Questions/Concerns about the .40 Caliber

I've been creating some threads today to ask questions I've been curious about. So here is one on the .40 caliber. I want to start off saying I don't want this be a "caliber war" thread, nor do I want to bash certain manufacturers of guns.

I've read on here and other forums about serious malfunctions with the .40 and Glock models. I think the term used was "kaboom." (and let me add here that, while not my favorite, I do like and appreciate Glock guns.) Is this something with the caliber itself, or the gun? It seems that problems with CZ guns tend to be the .40 also. So what gives? Is there an inherent problem with the .40 concerning feeding or another issue? Are there enough examples of guns out there that have zero issues handling that round? If so, which tend to handle it better?

And as far as the "kaboom" thing, is this just overhyped? Are there examples of other caliber Glocks having this problem? Should I be concerned about this with a 10mm Glock? And I'll finish by adding again that I'm trying to fulfill my curiosity about certain topics, and not wanting to bash a certain caliber or manufacturer. Thanks to those that can offer insight.

Stop listening to internet parrots.

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

I owned a Model 22 for almost 20 years and not one problem. Used factory ammo.
Traded it in on a SIG P226 in .40S&W that felt better in my hands.
I like the .40S&W round.

Lateck,

Never had a problem with the .40S&W. My Beretta 96 works great with them.

There's nothing wrong with the .40S&W, but if you have your heart set on a .40 caliber weapon, I'd recommend getting something chambered for 10mm. The .40S&W is modeled after the 10mm cartridge, but shortened and with a lighter powder charge. The .40S&W only came about because of the development of the 10mm cartridge to have better stopping power than the 9mm, with a flatter trajectory and higher velocity than the .45acp, comparable to something between a .357 magnum and .44 magnum revolver round. During FBI testing, the cartridge performed phenominally, but they determined that the recoil was too heavy, and grip too large for the average agent. S&W saw a gap to fill, and created the .40S&W, which is simply a shorter 10mm. The .40S&W cannot match the accuracy and ballistics of the 10mm, so if you're looking for something between a 9mm and .45acp, with great ballistics and accuracy, I'd recommend the Glock 20, as long as you can afford to spend a little extra on ammo. Sorry for the long post, but I'd really like the 10mm to be a little more popular. The .40 is ok, but in my eyes, you might as well just get a 9mm instead.

And as far as the "kaboom" thing, is this just overhyped?
Yes.

There's nothing wrong with the .40S&W, but if you have your heart set on a .40 caliber weapon, I'd recommend getting something chambered for 10mm. The .40S&W is modeled after the 10mm cartridge, but shortened and with a lighter powder charge. The .40S&W only came about because of the development of the 10mm cartridge to have better stopping power than the 9mm, with a flatter trajectory and higher velocity than the .45acp, comparable to something between a .357 magnum and .44 magnum revolver round. During FBI testing, the cartridge performed phenominally, but they determined that the recoil was too heavy, and grip too large for the average agent. S&W saw a gap to fill, and created the .40S&W, which is simply a shorter 10mm. The .40S&W cannot match the accuracy and ballistics of the 10mm, so if you're looking for something between a 9mm and .45acp, with great ballistics and accuracy, I'd recommend the Glock 20, as long as you can afford to spend a little extra on ammo. Sorry for the long post, but I'd really like the 10mm to be a little more popular. The .40 is ok, but in my eyes, you might as well just get a 9mm instead.

Just to make things clear, you can not shoot .40 in a barrel chambered for 10mm

If Glock .40s suck, why are they standard issue for FBI agents......

They're great guns....IMHO

During FBI testing, the cartridge performed phenominally, but they determined that the recoil was too heavy... The cartridge performed very well when loaded to propel a 180gr bullet at 980 fps. It had a greater success rate in meeting the 12-inch minimum penetration depth desired by the FBI (97.5%) than then exisiting .38 Special (67.5%), 9mm (67.5%) and .45 ACP (92.5%).

and grip too large for the average agent. The .40 S&W was developed to fit inside medium-frame automatics, not because the FBI S&W 1076 handgun's "grip was too large".

