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View Full Version : Cast boolit in a Glock



Catshooter
06-12-2005, 08:12 PM
Though I'd tap the collective mind here.

I like the Glock alot, and I like pouring my own pb alot.

Has anyone tried to mate the two?

Conventional wisdom is nonononono. But this isn't a conventional site.

Any thoughts? Hard, soft, different lube?


Cat

AnthonyB
06-12-2005, 09:08 PM
Catshooter, I have fired a few thousand RCBS 45-230CMs in each of a pair of Glock 30s with excellent results. Any conventional RN mould will work as well, but I have occasional problems with 452423 and the BD45. The Glocks are a big part of why I am running the Lee custom BD45CM order - I want ONE boolit that will work in all my 45s and still have a large killing meplat. The BD45 is great from the Kimber, and I think it is second in killing power only to the LBT45-200 FNB - but that one is a problematic feeder even from the Kimber. The RCBS 45-230CM feeds in everything on the place, offers a whopping meplat, and will remain my favorite bollit mould until the custom BD45CM order arrives.
That said, I would shy away from lead in the 9mm and 40 caliber Glocks. The low-pressure 45 offers a level of reassurance the high-pressure rounds don't provide. Tony

Catshooter
06-12-2005, 09:15 PM
Interesting Anthony,

I looked at the design of that .45 your setting up, but decieded I'd like the 240 grain Keith in the group buy. I too would like a pill that'll feed in every .45 in the house.

One note on the pressure aspect, I'm not sure about the G30, but the G21 doesn't support the brass real well. I know from experience. Neither does the .40, but the 9 does very well.

Thanks for the reply.


Cat

KYCaster
06-12-2005, 09:15 PM
Catshooter: The combination of polygon rifling, poor internal finish and the unsupported area of the case web is the problem with Glock. Best accuracy is usually with big dia. for caliber (three or four thou over nominal) and heavy ( 145+ gr. in 9mm and 180+ in .40 cal.). And check for leading FREQUENTLY! Some barrels do fine and others lead badly.
After market barrels with land and groove rifling generally do much better with lead. You might want to consider that as an option.
Just my observations, YMMV.

Jerry

StarMetal
06-12-2005, 09:19 PM
Well I am sure about the G21. Had one for quite a while and have fired just about everything out of it from low pressure cast loads to high pressure jacketed loads and there is no unsupported problem with my G21 what-so-ever.

Joe

9.3X62AL
06-12-2005, 10:07 PM
The 45 ACP and its pressures are just slightly more than half the pressure level of the 9mm or 40 S&W cartridges. The kaBoom problem with the Glocks centers on the 40 S&W caliber--its combination of unsupported case head, high pressure, and probably casings that have swollen a bit in the unsupported chamber area and then re-located in the chamber in that same position are what is believed to cause these catastrophic disassemblies. The experiences of shooters using cast boolits in the stopsign bores of Glock pistols seem to be wide-ranging--from very positive to highly negative. This inconsistent performance with castings is the reason that Glocks have not found their way into my gun safe. I have examples of service autopistols from most makers in my eclectic assemblage, but no Glocks. I would STRONGLY recommend a conventionally rifled barrel for cast boolit work, and any 40 S&W using reloads should have a fully-supported chamber.

AnthonyB
06-12-2005, 11:41 PM
Fellas, I don't mean to step on any toes here, and I readily admit that my lead Glock shooting has been limited to the M30 only- no 9mm or 40 cal Glocks for me.
That said, I think the polygonal rifling has nothing to do with the Glock lead problem. Kahr's have polygonal rifling - I believe H&K's do as well, but I don't own one and can't confirm - and as far as I know neither has the same no lead warning as the Glocks. I have never had any leading problems in either of my Glocks with plain WW alloy.
As for the large unsupported chamber idea goes, cases fired from both my M30s will freely drop into the Kimber barrel with no resistance at all, so I don't think that is anything to worry over in the 45 ACP.
Poor internal finish? I just don't see it in my sample of two. I'm not saying it doesn't exist, but my Glocks are fine. Add a GhostRocket trigger w/overtravel control and start shooting.
I bought my two M30s from the Glock rep who serviced the USMA combat pistol team. He offered them at a good price, but I hesitated because I shoot lead almost exclusively. After a few minutes of hemmimg and hawing about the potential problems of lead boolits in Glocks, he told me that as long as I cleaned the pistol every few hundred rounds (anything else is abuse IMO) I would have no problem with the M30. I didn't ask about the 40 or 9mm, but got the idea that his approval was limited to 45 ACP only.
Cat, if you want a shoot-in-anything 45 boolit you should take a serious look at the BD45CM. The 452423 will work in one of my Glocks but doesn't do as well in the other. Plus, I think the 45 ACP tops out in boolit weight at 230 grains. I am working on a heavy boolit test in the 45 ACP, and can't see any benefit so far. Tony

LowPE
06-13-2005, 01:22 PM
I've shot a couple of thousand 452374s out of my G30 with no problems. I've found the g30 to be sensitive to bullet shape (hard to get swc to work well) and it also dislikes winchester primers.

For my G26 I've used Lee TL356-124-2R to with no problem -- again many thousands.

fecmech
06-13-2005, 08:10 PM
I have never loaded for a Glock but I put over 3k cast rounds thru a 9MM Khar polygonal barrel with no problems. I loaded from mild to max with no pressure signs and no more leading than any other fast twist 9mm barrel. I use hard lubes such as Rooster hvr and Zambini. The barrel got cleaned every 500-600 rounds, the leading was no worse at that point than after 10 rounds. I would think the Glock .45 would be even less of a problem as I think it is twisted 1 in 16 same as colt. Nick

Catshooter
06-13-2005, 08:27 PM
Thank you gentlemen for the replies.

