Need 40 Glock Help

[JohnH]

I've heard conflicting info on the reloadability of cases fired in a 40 S&W Glock. Some say it's a no-no others say that ain't so. Are the waters on this completely and forever muddied or is there an honest answer out there. Can someone here enlighten me?

A friend is considering the purchase of one and called to ask me this question. I told him that for ply I saw no reason to load up the cartridge full tilt. That loads at 800 fps would be just as effective at killing cans, paper and and splaten' steel. But I also told him I'd ask about this. Thanks for your help guys, JohnH

[softpoint]

Myself and a couple of my shooting friends have had some experience with this:
Cartridge cases that have been fired in chambers that are oversize and have an area underneath that is somewhat undersupported (Glocks mostly) these cases have a bulge on the unsupported area after they have been fired. Now if they are resized, that bulge will mostly be ironed out. If these reloaded cartridges are fired in the same gun, or another with an unsupported area AND they are indexed so the "thin" area that has been ironed out during the resizing process is again positioned over the unsupported area, the case can rupture at that point. You may fire the same brass several times before the conditions become "just right" for the case to blow. This seems to happen a lot more with the .40 cal, as it is a fairly high pressure pistol round with full power loads. We had 2 different Glocks do this, and one case that had probably been fired several times in Glocks let go in an STI 1911 style pistol. The gases escape out the bottom, usually blow the magazine out of the Glock, may blow the base pad off the magazine. The 1911 blew the magazine out and the follower and spring jumped out the top of the magazine. None of the guns were damaged. Aftermarket barrels have better support . I have heard some Glock barrels have better support than others.
You can see the bulge easily on these cases. Advice from myself would be to visually inspect every case you reload, don't load max loads in these cases, and retire them after about 3 reloads. You probably won't get hurt if one lets go, but you'll get some powder blown back on you, a possible damaged magazine, and flinch for the rest of the day!
Sorry for such a long post.....:)

[Johnch]

My Glock 22 has had 10,000+ lead reloads run thru it over the years

Keep the pressure down and keep the barrel clean

My Glock will function just fine with start loads and they seem to be accurate enought for my needs
With start loads to mid range loads , I don't see excess case bulge
But top end loads make a decent bulge and I pitched those cases

If you still fear that you have a problem
There are several aftermarket barrels with standard rifling that suport more of the case

John

[yarro]

I have two Glock 40s that I reload for. I bought a Lee factory crimp die that has the carbide sizing ring in it and removed the crimping guts from it. My buddy turned a pusher rod for the press and I just push them through the die and it sized the case from top to bottom. I have never had an issue with them chambering. I also have after market Glock barrels from Lone Wolf Distributors that has cut rifling and more chamber support. I use them when shooting lead. I bought them locally from Dillon for 100 bucks, but you can probably find them for less on the net. Even with hot loads they do not bulge the cases like the factory barrel.

-Yarro

[trickyasafox]

I reload for my g23. No problems with the brass or shooting LSWC out of it.

[mooman76]

I have had no problems in my G22. But I keep my loads low to med, don't shoot more than a couple boxes without cleaning. So keep a close look out and you should be fine!

[9.3X62AL]

Softpoint's text nailed the landing on the "Glock kB issue" in my opinion. Blaming the kB on either reloaded ammo or cast boolits is only a partial answer--the more correct cause is the unsupported area near the case head in conjunction with blevied/resized/weakened brass areas again overlaying the unsupported chamber. A LOT of 45 ACP pistols--the 1911A1 included--have unsupported chamber areas, and in a cartridge with 17K-20K pressure levels--no issue. Boost those pressures to 35K+ as in the 40 S&W, and "pregnant guppie" case anomalies occur. Later-series Glock 40 caliber barrels have more case support than earlier versions, but the aftermarket items have more. If I were to reload for a Glock 40--cast or j-word--an aftermarket barrel would be my first accessory.

Neither the 9mm Parabellum nor the 40 S&W is intrinsically reload-friendly or lead-friendly. NEITHER is a good beginner caliber to reload for.

[JohnH]

Thank you very much for your help gentlemen, much appreciated, JohnH