More info on history & devlopment of 10mm, which ultimately led to development of .40 S&W:
http://www.firearmstactical.com/pdf/fbi_10mm_notes.pdf
http://www.firearmstactical.com/fbi_10mm_pistol_hall.htm

For 15+ years, I have shot several hundreds and thousands of factory FMJ/JHP and jacketed/plated mid-high range load data reloads out of my Glock 22/27 - I will admit that I HAVE NOT shot over-charged reloads out of my Glocks and I have cleaned them after each range/match session of 500-2000+ rounds. Only malfunctions I have experienced have been "high" primers not igniting, but since have fixed that problem by hand priming all of my match/range practice rounds.

Gen3/4 Glock barrels have tighter chambers and have improved case base support at the ramp area compared to Gen1/2. So if they have finger grooves, keep them clean and lightly lubed and you are good to go.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=6691798#post6691798

I have shot 300,000+ of reloaded jacketed and plated rounds through my factory Gen3 Glock barrels with no issue. I shot 40S&W reloads primarily but also 9mm/45ACP.

I think the key factors to remember when shooting jacketed/plated reloads are:
- Keep your charge loads mid-high range of load data and do not exceed max charge
- If you see bulged cases, reduce your charge
- Inspect your spent cases and do not reuse damaged/questionable cases

I have also shot quite a bit of lead reloads in Glocks, but prefer to shoot them out of Lone Wolf barrels. If you shoot a lot of lead reloads, $100 is very cheap insurance and compared to price of jacketed/plated bullets, you'll pay for the cost of reloading equipment+$100 barrel much faster (do the math for several thousand rounds):
- Same as above, but inspect/clean your barrel (especially the chamber to rifling transition area) regularly. If I am shooting lead reloads out of my factory Glock barrels, I check them every 200-300 rounds or so

Be safe and have fun with your Glocks.

Don't worry about it. The 40 S&W is the most dominant Law Enforcement cartridge in the US. It would not have reached that status if it had problems and didn't work.

The cartridge performed very well when loaded to propel a 180gr bullet at 980 fps. It had a greater success rate in meeting the 12-inch minimum penetration depth desired by the FBI (97.5%) than then exisiting .38 Special (67.5%), 9mm (67.5%) and .45 ACP (92.5%).

The .40 S&W was developed to fit inside medium-frame automatics, not because the FBI S&W 1076 handgun's "grip was too large".

More info on history & devlopment of 10mm, which ultimately led to development of .40 S&W:
http://www.firearmstactical.com/pdf/fbi_10mm_notes.pdf
http://www.firearmstactical.com/fbi_10mm_pistol_hall.htm
During tests of 9mm and .45 ACP ammunition, FBI Firearms Training Unit, Special Agent In Charge, John Hall, decided to include tests of the 10mm cartridge, supplying his personally owned Colt Delta Elite 10mm automatic, and personally handloading 10mm ammunition. The FBI's tests revealed that a 170-180gr JHP 10mm bullet, propelled between 900-1000 fps, achieved desired terminal performance without the heavy recoil associated with conventional 10mm ammunition (1300-1400 fps). The FBI contacted Smith & Wesson and requested it to design a handgun to FBI specifications, based on the existing large-frame S&W 4506 .45 ACP handgun, that would reliably function with the FBI's reduced velocity 10mm ammunition. During this collaboration with the FBI, S&W realized it could shorten the 10mm case enough to fit within its medium-frame 9mm handguns and load it with a 180gr JHP bullet to produce ballistic performance identical to the FBI's reduced velocity 10mm cartridge. S&W then teamed with Winchester to produce a new cartridge, the .40 S&W. It uses a small pistol primer whereas the 10mm cartridge uses a large pistol primer.

Although it was selected by the F.B.I. for use in the field, their Firearms Training Unit "concluded that its recoil was excessive in terms of training for average agent/police officer competency of use and qualification," and the pistols that chambered it were too large for some small-handed individuals.[6] These issues led to the creation and eventual adoption of a shortened version of the 10mm that would evolve into what is today the .40 S&W.

