Finally Made the Upgrade: RL550B

[Woolecox]

If you want to ensure you are working with "within" spec resized cases:

- Tumble cases to clean
- Deprime/Resize case
- Barrel drop test deprimed/resized case in the tightest chamber barrel (toss/recycle cases that do not freely drop in the chamber with a "plonk")
- Reload as usual

I see, Thanks!

Wooly

 

[VonFatman]

I hear ya Mr. HexHead. It's all about the individual. Have a good weekend and I hope it's cooler in TN that its forecast to be here in KC.

Bob

 

[gahunter12]

Quote:
Originally Posted by gahunter12
^^^ I wouldn't shoot that round. That's a KB waiting to happen. The edge you see is a major weak spot. I have loaded well over 50,000 rounds of 40s&w over the last 3.5-4yrs with "0" issues. Most of my brass that I pick up comes from the LE range. I will admit that I inspect every single 40s&w case after I tumble.
Hunter,

What is your process for reloading 40S&W from step one? How do you detect bulged cases after tumbling? I run all my completed rounds through a case gage. That is how I caught the bulged cases.

I inspect each, and every case for Glock Smiles, cracks, etc after cleaning. I will check them in my tightest chamber availible. That said.... I do not use LW, or other under sized barrels. For my reloadings in my Glocks, and XDm's I have no trouble with removing the bulge using Dillon Dies.

 

[Woolecox]

More 40S&W Belted Magnums

Quoting myself here for an update. I am about 300 rounds into a 1300 round 40S&W session. Out of the first 300, I have found 26 that will not chamber due to the "Glock Bulge". Some are so bad that they look like they have a magnum belt around the bottom!

So, I will pull those and run them through a Redding GRx die once it arrives along with the rest of my 40S&W cases. 26 failed rounds per 300 is just too high of a failure rate. I can't afford to have one or more not chamber during a match or God forbid a defensive situation.

I have heard that Glock 40 barrels have more of a lowered (unsupported chamber) feed ramp than others to ensure reliability for military and law enforcement. I can tell you for sure that I only had 3 out of 1000 rounds of 9mm that did not pass the chamber check. All of it was range brass too.

I have two Glock pistols and both barrels have been replaced with Bar-Sto Precision barrels. They are fully supported and fairly tight. No way they are going to eat this bulged brass. Hopefully, the GRx will do the trick.

Here is a picture of my 40S&W belted magnum loads:

My Redding GRx die arrived and I got to work running some range brass through it. I bought the carbide die but I quickly learned that this operation was going to require the cases be lubed. Not a huge deal. With a tin of Imperial Sizing Lube right next to the press, I just kept the fingers on my left hand slightly wet with lube as I put the cases on the plunger.

Some of the cases almost fell through the die, some took quite a bit of effort, others I could not get through it even using two hands and standing on my Big Boss II. I literally had to take a big brass punch and tap the brass out the bottom of the die. Those are pictured below. All these cases were head stamped Winchester. Which proves nothing other than maybe I swept up after a guy with a box of Winchester and a Gen 1 barrel.

So after going through the GRx and all four stations of my RL550B, there were still 4 cases out of 200 that would not chamber in the L.E. Wilson case gage. They would however, drop into my Bar-Sto barrel. Obviously the gage is a little tighter than the barrel. On another note, all of it including the belted magnums would fit into my Glock factory barrel (Gen 3).

I threw the belted magnums in the trash anyway. Now I know why there are a lot of folks that don't really care to reload this round. Yes, I know there a some of you out there that have loaded and shot 40 billion rounds of 40S&W through your factory Glocks with zero issues. Loading on a progressive for a match chamber is a whole other story.

Cheers,
Wooly