 165 grain offerings rather than the heavier 180 grain that later became the default.

The reason is velocity. At 1300 feet per second a 155 grain bullet produces roughly 582 foot-pounds, and it arrives fast enough to open a hollow point reliably through clothing and light barriers. A 180 grain load at 1000 feet per second carries similar energy but expands less aggressively. The Underwood 40 Smith Wesson 155gr XTP deliberately takes the faster side of that trade.

Underwood loads this in Sparta, Illinois. The nickel-plated cases are not cosmetic: nickel resists the corrosion that comes from a magazine carried against the body for months, and the harder surface feeds more smoothly in a dirty pistol.

Underwood 40 Smith Wesson 155gr XTP Specifications

The projectile is a Hornady XTP, which stands for eXtreme Terminal Performance. Hornady serrates the jacket in a controlled pattern so the bullet peels into consistent petals rather than fragmenting unpredictably, and thickens the jacket toward the base so the shank holds together and keeps penetrating after the nose has opened.

The XTP has a long record in duty and defensive use because it is predictable. It expands across a wide velocity band rather than only at the top of its range, and it penetrates deeply enough to satisfy FBI protocol testing. It is not the most dramatic expander on the market, and that consistency is exactly the point.

Recoil with the Underwood 40 Smith Wesson 155gr XTP is snappier than a 180 grain load in the same pistol. Some shooters prefer it, some do not. Fire a box before committing if you are switching from the heavier weight.

• Cartridge: 40 S&W
• Bullet weight: 155 grain
• Bullet type: Hornady XTP jacketed hollow point
• Muzzle velocity: 1300 feet per second
• Muzzle energy: approximately 582 foot-pounds
• Case: nickel-plated brass, boxer primed, reloadable
• Rounds per box: 20
• Boxes per case: 10
• Manufacturer item: 223
• UPC: 816874020729

Honest Notes on This Load

Buy the Underwood 40 Smith Wesson 155gr XTP if you carry or duty-use a 40 and want a proven hollow point at full pressure. It suits a full-size or compact service pistol where the sharper recoil impulse is manageable.

Skip it for practice. A box of twenty at defensive pricing is not range ammunition. Train with bulk 180 grain FMJ and carry this.

Consider a 165 or 180 grain load instead if you shoot a very light polymer 40 and find the recoil hard to control on follow-up shots. Fast hits beat energy on paper every time, and the heavier bullets are noticeably easier to shoot well in small guns.

For practice in the same cartridge, Aguila 40 S&W 180gr FMJ is inexpensive range ammunition. Storage: the Berrys 40 S&W 50-round ammo box keeps loaded rounds organized. Underwood publishes full XTP load data on its own site.

MAG5 Firearms stocks defensive and practice ammunition for the 40 S&W. If you carry one, ask us to pair a carry load with a training load that shoots to the same point of impact.