Taken from multiple sources. There's a lot more info, if someone's bored and wants to google it. Very intersting though. The development of the .40S&W is actually due to the 1986 Miami shootout. That's what spurred the FBI to equip it's agents with something else then the old .38 revolvers. Sorry don't mean to threadjack. LOL.

Most of my guns are .40 cal, ZERO problems.

I regret getting rid of my 226 years ago, as now I'm going to get another.

There are some GREAT defensive rounds out there as well.

Check out the youtube channel of tnoutdoors9

He has the best videos I've seen where he demonstrates what happens to a round after it hits it's target.

As far as guns and recoil, some react differently as stated above. I have had some pricey guns in .40 and inexpensive (even the Astra A75) and I don't think I've had a misfire yet in them yet (tens of thousands of rounds).

I'd check some ranges or shops with ranges and see if you can "rent" some and try 'em out, great way to not regret a purchase on a new firearm.

...the pistols that chambered it were too large for some small-handed individuals.[6]
This is an inaccurate claim. The FBI had just been involved in a lawsuit (Hansen v. Webster) in which the plaintiff claimed that the FBI issue revolver, the S&W model 13, was too big for women's smaller hands.

I've been creating some threads today to ask questions I've been curious about. So here is one on the .40 caliber. I want to start off saying I don't want this be a "caliber war" thread, nor do I want to bash certain manufacturers of guns.

I've read on here and other forums about serious malfunctions with the .40 and Glock models. I think the term used was "kaboom." (and let me add here that, while not my favorite, I do like and appreciate Glock guns.) Is this something with the caliber itself, or the gun? It seems that problems with CZ guns tend to be the .40 also. So what gives? Is there an inherent problem with the .40 concerning feeding or another issue? Are there enough examples of guns out there that have zero issues handling that round? If so, which tend to handle it better?

And as far as the "kaboom" thing, is this just overhyped? Are there examples of other caliber Glocks having this problem? Should I be concerned about this with a 10mm Glock? And I'll finish by adding again that I'm trying to fulfill my curiosity about certain topics, and not wanting to bash a certain caliber or manufacturer. Thanks to those that can offer insight.

You'll notice there is an abnormal amount of shooters also posting: "Do I ever have to clean my Glock? because I'm lazy and hate having fingers?" threads.

And don't forget: "Can i shoot lead and never ever clean my barrel cause i hate having fingers?" threads.

Not to forget: " How much powder can I stuff in a .40 case? I still have 4 fingers left, i think I can handle it?" and "Captain Bubba made some reloads out of old Wolf steel cases and lead wheel weights, I'm going to run those in my Glock, I really hate my hands."

Alot of Glocks/Kimbers/Ar15/HK/Springy/whatever get banged up every year by Momos that get complacent with the fact that handguns deserve some respect.
Glocks are very popular, and great for beginners. There are millions of them out there. Some get blown up just like any brand, usually it's not the pistols fault regardless of brand.

If you pay attention, service your Glock regularly including changeing the springs, and actually clean and lube it properly.....you'll have nothing to worry about. IMO, the Glock is the finest pistol out there.

Don't believe all the hearsay on the net, we've all met Momos at the range that make us want to dive into a foxhole. Some people have no regard for their own safety.

I've owned several .40's. The Glock 35 I had was not very accurate compared to it's big brother, the Glock 20 10mm, but it was reliable and safe.
The Glock 20 with .40 conversion barrel was one of the best .40's I've ever fired, highly accurate.
The Sig P226 is another great .40.
The HK USP .40 is a bomb proof .40, but not as accurate for me as the Sig.

Although it was selected by the F.B.I. for use in the field, their Firearms Training Unit "concluded that its recoil was excessive in terms of training for average agent/police officer competency of use and qualification
Which is absolute BS due to the fact the .40 S&W Automatic cartridge and load standards are based upon and duplicated the FBI tested, approved, and issues 180gr JHP at 980fps. This means the .40 S&W load exactly mimicked, duplicated, and was redundant to the 10mm load used by the FBI and the recoil was of no issue since they generated the same internal ballistics.

