School me on Glock reloading please

[tt0511]

I'm thinking of getting a Glock. I'm semi-new to reloading but have very successfully turned out 5-6 batches of 45 ACP that run very well. My friend at the gun shop informed me about the Glock barrel not fully supporting the cartridge case at the bottom and said I might want to consider that if I'm going to be shooting a lot of reloads, but that he thought it was really only a concern with high pressure rounds as they can stress the casing at the unsupported area and if you are *unlucky* enough to have the same case in the same spot repeatedly through a couple or more reloading cycles, you could get a boom down the magazine.

I just want to know what I'm getting into before I make a decision. I will likely be looking at a 9mm G19 but the 45 ACP G30 is on the table too. I can't decide on the caliber yet. I like both and have reloading components for both. If this is an ignorant question or in the wrong forum, please forgive me. I just wanna learn right. I don't know anything about issues related to the Glock barrel and reloading cases repeatedly. I want to make sure I'm not just out of the loop on this. Should I press forward with the Glock and have no worries about reloading my own ammo or is there a legitimate concern to be aware of?

Edited August 22, 2012 by tt0511

[Handsome Rob]

I don't have any personal experience, but I have a couple of good friends that shoot thousands of rounds a month through their Glock 19s. They both shoot IDPA type stuff (hope I've got that right!) & reload their own. All I now is that they load very light; just enough to knock over whatever steel they're shooting at. They both load 120gn cast bullets, not jacketed & I believe (although I'll have to double check for you...) 3gn of either Bullseye or Titegroup.

I do believe they just keep reusing & reloading the same brass & I would have to guess that most of their cases have been used at least a dozen times now. I've shot a couple of hundred of their reloads through my own 19 & I can't say that I noticed anything out of the ordinary at all.

Let me send Mason a quick message & I'll find out their exact load........

[Guest Grout]

I've shot 10s of thousands of reloads through various Glock 21s and never had a problem resizing the brass..45 ACP is a low pressure rd so your not going to get a huge amount of case expansion.My rule of thumb for .45 ACP brass is reload it till it cracks sometimes you can load a case nearly a dozen times before it splits

[glockster157]

I wouldn't worry about the 45acp rounds. As stated it is a low pressure round. Most Kabooms are with 40 sw's as the guns were really 9mm's that were made into 40's. One thing you can do in either caliber is use a Lee bulge buster to fully size the case down to the rim and keep loads in the sane range. You can also get a Lone Wolf or Storm Lake barrel which is fully supported in the head area and has cut rifling so you can shoot lead bullets.

[tt0511]

Okay, so with either 9mm or 45 ACP there should be no issues then. I'm not a fan of .40 caliber myself. Either 9 or 45.

I was told about the Lone Wolf barrels but wondered it that messed with the reliability of the gun any. I suppose that question is for a different section of the forum though.

[Lumber_Jack]

Okay, so with either 9mm or 45 ACP there should be no issues then. I'm not a fan of .40 caliber myself. Either 9 or 45.

I was told about the Lone Wolf barrels but wondered it that messed with the reliability of the gun any. I suppose that question is for a different section of the forum though.

The Lone Wolf barrels are just as accurate as factory(or more). They don't use polygonal rifling which allows the use of lead boolits with leading up the barrel.

I reload 10mm in a Glock 20 and have had zero issues. You should always inspect your cases for signs of over pressure or cracking. If you use good brass you won't have any issues.

[McAllyn]

At last count, I have just over 18,000 rounds through my Glock 34 with factory barrel and have never had a single issue... okay, except a squib, but not what you were asking about. The kaboom stories that the interwebz are speckled with are typically 40's. On the older barrels, you could drop a round in and see at the top of the ramp a small section of the case that was not supported because the ramp was cut deeper into the chamber area. This issue has been somewhat remediated in newer barrels, but not completely removed from the realm of possibility. I've personally seen the effects of the kaboom, but 1)it was with an older G22 and 2)I could not vouch for the quality of ammunition used as it was neither my gun nor my ammunition.

