40 cal case bulge

[barnetmill]

I rather a G35, but with a good price on a used 22...

There's obviously a safety concern with bulged brass. And there's a reason it's called "Glocked." Glock was the first to make and sell a lot of 40SW guns, and early versions had poor support.

The reason I don't lose any sleep over using de-bulged brass is because when I reload the same brass, it doesn't bulge anymore. Even when I shoot it in my Glock.

Hmm... I suppose if you buy a used G22, it might have poorly supported chamber. Then you might want to buy a new barrel... so not so much savings?

I purchased a police trade in several years ago.
The list price for G35 with mos cut is about $700. I already have one G22 on hand that I had set up as a G17. So for $200 I purchased a slide with the cut already made. New barrel was a G35 threaded barrel $135. So $335 vs with taxes, transfer fees, shipping, etc $700.
33k psi is not really high pressure and of course will depend on how much support there for the cases. The extra strong recoil springs will make sure that the gun is truly absolutely as closed much as possible. Some of the 40 kaboom explosions may not of had the slide absolutely 100% forward. With newly assembled gun or one that is dirty such things can happen. With the current OEM barrel on test firing I had one or two with a light strikes that were off center that failed to fire. Indicates that the slide not fully forward. I have had this happen before with newly assembled guns. Goes away once gun is broken in. A stronger recoil spring will also take care of that and heavy loads a strong recoil spring is not a bad idea. I also have a full strength firing pin spring in the gun. The gun will be used under harsh conditions.
A g35 offers no advantage over a G22 with lengthened barrel that I can see.

PS just purchased that redding die to remove bulges and most of my empty cases were not fired in a glock.

[20:1]

Well that is called a glock smile.
The below does not look too terrible


or like below that looks worst.

If they look like this I pitch 'em. I normally use a Lee 40 S&W carbide Factory Crimp Die with the guts removed as a push through bulge buster. A bullet pusher from a Cast Bullet Push Through Sizing Die works perfectly, I'm using one from a .357 for .40. I bulge bust first, then full length resize. The only other step is to make sure the case will make a full rotation in my shell holder so I know the extractor groove area is still within spec. I'm working my way through approx. 21,000 40 cases from a Police range. It's going to take awhile.

[barnetmill]

Steel boxer primed cases. So far I have thrown them away, but I think a russian steel case boxer primed 40 could easily be reloaded.
Do the steel cases get smileys?

[scattershot]

.40 cases are cheap and plentiful. Pitch ‘em. They’re not worth the aggravation.

[barnetmill]

.40 cases are cheap and plentiful. Pitch ‘em. They’re not worth the aggravation.

What is the aggravation if they are boxer primed? What has been your experience with them? But the question was how well do they handle pressure. I have 30 pounds of brass cases, interest is not saving money, but being able to safely load hot 40 S&W loads.

[gloob]

Thanks for the details. It's been awhile since I bought a new gun, and maybe $300-after-shipping cost of the G22 trade-ins had caught my eye.

But seeing the pictures of these bulged cases, it's more like $450 if I have to buy a new barrel! Seems like this info would be out there, what kind of case support these trade-ins might have. My gen 3 40SW barrels could not produce cases like those!

[20:1]

At an average of around three cents per case plus shipping, you could buy a lot of 40 brass for the price of a barrel.

[elmacgyver0]

At an average of around three cents per case plus shipping, you could buy a lot of 40 brass for the price of a barrel.

Yep, and most of it fired in Glocks.

[Bmi48219]

Steel boxer primed cases. So far I have thrown them away, but I think a russian steel case boxer primed 40 could easily be reloaded.
Do the steel cases get smileys?

Don’t know about smileys but a couple friends that have tried reloading steel case reported problems with getting a firm crimp. That was back a while when 40 brass wasn’t so plentiful.

[barnetmill]

Don’t know about smileys but a couple friends that have tried reloading steel case reported problems with getting a firm crimp. That was back a while when 40 brass wasn’t so plentiful.

Well that would be a deal breaker for sure. I would not want to try anneal steel case for sure.