Rloading .40 from a Glock

[DavidD]

Ok, I've heard it all kinds of ways: You shouldn't shoot reloaded ammo from a Glock .40, You shouldn't shoot reloaded ammo from a Glock .40 in a glock, You can't shoot reloaded ammo from a Glock .40 in another brand of pistol....... :blah:.

Annyone know better first hand? (in otherwords, forget what your buddy has done )

[Nick]

I dont know about .40 but i know the chamber in the 9mm isnt fully supported. so when fired the case will bellow out a little and the sizing die wont resize it all the way. so when it is chambered it will tend to stick in the chamber. at least that is how it is with my buddy's custom 9mm 1911. i have been over there helping him load some and working on some of my stuff and i have seen how many problems he had before he finally figured out that the brass he pick up was shot out of a glock. so now he checks each piece of brass before he loads it for a small ring around the base.

i hope i helped out some.

[Garufa]

Personally, I would never shoot reloads in a Glock or use brass from one. But that's just me. I narrowly avoided a disaster with my 2nd gen 23 by virtue of having two 40's on the same day shooting the same crappy factory-reloaded ammo. Shot the Glock, then loaded up a clip for the Baby Eagle. Commenced firing the Baby. Third shot in had a complete case rupture and head separation. Fortunately that thing is built like a tank.

Here's something on the infamous Glock KaBoom!

http://www.thegunzone.com/glock/glock-kb-faq.html

[musicman]

I loaded up and fired a butt-load of .40 range brass. In retro, I know that a lot of it was Glock brass due to the bulges and rectangular firing pin strikes. I'm sure the excess bulging leads to stretching and working the the brass, making it more brittle and possibly weaker. However, I never loaded hot for my .40 and I had so much brass I don't think I loaded any cases more than 3 times. I also had a superior designed gun with a fully supported chamber (ouch! jab!) so it was only worked excessively once, and better enclosed in my gun.

If I was to load up hot stuff, I would probably try to avoid Glocked brass.

Edited February 18, 2009 by musicman

[Guest Astra900]

I've reloaded a butt load of glock fired 9mm for my XD 9 It's has never had a problem....so far:dunno:

[musicman]

9 doesn't propose the same hazard due to generally lower pressures and less of the case web being unsupported. It's pretty much just the .40 that has the problem.

[deerslayer]

I believe the 9mm and .40 operate at about the same pressure. I have Glocks in both 9 and .40, and the "unsupported" parts look the same. Older Glocks have less support, but newer ones have as much support as some other brands. Few brands are "fully" supported.

[musicman]

Yes, but the larger case size, etc, of the .40 leaves more of the case web and its sensitive area unsupported.

Not many 9mm KBs reported, either. Lots of .40 occurences.

[glockster157]

I have had one Kaboom in a Glock, it was a 40SW and it was factory ammo. I have loaded tons of 40 SW and shot in my 23's, 27's and 22's without a problem. I don't load hot, I use a lot of range brass and like musicman said, it gets lost many times before it gets loaded more that 2-3 times.

Tell you what, if anybody has 40SW brass that was fired in a Glock and doesn't want it, I will give you scrap brass price for it per pound if you are in Middle TN. If you are not in Middle TN then we can talk USPS prepaid box price shipping.

[Smith]

...or you could get an aftermarket barrel and not worry about it. Most reports seem to be issues with the .40 as everyone has said. As long gas it is fully supported, ala XD, you shouldn't have a problem.

[rstandley]

I have reloaded 10,000 .40s&w. I have had 1 case failure. I do check them close for any case flaws and trash any that fail the test. I do a full case resize. The buldge at the 6o'clock the glock barrel makes is a problem for tight fitting aftermarket barrells. As long as you do a good case inspection, you should have no problems.

[DavidD]

..... I do check them close for any case flaws and trash any that fail the test. I do a full case resize. ........

To me, this would be the key to reloading Glock .40 brass. Thanks! What press are you using if you don't mind me asking?

[Guest sling]

Well.

Only use quality brass... inspect the cases... and ditch the .40 for a .45 or a 9mm if your worried about... not to mention it would help if you had an aftermarket barrel with a fully supported chamber.

I hate .40 SW in plastic guns. Too much pressure.. too snappy.

Just give me a .45 in something built better... but thats just me.

[rstandley]

I am using a Lee Loadmaster with a final sizing die, OAL is 1.125 with 180gr FMJ

Sling, I shoot a G35 only because I am too cheap to buy the STI I really want. The full race STI is a sweet shooting gun.

[deerslayer]

True dat...

I am a bit leary about reloading .40--Glock or no Glock.

[DWARREN123]

I have shot many reloads using original Glock fired brass in Glocks and other brands and never had a problem.

I did modify my sizer die and shell holder by surface grinding the top of the shell holder to half its height and turning down the bottom of the die to the carbide insert ring.

I did this to see if it would change anything. Makes the cases a little better looking but does not seem to make a real difference.

[Guest FroggyOne2]

Redding has a new die for the .40 http://www.redding-reloading.com/pages/grxpushthru.html

[mousegunner]

There's a saying among electricians: "There are no old careless electricians." I would guess the same holds true for shooters. So, why take chances to save a few bucks? How much are your eyes worth? Don't shoot reloads. Do wear eye protection.

[musicman]

I don't think reloads are necessarily the problem, but CARELESS reloads can be.

[Guest FroggyOne2]

Personally.. I will shoot reloads in my Glock.. because I am getting an aftermarket barrel so I can work up some lead bullet loads.. I don't feel that there will be a problem.. Just something to use when I go shoot some pistol matches.