The only bulge removing dies I've seen are for 40. There could be other calibers, just none I've ever had a need to look for. I personally use the GRx die to remove the bulge from range pick up 40 because my 40's are very tight chambered STI's and you can definitely tell when a case is out of spec.

In my opinion, you should be just fine with a G19 or G30 using either factory ammo or well built reloads. If you are going to shoot lead cast, then definitely get a LW or SL drop in. Just to be on the safe side.

Mac

[Jonnin]

it depends on what reloading manual and data, but the data I had would not cycle our glocks (9mm) until about 65% of the way up from starter loads to max loads. You may want to split the difference between max (which is stilll below +P!) and starter loads to save time; if you start at the bottom, you may just get ammo that will not function.

[glockster157]

I had a kaboom with a Glock 22. Didn't hurt the gun but destroyed the mag. It was with cheap Amerc range ammo. It was definitely the ammo's fault, Do some research on Amerc and it is absolute crap. I had a bunch of Amerc 45 brass and I could not get a decent reload from it. Lots of malfunctions. I now toss all Amerc brass in all calibers when it crosses my path. It blew out in the web btw on the 40sw.

As to load data, I use a chronograph. I have found reloading manuals have lowered powder charges considerably over the years while keeping their book velocities up. In many cases I have found my velocities and pressures well below theirs with these supposed "Max" loads. I use a lot of WW 231/HP38 for 9mm for service loads. Works good. Power Pistol and Blue Dot for hot stuff.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Don't load them hot and you shouldn't have any problems. The chamber support issue shows up on hot loads.

Otherwise it shouldn't be a big deal. I know of no reason to do anything different when loading for a Glock than

prudence, like any other reloading.

I've loaded .45acp hot and the bulge shows up. I backed off and it went away.

[Jamie Jackson]

I am an admitted Glockaholic and reloader.

I have about 30,000 rounds of reloads through my Glock 19...I currently load 5.7 grains of Unique with a 124 gr. fmj bullet and standard small pistol primers...if I'm using magnum primers I reduce the powder to 5.5 grains....

When I had a Glock 21 I loaded 5.7 grains of W 231 with a 230 gr fmj. I probably put 15,000 rounds of my reloads through it.

Confession: I did run a double charge of W231 through my G 21...that's 11.4 grains (only one second of focused inattention while reloading...Lesson: concentrate on the task at hand and not the kids!).

The "kaboom" blew the plastic cover off the trigger, bulged the slide, split the frame, and blew the mag apart. I was not injured and even got my hit on the target.

I contacted Glock, and told them what happened and the what the load was. Even though it was totally my fault and Glock warns against reloads...They wanted the pistol to examine and replaced the G 21 for me at no charge.

That's part of the reason I remain a confessed Glockaholic...that and the incredible shootability and reliability I've experienced with my Glocks.

[frankmako]

i reload 9mm, 40 s&w, and 45 acp for the glock. i do cast lead and fmj bullets. i also use aftermarket barrels in my glock when i shoot my reloads. it is the 40 s&w that you will have a problem with the non supported barrel. with the first batch of glock barrels it was real bad, the opening was large. but with the new barrels/glocks the support is better. but anyway it is best to get a aftermarket barrel if you shoot reloads in the 40. just do a full resize on the brass and you will be fine. some peoples do shoot cast lead in the glock factory barrel without any problems. i don't, but some do.

[Dolomite_supafly]

I have been told you can use a bullet sizer for a 44 magnum to squeeze 40 S&W back into shape after they have been "Glocked". I don't own a 40 S&W so I have not tried it myself.

From looking at drawings it should work. The bullet sizer is .429" and the casing is .424". And having only .005" difference is nothing really.

The problems you are going to run into isn't so much from loading your rounds hot as it is from leading in the bore. Even if you start out with a very mild load the bore can become so full of lead that the pressures can reach a dangerous level. And one of the worst things you can do is shoot jacketed bullets down the bore to clean the lead out. I suspect that is where the majority of the kaboom problems come from. I was talking to a friend who reloads and shoots cast through his Glock all the time. He said as long as you clean the barrel every 100 or so rounds you can shoot lead. For me it would be too much of a hassle.

