Reloading Glock-Fired Ammo?

[Guest macmonkey]

I was out at Reloaders Bench today looking at some stuff and noticed that they had some boxes of .40 brass that said something to the effect of "Not Glock Fired" or something like that.

Can anyone tell me why they would specify this?

Thank you

jw

[TGO David]

The .40SW Glocks have a partially unsupported chamber. When you fire rounds through them, the unsupported area will bulge slightly. Conventional wisdom is that you don't want to reload a casing after it's been run through a 40-caliber Glock as it will have this problem to one degree or another.

[Guest macmonkey]

Dang.. so I guess I'm SOL with reloading my glock-fired .40 ammo then I don't notice anything wrong with my brass.

I just started reloading so this is all pretty new.

Thanks for your help.

jw

[creeky]

I've always heard the same thing. It's hard for me to get into my head

though. Mainly because your reshaping the brass anyway. Then again maybe

it is creating a lot more stress in that one unsupported area that can't really

be seen that well. Not really sure so I would lean toward the side of caution.

(And just not buy glocks. )

*I also wait thirty minutes after I eat before I go swimming.

[Guest macmonkey]

Yea - I'm happy with my glock. Plenty of haters around these parts but with my limited knowledge - it seems like a pretty good piece and I love shooting it.

[Guest cgs2326]

Do you know what gen glock does not support the caseing all the way around? I am looking at my G27 gen 3 and it supports the .40 s&w all the way around.

[Guest sling]

Reason being that it bulges is not only because of the unsupported chamber but because that .40 is a pretty high pressure round. Unsupported chamber + high pressure = bulge

The remedy to this is if you reload .40 and want to use it in a glock bring down the pressure by reducing the load. Simple.

You're other alternative... and something you might do anyways is to purchase a supported aftermarket barrel.

[TGO David]

The bulging generally occurs around the case web. Since .40SW cartridges are loaded for a fairly high case pressure already, the potential for case failure is exacerbated by the unsupported chamber design. Especially if the case was already weakened by being run through an unsupported chamber previously.

The photo below shows the typical failure:

Most of your competitive Glock shooters run custom barrels (Storm Lake, Wolff, etc.) in their .40SW models. These barrels have a better supported chamber design, so case bulging isn't as much of an issue and shooting reloads isn't as problematic.

[creeky]

...the potential for case failure is exacerbated by the unsupported chamber design.

...giggle...

You said "exacerbated"... hehehe...

On glocks... all things considered, if I hadn't been so

prejudiced against them many years ago I'd be carring one

now instead of an USP compact. A painful truth... but true all

the same.

[SpacemanSpiff]

I've been reloading 9mm for my Glock 19 (gen 1). Is this topic relevant for the 9mm as well? I have not reloaded any brass yet that was fired thru my Glock. Just wondering now if I need to keep it or scrap it? The brass, not the gun.

Thanks

[Guest sling]

Spaceman,

It doesnt really apply to 9mm unless you're using some pretty powerful loads. And even then...

When i had my 19 i reloaded for it until the brass just plain ole' wore out.

9mm isnt a very high pressure round as compared to 40 or .357 sig.

You're fine.

The gen 1 glocks are just as durable as the gen 3 as far as shooting reloads is concerned.

A good rule of thumb, if your worried about bulges, is to run your finger nail down the side of the case and see if she's bulgin...

Edited August 29, 2008 by sling

[SpacemanSpiff]

Thanks Sling

[DWARREN123]

Gen III Glocks are suppose to have more support than Gen I or II but still leave a bulge. I have reloaded over 2,000 cases (some 10 times) fired in a Glock 23 or 27 and have had no problems with them in the same Glocks or an XDm. I have slightly modified my dies by surface grinding the case holder to half the above case size and by cutting down the bottom of the resizing dies so there is very little chamfer at the entrance, didn't make a functional difference just looks a little bit better.

I use Lee carbide pistol dies.

My loads are not max either, 7.5gr of Longshot powder and various brass and primers and either Magnus 165gr/180gr JHP or Rainier 165gr/180gr plated HP bullets.

These are clean, accurate, safe loads in my firearms, also used in a Hi-Point carbine.

Some people get upset if they get once fired Glock brass but like I said I have had no problems.

[TnShooter83]

The "Unsupported chamber", is present in all Glocks from the factory.

The reason being is the design, it is that way to make feeding MANY different types of ammo reliable. The only way around it is to buy after market.

[SpacemanSpiff]

I was just resizing about 300 .40 S&W and the bulge was noticeable making it easy to distinguish between Glock fired and other.

[TripleDigitRide]

I don't have this issue with my XD40.

[SpacemanSpiff]

I don't have an issue with my Sig 229 bulging the brass. It's the brass that I pick up at the range that may be an issue since I reload for my Sig.

[nb forrest]

I load Glock fired .40 brass all the time. I've never encountered a problem with it. A good sizing die will take the bulge out.

[TGO David]

A sizing die does nothing for the structural integrity of the case webbing, though. If the case is bulged, it's my opinion that it should be thrown into the trash. Brass isn't so expensive that I'd consider risking a case with degraded integrity.

[Guest sling]

A sizing die does nothing for the structural integrity of the case webbing, though. If the case is bulged, it's my opinion that it should be thrown into the trash. Brass isn't so expensive that I'd consider risking a case with degraded integrity.

+1

Tungstens right. No piece of brass is ever worth the risk of hurting yourself. Chuck it. Brass is cheap... kinda.

[Guest Grout]

I load Glock fired .40 brass all the time. I've never encountered a problem with it. A good sizing die will take the bulge out.

And the best is the EGW Undersize Reloading die.www.egw-guns.com,or you could spring for a Case -Pro

Edited September 11, 2008 by Grout

[nb forrest]

A sizing die does nothing for the structural integrity of the case webbing, though. If the case is bulged, it's my opinion that it should be thrown into the trash. Brass isn't so expensive that I'd consider risking a case with degraded integrity.

I load my .40 to minor power factor and my XD has a fully supported chamber. If it didn't blow in a glock it damn sure won't loaded minor in a fully supported chamber. If I didn't pick up glocked brass I would have to buy most of brass and that isn't in the budget.

[RWF]

Haha! the truth comes out! we knew you did not put any powder in those reloads!

[rstandley]

I have reloaded 10,000 .40s&w for my G-35, I have had 1 case failure from a case that had about 10 reloads on it. USPSA major power factor is below the factory spec. so I have had very little problem with case seperation. I am starting to find some 9mm that are bulged out from people loading them to major power factor in comp. guns. Their is the one 9mm I shot out of my .40, expanded out to .40 with out splitting the case.

[nb forrest]

I have reloaded 10,000 .40s&w for my G-35, I have had 1 case failure from a case that had about 10 reloads on it. USPSA major power factor is below the factory spec. so I have had very little problem with case seperation. I am starting to find some 9mm that are bulged out from people loading them to major power factor in comp. guns. Their is the one 9mm I shot out of my .40, expanded out to .40 with out splitting the case.

Thank you, my point exactly