Maybe some here can help me?

[Fly]

I just order & received my lee die set for my 40acp pistol. I read in the instructions to not reload this ammo
for clock or similar pistol because it has something to do with the loading ramp. Does that mean clock ammo
can not be reloaded? I also bought a Lee Bulge Buster to go with the kit. Any help you can add I would appreciate.

Fly

[Outer Rondacker]

I would be happy to help you. Not sure if I will give you the right answer. I assume you mean GLOCK not clock? I will refer you to this theard then. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...locks-and-Cast

[Fly]

Sorry about the spelling, had not had my coffee yet this morning. I have a S&W 40cal Sigma which I,m told is
a copy of a Glock 19 if that is correct.

Fly

[mdi]

I believe it has to do with the 40 S&W Glock chamber ("unsupported"), where a portion of the case is not enclosed in the chamber and bulges the case upon firing. Google "Glock smile", "bulge busters", "Glock chambers" "reloading a Glock 40 S&W"...etc.

[rodsvet]

I reload once fired FBI brass thats been fired through Glock 22's. I bought a Wolf barrel to be safe, but as long as you don't load hot it should be OK. I mean like target loads. The Wolf barrel is fully supported and I have reloaded and fired the same brass multiple times with no ill effects. I do start out using a Redding bulge buster die. For EDC I only carry factory. Your experience may vary, so watch for brass failure signs on your reloads.

[country gent]

Some think the unsupported chamber weakens the brass to much. Some claim the polygonal rifling is an issue with cast bullets. Unsupported chambers have been around along time ( where the feed ramp and chamber meet leaving an area of the case outside the chamber). 380s, to 45s. This unsupported area is usually not extended past the solid case head when chambered but some times it does.

The bulge if there is one from your pistol should be removed to insure easy chambering of your loaded rounds. While it nay not be an issue on first reloads as the bulge gets worked around the case it may become a problem. This bulge can vary from pistol to pistol also. Another reason for removing the bulge is to keep it from coking the case in the chamber.

Load to lighter levels increases brass life, makes it more enjoyable to shoot, extends the life of the firearm and may be more accurate. Lighter loads also use less powder making them more economical. This is all good as long as your not shooting in matches that require a certain power factor be met.

[Taterhead]

By 40ACP, I assume you mean 40 S&W. There enough internet commentary to give one the creeps about loading 40 S&W. Early Glock barrel geometry and thin-webbed Federal brass caused some issues early on. This was the early 90s. Both have been corrected. Truth is that there is nothing spectacularly unusual about the cartridge. The same best practices apply: get 2 or 3 good manuals and work up your loads responsibly. Any spent cases with tell-tale signs of excessive pressure should be tossed (e.g. bulges or smiled cases). But that is true of any cartridge.

All of my 40 S&W ammo is reloaded (except SD ammo), and most of it is shot through Glocks.

Your mileage may vary, but I've never needed a pass-through step to re-size 40 ammo. It passes a Dillon gage after resizing with boring consistency. I do have a Redding pass-through sizer, but it pretty much never gets used. I suggest testing a nice sample of re-sized brass and seeing if they pass a 40 S&W gauge. I like Wilson and Dillon gauges equally well. If they do, you can save yourself a bunch of time over a lifetime of reloading. Both of my 40 re-sizers size low enough to get cases back to specs. Again, your results might be different -- or you might have a match chamber that needs extra attention.

[flashhole]

I reload 40 S&W and I have the Lee Bulge Buster. ALL brass goes through the BB and I have it set up on a single stage press. I get piece of mind if nothing else but I use a lot of range pickup brass so to me it is worth the minor effort to do it. The Lee BB die/system is inexpensive and works really well.

What reloading setup are you using? My entire system is set up using Lee equipment; Lee Classic Cast single stage press, Lee Classic Turret press, Lee Bulge Buster, Lee dies, Lee Auto Drum powder measure, Lee Pro 4-20 lead pot, Lee 6-cavity mold, Lee bullet sizer, Lee data manual. It all works as a system. The folks at Lee put a lot of thought into their products. Their new progressive is now on the market and I may get one after I see a year's worth of reviews. I can use a lot of the accessories I already have on the new progressive. The cost of the press and the shell plate are very attractive.

[dverna]

I agree with flashhole about using the B.B. on initially processing brass as all my .40 brass is range pickup purchased from sellers here

I purchased an aftermarket barrel to minimize any issues that have been attributed to the Glock barrel. For me, it seemed like cheap insurance and it eliminated the need to use the B.B. on subsequent reloads. If I had to run every case through the B.B. with each use, I would not reload much .40.

[jmorris]

I have shot hundreds of thousands or reloads in Glocks, some of the ones I have have never fired factory ammunition since I bought them.