Same powder charge, same bullet weight, same velocity, same gun weight will always have the same recoil. Welcome to physics for gun owners.

Furthermore, the FBI dropped the 10mm due to politics. The FBI trained their agents to prep the trigger before firing. This lead to failures of the gun. The FBI told S&W to fix the gun. S&W told the FBI to get bent. Follow the money. The FBI canceled the contract for the S&W pistols and went to SIG. But they adopted the .40 S&W cartridge, so who got the last laugh?

I've known Mr Hall for many years and have spoken with him about the 10mm testing at length. He stated one of the protocols for the testing was that the gun and ammo combination couldn't recoil more than the M1911A1 with standard GI ball. The S&W 1076 10mm loaded with 180gr bullet at the 980fps tested meets that requirement. So there goes your "excessive recoil theory BS" again. If the .45 GI ball in a 1911 is too much, there's other issues at play.

Zero, you reminded me of something I hadn't thought of in years. I remember being at the gun shop with my dad a few years back. This guy down the counter is arguing with his friend about which gun guy #2 should buy.

Guy 2 says, "I don't want a 10mm it just looks to big."
Guy 1: You're an idiot the 10mm is the greatest handgun bullet ever developed.
Guy 2: Why is it so much better than the 9mm.
Guy 1: "Because it is a whole inch bigger dumb @$$."
(He was actually holding his hand in the okay sign to illustrate that it was a whole inch bigger in diameter.)

My old duty gun was a G22. I did not have any problems with it through several thousand rounds. Out of nearly 100 Patrol Officers/Detectives, none had issues with their G22s.
I did not observe any issues with the 40 caliber Glock pistols at my academy (majority were G22s and G23s). The last shooting school I went to was about 90% G22s, I did not witness any problems there either.

That doesn't mean that there aren't problems with some of them. There is always the chance of a lemon.

I also believe that the Kabooms are over hyped.

To answer the OP's question, yes .40 S&W can cause major problems in firearms with chambers that do not fully support the case head. I don't feel like retyping it, so here's a link to Speer's .40 S&W warning which I posted in another thread. Note that this warning appears on no other cartridge in Speer Reloading Manual No. 13. All the folks who think that .40 S&W KBs are caused by negligence should read that warning carefully, and take note as to what the engineers at Speer have to say on the subject.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=6678669&postcount=35

Any common service guns that don't fully support the case head?

Any common service guns that don't fully support the case head?
Yes; Glock, Springfield EMP, and a few others which I cant remember at this hour. Glock has slowly added more case head support to their .40 S&W pistols, but they still don't completely support it.

It's easy to check though. Simply field strip the weapon, and grab the barrel. Drop a round or fired case into the bbl, and have a look. Take a look at post #32 by valorious in the same thread which I linked, which has a picture of a CZ-40 bbl/chamber with full case head support, and you'll see what I mean. http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=6678618&postcount=32

Which is absolute BS due to the fact the .40 S&W Automatic cartridge and load standards are based upon and duplicated the FBI tested, approved, and issues 180gr JHP at 980fps. This means the .40 S&W load exactly mimicked, duplicated, and was redundant to the 10mm load used by the FBI and the recoil was of no issue since they generated the same internal ballistics.

Same powder charge, same bullet weight, same velocity, same gun weight will always have the same recoil. Welcome to physics for gun owners.

Furthermore, the FBI dropped the 10mm due to politics. The FBI trained their agents to prep the trigger before firing. This lead to failures of the gun. The FBI told S&W to fix the gun. S&W told the FBI to get bent. Follow the money. The FBI canceled the contract for the S&W pistols and went to SIG. But they adopted the .40 S&W cartridge, so who got the last laugh?

I've known Mr Hall for many years and have spoken with him about the 10mm testing at length. He stated one of the protocols for the testing was that the gun and ammo combination couldn't recoil more than the M1911A1 with standard GI ball. The S&W 1076 10mm loaded with 180gr bullet at the 980fps tested meets that requirement. So there goes your "excessive recoil theory BS" again. If the .45 GI ball in a 1911 is too much, there's other issues at play.
The full load 10mm is closer to 1300-1400fps, I think you're confused with the "FBI light load" Did you even read the post you commented on and called BS? The reason the FBI came up with the light load is due to heavy recoil. When the powder charge is lessened, it is more similar to the .40S&W.