Anthony,

You ain't stepping on no toes here. I don't mean to abraid the mighty G21. You think it doesn't have less than perfect head support, but only because you lack my supeior re-loading experience. Try subsituting International Clays for Universal Clays while still using the data for (the much slower) UC. It will, with the first shot, without any hesitation at show you the exact area that could use just a little more support. It will also unload your mag ( via the bottom) in a rapid and highly embarassing way.

Good thing I let ! a buddy shoot the first round!! Pretty smart of me, huh?

The way to tell how well a chamber supports the brass is to cut a piece of brass in half, legthwise and then put it in the chamber. Then you can see where, if any areas that don't give support to the thin or thick brass. Interesting experiment. All of my Glocks in nine do well, the Glocks in .40 don't do so well.

I have a G30, but haven't checked it's support yet.

Anthony,

I think I'll take your idea up of the BD45CM. I wasn't gonna get one, but I think your idea is a good one. I'll send you a check today. Thanks.


Cat

AnthonyB
06-13-2005, 09:04 PM
Cat, just to small point to clarify my earlier post. I understand that Glocks don't offer the best case head support, but this characteristic isn't a problem in the low pressure 45 ACP IMO. I worried about the issue when I first started loading lead in the G30 because everyone told me I would blow myself up. When brass used to hold factory level loads dropped into the match chamber of the Kimber with no hesitation I decided the low pressures of the 45 ACP made this a non-issue and quit worrying about it. As I stated earlier, I would not be as sure of this in the 9mm or 40.
I have a bit of reloading experience with Universal Clays as well. I was running 4.0 gr. UC with the RCBS 45-201 SWC and the Kimber hated the light load. I had several malfunctions, and I had grown exasperated enough to become careless in my clearing procedures. After I wracked the slide on a stoppage and fired the next round, TWO holes appeared in the target and the Kimber refused to go into battery. The lesson here - no Universal Clays in a case can be as bad as too much International Clays in a case - and Kimber barrels are pretty expensive. The ruined one sits alone in the hall of shame above my reloading bench. I am sure it will be joined by another exhibit before I die, but I am doing my best to delay additions to the collection.
I'll let you know when your check arrives. Tony

Catshooter
06-13-2005, 09:36 PM
Well, shucks, we is brothers in our UC experience!

I have yet avoided putting any barrels in my hall of shame, but it's not for lack of stupidity trying it's durn best!

Your check is in a stamped envolope that'll be mailed tomorrow. Thanks.


Cat

sundog
06-14-2005, 09:36 AM
Well, Tony..., me too. I have a buldged in the middle 1911 barrel sitting on my bench. Stuck boolit, followed by another and that baby loacked up tigher than a red bug's sphincter streched over a rain barrel. That was on an Auto Ordnance 1911A1. The AO barrels, I'm sure, are a little cheaper than the Kimber's. Both the 45 acp and the 1911 are very forgiving. I replaced the barrel, bushing, and link, and it was back in service with no problems. I know that you and your Dad like the G-locks, but I think I'll just stick with my 1911(s) in 45 acp. Did y'all know that the 1911 is ambidexterious??? They work really good for a southpaw. sundog

AnthonyB
06-14-2005, 11:11 AM
Sundog, I am sorry to hear the bulged barrel club isn't as exclusive as it should be. It was a about three hundred dollars for Kimber to fit a new barrel, add AO Tritium Big Dot sights, and do a trigger job with their aluminum match trigger - it could have been much worse.
The Glocks will never replace the 1911 as the primary handgun wherever I happen to be, but they do offer some different pluses. The ergonomics aren't nearly as good as the 1911, but they are accurate, lightweight, and so darn ugly that you don't worry about them at all. I added a GhostRocket 3.5 pound connector with overtravel control and the trigger pull is surprisingly good.
Do you still have the Cougar 45 that visited here? I really liked that one as well. Tony

9.3X62AL
06-14-2005, 12:17 PM
The Glock design has always intrigued me, and the 40 S&W/357 SIG swap ability is a plus also. At some point I may turn loose the coin for one of these Austrian critters.

Willbird
06-14-2005, 12:39 PM
I might buy a G20 someday, but that is because of the ctg. it is chambered for.....otherwise I'll not drive the price up for guys that like them by buying one.


Bill

sundog
06-14-2005, 03:21 PM
10-4 on the Cougar, Tony. It's a tiger by the tail, and ALWAYS 'right handy'. I wear Carhart work shorts alot in the warmer months. Did you know that a Beretta 8045 fits in the front pocket and can't be seen? Yup, that's right! And an extra mag fits in the ruler pocket, too! sundog

Catshooter
06-14-2005, 09:21 PM
DeputyAl,

Don't forget the 9. You can add that to the G23/32 also. Nice setup. You can also get a very nice .22 conversion unit from the Accurate Arms people. I have one and it is a very nice unit, and only $225. FOUR calibers!


Cat

9.3X62AL
06-24-2005, 06:08 PM
Cat--

Late response here......the 40 S&W/357 SIG slide/extractor will work with the 9mm? THAT would be way cool, indeed.......Bar-Sto Barrels is about an hour's drive from my house.

Catshooter
06-24-2005, 08:56 PM
Al,

As per usual, the answer is, it depends. Usually the only thing that gives any trouble is the extactor. The slide is no problem. It's pretty easy to change both the extractor and the ejector to the proper 9mm parts, then you're pretty good to go.

You're right, it is way cool.


Cat