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Glock 40 Cal Case Bulge

I am about to load my first 40 S&W rounds and I read about the Glocks bulging the cases.One train of thought is never reload used 40 cal cases.The other is run used cases through a die to remove the bulge.The other is dont worry about the bulge,reload as usual. I am now confused on which is almost accurate. Any experienced advice would be helpful.

Comments

  • Anthony Anthony Member Posts: 96 ✭✭

    Your first issue is that you own a .40.

  • Ricci.WrightRicci.Wright Member Posts: 5,129 ✭✭✭✭

    I have owned and carried .40 Glocks for a lot of years and still do. I have run two indoor ranges and I do not remember ever having a problem with bulged cases. We would sell a couple of thousand rounds of fired brass a month and I have swept up and looked at a lot of brass. Admittedly I don't think I ever reloaded a single round of .40 S&W ( by the way, wouldn't any bulge be removed when you resize the case??) but I think the "problem" with .40 Glocks is overstated to say the least. .40 was a very popular caliber before the internet and forum experts decided it didn't work anymore. It just stopped killing overnight. I don't care as I can shoot pretty much what ever I have laying around, but it amazes me how much stupid crap is written and how much of it becomes fact. In any case, good luck.

    And Anthony, it is true the .40 S&W is too much for some folks. For some with tiny weak hands, or those that need a lot of bullets to actually hit their target, I agree a smaller caliber is the way to go.

  • Ricci.WrightRicci.Wright Member Posts: 5,129 ✭✭✭✭

    Awww, are you offended??? I didn't mean to. Go stick it on the side of one of your AR receivers.

  • NeoBlackdogNeoBlackdog Member Posts: 16,566 ✭✭✭✭
    edited September 2021

    I've been reloading Glock shot 40's for a decade or more and have had zero issues. That said, I also don't try to push the envelope on velocity and pressure. Berry's 165 bullets and 4.4 grains of Titegroup make nice little plinker loads that meet the power factor requirements for IDPA in CCP, SSP, and ESP divisions. If you look at the Hodgdon website you'll see that this is .1 grain below their listed starting load but it has worked flawlessly for me in a Glock 27, a pair of 23's, a 35, and now a 24. It even runs well in my KelTec Sub-2000.

    The stock Glock barrels do have an area to the bottom rear of the chamber that is not supported as well as it could be and there are fully supported aftermarket barrels that you can put in if this is a concern.

    I use a chamber gauge on each and every round I load and make sure that all rounds seat into it properly. If you are trying for full pressure, hand stingin', ear drum shattering, high pressure rounds then use new brass every time.

    The rounds I use in the 23 (my primary carry gun) are factory Federal Hydra Shok 165's but for the range my hand loads work just dandy.

  • NeoBlackdogNeoBlackdog Member Posts: 16,566 ✭✭✭✭

    Generally we try to be helpful here. The snark belongs in General Discussion.

  • Ricci.WrightRicci.Wright Member Posts: 5,129 ✭✭✭✭

    I seem to remember when the .40 S&W first came out they were having some trouble, maybe the powders the ammo companies started with. I remember something about pressure curves or some such. I think the first gun we got our hands on was a Ruger P series and it did ok. I did have a G23 a few years back that refused to shoot 165 or 180 grain factory ammo. It would shoot eight or ten inches at 50 yards. I went back to the shop and found some 155 gr. Hornady TAP and went into our indoor range and that silly pistol would shoot into less than three inches at 25 yards. My G27 that I use now will shoot anything I have tried.

  • buddybbuddyb Member Posts: 5,234 ✭✭✭✭

    Thanks.That was what I needed was people with experience.Sounds like I will be fine using what I have.

  • NeoBlackdogNeoBlackdog Member Posts: 16,566 ✭✭✭✭

    What load are you using? Let us know how they work for you!

  • buddybbuddyb Member Posts: 5,234 ✭✭✭✭

    I have some 180 grain Rainiers and an unopened container of Titegroup.I am going to see if there is a recipe for those two.

  • 62fuelie62fuelie Member Posts: 1,069 ✭✭✭

    The 40 S&W is a pretty high pressure load in factory loadings - ever notice there are no 40 +p loads? I believe Blackdog is correct about the unsupported section of the Glock chamber allowing some bulging. I always run my cases through a carbide sizing die and they come out looking like new. I have reloaded .40's fired in a variety of Glocks and run them through my Sigs with no problems at all. Instead of using cartridge check blocks I just pull the barrel from a Sig and drop each load in. If it enters cleanly and the case head is even with the rear edge of the chamber hood it is properly headspaced.

  • NeoBlackdogNeoBlackdog Member Posts: 16,566 ✭✭✭✭

    Hodgdon has data listed for the Berry's plated bullets. I would think it should work for the plated Rainier's too.

    What gun are you going to run 'em through?

  • buddybbuddyb Member Posts: 5,234 ✭✭✭✭
  • pulsarncpulsarnc Member Posts: 6,215 ✭✭✭✭

    Lee sells a bulge buster die in .40 cal to address this problem .

    cry Havoc and let slip  the dogs of war..... 
  • NeoBlackdogNeoBlackdog Member Posts: 16,566 ✭✭✭✭

    You should be just fine. Like I said above, don't try for screamin' hot loads, keep 'em tame, and it should run very well and not give you any issues.

  • buddybbuddyb Member Posts: 5,234 ✭✭✭✭

    I used 4.2 grains of Titegroup,CCI small pistol primers with the 180 grain Rainiers.Cycles perfectly and that load may have made the Glock one of the most accurate auto pistols I have ever owned. Thanks for everyone that helped.

  • NeoBlackdogNeoBlackdog Member Posts: 16,566 ✭✭✭✭

    That's the exact load I started with except Berry's bullets and then switched to the 165 grain Berry's. Seems to be just a tad less recoil with the 165's.

    Glad it's working for you!

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