Can you back up the politics claim with proof? Seems interesting. I'd like to learn more.

the glock "kaboom" thing with the .40 10mm or .357 sig isn't some inherent design with the round or glocks, but there was an issue with the serial number range EAAXXXUS to EZZXXXUS with the frames cracking. some people get wind of this, or hear about it in part and think it's an issue with glock when it was just for that range of serial numbers. the high pressure round accompanied by the prevalence of glocks in law enforcement contributed to bringing it to light, and the internet helped to pervert what really happened.

but there was an issue with the serial number range EAAXXXUS to EZZXXXUS with the frames cracking.
That was the frame rails breaking. Not in anyway due to caliber BTW.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQp6JhYytfM

My life, and the lives of people employed by our company could depend on the weapons they carry. We respect their rights as professionals, to have some say in their weapons and we have guidelines as well. Glocks are on the approved list. Of the failure stories looked into of Glocks, it seems operator error was the main cause. Any gun, plane, train, or ice cream cone can fail. Nothing is 100%. I carried a Glock 23 for several years, with never a problem. It has only recently been replaced with the Taurus OSS 24/7 45. The Taurus OSS line passed a series of tests to our satisfaction, and has been added to the approved list. The 40 cal has been around, long enough to prove itself. Glock has to. Any questions, feel free to contact me. Good luck in your study, I would like to know the results. Have a great day.

The full load 10mm is closer to 1300-1400fps, I think you're confused with the "FBI light load" Did you even read the post you commented on and called BS? The reason the FBI came up with the light load is due to heavy recoil. When the powder charge is lessened, it is more similar to the .40S&W.
No, you don't get it. The FBI NEVER tested full power Norma level 10mm ammunition. The 10mm load used and tested was that it met the requirement that the gun and ammo combination could not recoil more than the M1911A1 with 230gr ball. The Norma ammunition, which could not be obtained due to import restrictions in time, would not have been allowed because it would not meet this requirement anyway.

The FBI did not "create" or "develop" the light load. It was handloaded by one of the agents for his personal firearm chambered in 10mm to those ballistics. That was the only ammo available at the time so they tested that load. The FBI had no influence on the 10mm ballistics nor the creation of the .40 S&W. The .40 S&W was a Winchester and S&W project done in secrecy.

Can you back up the politics claim with proof? Seems interesting. I'd like to learn more.
Just personal accounts with people that were directly involved. My uncle was one of the ballistic engineers at Winchester at the time and my father worked for S&W's government and LE department and was assigned the FBI account. He lost his job at S&W when the FBI canceled the contract.

The reason FBI developed 10mm reduced velocity is because it realized the 180gr 10mm JHP bullet has the same sectional density as .45 ACP 230gr. When propelled at a velocity about 100 fps faster than (then) 230gr .45 ACP bullets, it outperformed other cartridges in achieving 12-inches minimum penetration in all 8 test events - without the recoil of the full power 10mm loading.

The 1076 pistol was an attempt by the FBI to have a frame mounted SIG decocker system, instead of a slide mounted hammer drop safety, in an S&W auto pistol. The 1076 had its problems, which were eventually fixed by S&W. But, in a nutshell, by then .40 S&W had proved itself and the FBI adopted it and sold the 1076 pistols.

The FBI chose 10mm to hedge its bet on the load it developed. If shootings revealed the 180gr/980 fps cartridge didn't work as anticipated then 10mm still offered plenty of opportunity for load development.

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd7/rkba2da/pistol%20pics/Glock/glockkaboom1.jpg

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd7/rkba2da/pistol%20pics/Glock/glockkaboom2.jpg

No, you don't get it. The FBI NEVER tested full power Norma level 10mm ammunition. According to FBI 1989 Ammunition Tests publication it tested Norma 170gr (1358 fps from 5" Colt delta Elite) and it achieved a 100% success rate (with an average penetration of 18.44" for all 8 test events). The test documentation states: "CAUTION: Velocities, pressures and recoil are extreme, vary greatly, and damage weapons with extended use. Control for multiple shots extremely difficult."