Dolomite

Edited August 23, 2012 by Dolomite_supafly

[Jonnin]

You can try hard cast in the original poly barrels. I have done this with no problems, but you want to be sure you do not get buildup. That would probably best be done buy either buying hard lead stock to cast your own or just buying hard bullets already made up. It can save you a lot over time compared to FMJ rounds, if you can find some that work without leading with your load data and powder choices.

I have shot a couple thousand hard cast thru my makarov with no issues and several hundred thru a glock 9mm with no issues.

[leroy]

Don't load them hot and you shouldn't have any problems. The chamber support issue shows up on hot loads.

Otherwise it shouldn't be a big deal. I know of no reason to do anything different when loading for a Glock than

prudence, like any other reloading.

I've loaded .45acp hot and the bulge shows up. I backed off and it went away.

AR's advice here is a good thing. We reload for a glock 27 (...40 s & w...) with no problems. We load a "factory duplication" load. One hundred eighty grain bullets at about 980 fps.

Havin said all that, most all semiauto pistols have a bit of unsupported area around the cartridge head in the area just ahead of the case head. Ya can see this by removin the slide and barrel assembly, droppin a case into the barrel, lockin the barrel back into battery and takin a look at the bottom of the barrel where the barrel is relieved to allow the loaded round to travel up from the magazine into the breach. If ya see any brass, you have found an unsupported area; so the "unsupported area" thing aint just a glock thing. I just think folks have just "rediscovered" it with the glocks.

RE: The "smile and blown round thing": We used to load the old 38 supers pretty hot when the only generally available barrels were colt barrels; and in true "country boy" fashion we would seat the rounds long to just contact the lands when the slide went into battery to fix the "headspace problem" with the old colt barrels (....dont try this at home....) and use heavy loads. This would result in an "unsupported area" of at least the rim thickness of the brass due to the country boy "headspace fix" (...the old 38 supers were originally designed to headspace on a small rim cut on the barrel hood that matched an equally tiny rim on the old 38 super brass (...they almost never did...). By the way, the new supers headspace on the case mouth ala 9mm and 45 acp; so there is no reason to do this silly trick anymore.

We always used new brass, and generally on the initial firing we would either get a bulge (...we called 'em a "smile" -- ALA glock "smiles". ...) or a "small rupture". The first reload on the brass would almost invariably completely rupture; so we tossed the brass after it was used once. When ya got a rupture; you would generally get a face full of powder (...that's why ya always need shootin glasses....). I never saw a magazine hurt or a 1911 hurt; but the Hand of Providence was on us. I also think that another mitigating circumstance was that these "ruptures" tended to be right below the hood on the barrel and tended to blow out at 90 degrees to the side; not vertically down into an enclosed space in the magagine well. This prevented the shattering of grips and blowing up of magazines. Thankfully, all of us that were so nutty are a bit smarter now, thanks to Providence, and we no longer conduct nor condone such hairbrained practice. Havin said all that, the results from the reloads were great; great accuracy and flat trajectory over long distances, with spectacular terminal performance. Today, the ISPC and practical shooters do the same thing with the super usin a good barrel, fully supported (....evidently the super is short enough to fully support; so the new barrels work like a charm...) and headspaces on the case mouth. The new 38 super "hotrod shooters" do it the right way; safely and repeatably. We did it the wrong way with predictable results.

I think the advice RE: rifled barrels with lead bullets is very wise if ya intend to shoot lead bullets. We buy whatever jacked 180 grain slugs we can find on sale and save the worry and bother of the "shootin lead bullet" thing. I like the 40 s & w. They accurate and powerful regardless of the "40 short and weak" name and the problems with unsupported barrel areas thing. If ya reload them to factory velocity levels; ya souldnt have any problems.

Hope this helps.

leroy

[tt0511]

I am an admitted Glockaholic and reloader.

I have about 30,000 rounds of reloads through my Glock 19...I currently load 5.7 grains of Unique with a 124 gr. fmj bullet and standard small pistol primers...if I'm using magnum primers I reduce the powder to 5.5 grains....