Shawn Dodson, RhinoDefense can we get back to the OP (perhaps your "spirited discussion" needs a new thread) :D

OP:
I've read on here and other forums about serious malfunctions with the .40 and Glock models. I think the term used was "kaboom." (and let me add here that, while not my favorite, I do like and appreciate Glock guns.) Is this something with the caliber itself, or the gun? It seems that problems with CZ guns tend to be the .40 also. So what gives? Is there an inherent problem with the .40 concerning feeding or another issue? Are there enough examples of guns out there that have zero issues handling that round? If so, which tend to handle it better?

And as far as the "kaboom" thing, is this just overhyped? Are there examples of other caliber Glocks having this problem?
As to OP and already posted, KaBooms in Glocks is overhyped as they are often done with double/over-charged reloads. No serious malfunctions in 40S&W Glocks that are properly maintained and shooting standard pressure loads. KaBooms are not inherent to 40S&W or Glocks as there were plenty of KBs in 357Mag/44Mag/45ACP/38Super long before Glocks and often with double/over-charged reloads.

It seems that problems with CZ guns tend to be the .40 also. So what gives? Is there an inherent problem with the .40 concerning feeding or another issue?
No, more a gun design issue. Quite often, a .40-chambered gun is little more than a 9mm design with a different barrel and magazine. Sometimes this works, sometimes not.

KaBooms in Glocks is overhyped as they are often done with double/over-charged reloads. No serious malfunctions in 40S&W Glocks that are properly maintained and shooting standard pressure loads.

Hmmm... In regard to Glock:

"In various handgun courses over the years I have personally witnessed five (5!) kB!s, all with factory-new .40 S&W ammo. Yes, two were with the earlier Federal 165-grain Hydra-Shok, but I've also seen it happen with 180-grain Winchester Ranger and 155-grain Speer Gold Dot HPs."

- Ken Hackathorn, World
Class Firearms Instructor

The HK USP was actually designed around the .40SW. It is an excellent combination of velocity, flat trajectory, and stopping power in one cartridge. In the proper platform, in an all purpose scenario, I believe it's superior to both the 9mm and 45acp. Just my two cents.

While I am not personally a fan of the .40 chambering, it has become very popular and there are some great platforms that support it.

I've seen and personally prefer folks having better luck when they pick a platform than was designed around the cartridge rather than one that was adapted to handle it from a 9mm platform...they just seem to run better.

The more well-known platforms designed around the .40 include the Sig 229, the H&K USP/P2000 series(and the follow-on P30) and the S&W M&P. This isn't to say other manufacturers haven't been able to adapt their 9mm platforms to the .40...just that there seem to be fewer issues with platforms designed around the round

If you have any concerns about shooting the .40 (and you shouldn't) just get yourself an HK - I went with a new P30, and forget about:

1. It blowing up

2. Excessive recoil

3. The grip not fitting you

IMO the P30 .40S&W is the finest combat pistol on the market today.

That was the frame rails breaking. Not in anyway due to caliber BTW.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQp6JhYytfM
it wasn't just the fact of missing rails, it evidently led to them cracking, which my department had several of. we only had the g22, g23, and the g21 (along with hk models) so we only had broken .40 cal models, but the paperwork that was sent to us from glock still posessed by our armorer states affected models we're .40 cal, .357 sig, and possibly 10mm due to the nature of the high pressure rounds exploiting the flaw. they offered to replace affected models at $5 a piece at the time, but my department decided to go with only hk. regardless though, i'd still like to stress to other readers that it's not an inherent glock problem, it was a bad run like any manufacturer can have/has had.

Hmmm... In regard to Glock:


Quote:
"In various handgun courses over the years I have personally witnessed five (5!) kB!s, all with factory-new .40 S&W ammo. Yes, two were with the earlier Federal 165-grain Hydra-Shok, but I've also seen it happen with 180-grain Winchester Ranger and 155-grain Speer Gold Dot HPs."