When I had a Glock 21 I loaded 5.7 grains of W 231 with a 230 gr fmj. I probably put 15,000 rounds of my reloads through it.

Confession: I did run a double charge of W231 through my G 21...that's 11.4 grains (only one second of focused inattention while reloading...Lesson: concentrate on the task at hand and not the kids!).

The "kaboom" blew the plastic cover off the trigger, bulged the slide, split the frame, and blew the mag apart. I was not injured and even got my hit on the target.

I contacted Glock, and told them what happened and the what the load was. Even though it was totally my fault and Glock warns against reloads...They wanted the pistol to examine and replaced the G 21 for me at no charge.

That's part of the reason I remain a confessed Glockaholic...that and the incredible shootability and reliability I've experienced with my Glocks.

Wow. That's an impressive support story there. I'm very glad you weren't injured!!

[tt0511]

At last count, I have just over 18,000 rounds through my Glock 34 with factory barrel and have never had a single issue... okay, except a squib, but not what you were asking about. The kaboom stories that the interwebz are speckled with are typically 40's. On the older barrels, you could drop a round in and see at the top of the ramp a small section of the case that was not supported because the ramp was cut deeper into the chamber area. This issue has been somewhat remediated in newer barrels, but not completely removed from the realm of possibility. I've personally seen the effects of the kaboom, but 1)it was with an older G22 and 2)I could not vouch for the quality of ammunition used as it was neither my gun nor my ammunition.

The only bulge removing dies I've seen are for 40. There could be other calibers, just none I've ever had a need to look for. I personally use the GRx die to remove the bulge from range pick up 40 because my 40's are very tight chambered STI's and you can definitely tell when a case is out of spec.

In my opinion, you should be just fine with a G19 or G30 using either factory ammo or well built reloads. If you are going to shoot lead cast, then definitely get a LW or SL drop in. Just to be on the safe side.

Mac

Cool. That's good to know. I won't be shooting lead bullets any time soon, all FMJ for me right now.

[glockster157]

If you have a Lee Factory Crimp die in 40SW and/or 45ACP I have a little bulge fix trick. The carbide ring in these dies are for factory outside diameter dimensions. I take the crimper out of the die leaving it hollow all the way thru, I use a bullet punch from a Lee bullet sizer kit as a ram and I can push the case all the way thru the FCD die. This sizes the case all the way including the rim. I have not tried this with the 9mm because the case is slightly tapered. Basically a Lee bulge buster kit.

As to using cast bullets in a Glock factory barrel, I have tried it. I have found soft bullets shot slower works better that hard bullets shot faster. Most leading comes from gas cutting, which is gas flowing around the bullet because it is either too small for the bore or is too hard to swell and fill the bore. I made a load for my Glock 19 using the lee tumble lube bullet using 4.2 grains of 231. It was kinda fun as the cases would fall at my feet but they functioned reliably.

[Jamie Jackson]

Wow. That's an impressive support story there. I'm very glad you weren't injured!!

Thank you. Me too! The Good Lord looks out for foolish behavior...apparently.

And you're right. It was excellent customer service, especially since I directly violated the factory warranty. I was fortunate on both accounts.

[DWARREN123]

I have/do reloaded for Glocks in 9mm, 40S&W and 10mm. I load the rounds as long as possible.

I do not load to +P but max for some powders I use.

I have loaded jacketed, plated and lead for all with no problems to date.

[tt0511]

I sold my 1911 this week and picked up my Gen4 Glock 19. Today I put the first 100 factory rounds through it. It ran flawlessly. I also had loaded up 20 test reloads to see how that worked out. Zero issues! My first 9mm reloads and I'm surprised I didn't have a hiccup. My recipe was as follows:

124Gr FMJ RN from Precision Delta

Winchester WSP small primers

4.1Gr Titegroup

OAL - 1.145

Accuracy was on par with the factory loads I shot. Since I shot at an indoor range, I didn't set up the chronograph but will do that in the near future to test the velocity on that recipe compared to factory loads.

[camp]

Congratulations, i am working on reloading 40 cal for my glock and hope i have the same success