- Ken Hackathorn, World
Class Firearms Instructor

__________________


I don't know about the reliability of Ken Hackathorn. I have myself witnessed one Glock KB that occured with a double charged reload in a Glock model 21 which I now own and shoot on a regular basis. It no longer sees any reloads.

Perhaps better quality control is the remedy rather than reloads as a whole.

I don't know about the reliability of Ken Hackathorn.
Ken was one of the founding fathers of USPSA/IPSC and co-founder of IDPA...his observations carry a lot of weight

That was the frame rails breaking. Not in anyway due to caliber BTW.

what made those rails break anyway. i know glock never talks about any issues...

what made those rails break anyway.
Manufacturing defect. They were not properly molded into the frame.

Manufacturing defect. They were not properly molded into the frame.

oh i see. no big deal, as long as they replaced the frames for free. :)

"In various handgun courses over the years I have personally witnessed five (5!) kB!s, all with factory-new .40 S&W ammo.
Out of all the .40 Glock's he's seen in classes only five reports of catastrophic failure with factory ammunition. Even if we do away with the possibility of ammo manufacturing defects and bullet set back, five is still a good record.

as long as they replaced the frames for free.
They did. This issue was in 2002 and people still bring it up.

They did. This issue was in 2002 and people still bring it up.

....and it somehow turned into glocks exploding lol

If about 2.5 million Glocks were sold world-wide and if 10,000 Glocks have issues, that's about 0.4% of manufactured units. I wonder what the issue rates for other manufacturers are ...

If about 2.5 million Glocks were sold world-wide
As of 2007 Glock sold 5 million pistols. The majority of which were 9x19mm and .40.

how many 10mm's? :eek:

how many 10mm's?
Probably not many compared to their top sellers (9x19/.40/.380) but it's certainly the best selling 10mmAuto in the world. The 20 is used by the Danish Siriuspatruljen and Greenland.

The 20 is used by the Danish Siriuspatruljen and Greenland.

cool! their military?


the local police in the town i grew up in used g20's too :)

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for their input. I don't mind at all some posts that may have strayed a bit from the original question(s). It's been interesting reading. That's why I started this thread. I figured I was bound to learn something. One of the reasons I started this was to learn a bit more about the .40, and also I have a Glock 29 10mm on order. I think I have a better understanding of what the issues are. But, I'm if anyone wants to chime in I'd love to read more.

cool! their military?

Slædepatruljen Sirius (Sirius Sledge Patrol) or informally Siriuspatruljen (Sirius Patrol) is a unique elite Danish navy unit that conducts long-range reconnaissance patrolling and enforces Danish sovereignty in Northern and Eastern Greenland, an area that includes the largest national park in the world.[1]

Unlike other military units, the Sirius patrol is not expected to engage in combat operations. Its purpose is solely to maintain Danish sovereignty and police the area of responsibility.[2]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sl%C3%A6depatruljen_Sirius

^^interesting. thanx for the info. guess they need some power for long distance shots in the vast open areas they patrol, or protection from animals in the parks they patrol.

Amen to the fine Beretta 96 FS!

Amen!

:eek:

REAPER:
As of 2007 Glock sold 5 million pistols. The majority of which were 9x19mm and .40. bds:
If about 2.5 million Glocks were sold world-wide and if 10,000 Glocks have issues, that's about 0.4% of manufactured units.
Well, that would bring the percentage down to 0.2%. It's now 2010, so the percentage may be even less than that.

Any caliber that is overcharged, or that gets shot into a squib load, can kaboom. It's not unique to .40 S&W, nor is it unique to a Glock. 9mm can do it, a 1911 can do it, .22LR can do it, a revolver can do it, a tank can do it, etc

The .40 is a highpressure round. The only problems I've ever heard of were about people who were hand loading and not paying absolute attention to their brass, powder charge, ect, ect. I've shot plenty of it and never had a problem with it. Although I do find the recoil to be slightly more "snappy" compared to the .45. Not sure if that's a correct term but that's just how it felt.

The .40 is a highpressure round.

Not more so than 9mm, and often less so regarding defensive loads.