Glock .40sw - unsupported chamber problem fix?

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judaspriest

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I have been hearing for awhile from a great variety of sources about Glock's not fully supported chamber, at least in .40S&W. This ultimately made me not buy it and go with a Sig 226 instead.

However, Glock is a near-perfect gun otherwise, especially if one values reliability above all else and I am having thoughts of getting one. Besides unparalleled reliability, it has 3 more rounds in the same caliber which is a big plus too, IMHO. Glocks ugliness not being a factor, the only thing between me and a 40S&W Glock is its damn chamber issue (I am not going to buy a gun for which reloading is not an option). Does anyone know whether:

- Mr. Gaston Glock is aware of the problem and is looking to fix it? It would seem like a minor and fairly low-cost fix that would extend his brand's dominance even further
- Would there be a way to get a 3rd party barrel that would not have this issue? I know this is the way to get around the polygonal rifling if one is to shoot lead from a Glock

Thanks

JP
 
This may come as a shock to you but lots of other manufacturers 40 caliber pistols lack a fully supported chamber including the M&P


you could buy a Glock 32, as my .357 has a fully supported chamber
 
My Glock 22 had a very generous chamber and made me nervous with bulged cases. I bought and installed a KKM match barrel. Problem solved.
 
Glock has been pretty good about updating their designs as the Glocks in .40 S&W probably are the best sellers in the LE market I believe. They would try to cater to the needs of this market as it will only ensure more business for them.
 
This may come as a shock to you but lots of other manufacturers 40 caliber pistols lack a fully supported chamber including the M&P
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No, the M&P has a fully supported chamber.

MPchamber.jpg

So does my Beretta M.96, CZ-75B .40 S&W and CZ-100B. In fact, the Glock 23 is the only .40 S&W handgun I've ever had that doesn't have a fully supported chamber.
 
This may come as a shock to you but lots of other manufacturers 40 caliber pistols lack a fully supported chamber including the M&P
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You might be thinking of the Glock clone called the S&W Sigma, perhaps? The pict above of an M&P barrel shows the reason I bought an M&P a few months after the Sigma (first handgun, price was right). I did the same test at the counter with a snap-cap. The difference is night and day. I've never had a worry about blowing out the chamber on a reload in it. A question for KROCHUS: Is that an after-market, or factory barrel on the left?
 
The partially supported chamber "problem" only appears to be an issue when using out-of-spec ammunition. Glocks were designed, among other things, to be extremely reliable. An "unsupported" chamber helps to ensure reliable chambering even with a filthy firearm.

If it still bothers you, or you plan on shooting hot loads for an already high-pressure round, then check out barrel-makers such as Bar Sto. Many aftermarket barrels have a fully-supported chamber.
 
I cannot justify to myself spending $500 for a Glock 22, then having to spend another $150-200 for an after market barrel so that I can shoot lead bullets and not have to worry about a KB.
 
The reloading issue with Glock's unsupported chamber extends beyond its polygonal rifling and the unsupported chamber (whether fixed or not).

The problem is that Glock brass is deformed upon firing. Many reloaders either don't use, or, they restrict the number of reloading cycles of glock brass. Thay do so because of metal fatigue caused by overworking the deformed brass.
 
GaryArkansas,

Do you know what the cause of these additional issues is?

I am not looking to use hot loads, just the opposite - mild training loads is what will mostly go through mine, however I do want the brass to last and not KB on me all of a sudden...
 
Do you know what the cause of these additional issues is?
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I'm not GaryArkansas, and don't even play him on TV, but this problem is part of the "unsupported chamber" problem.

Where the chamber is not supported the brass can bulge into that opening. In a fully supported chamber it would not bulge as it would only expand the the chamber diameter. If your brass has a bulge in it it can a) weaken the brass at that point, and b) cause resizing issues when you run it through your press. Just the bulging and resizing can "work" the brass and make it weaker.

Sounds like Glock is on top of it, as well as there being other options. I just picked up an Springfield XD-40, myself. I liked the grip angle and feel better, too.

-- Sam
 
The partially supported chamber "problem" only appears to be an issue when using out-of-spec ammunition. Glocks were designed, among other things, to be extremely reliable. An "unsupported" chamber helps to ensure reliable chambering even with a filthy firearm.
Click to expand...


You couldn't be more wrong.
 
The cheapest way to "fix" the unsupported chamber problem is not to worry about it. Keep your loads within industry standards and they will be fine. The only real issue is shooting cast lead bullets and even that is a little overblown.

The reloading issue with Glock's unsupported chamber extends beyond its polygonal rifling and the unsupported chamber (whether fixed or not).

The problem is that Glock brass is deformed upon firing. Many reloaders either don't use, or, they restrict the number of reloading cycles of glock brass. Thay do so because of metal fatigue caused by overworking the deformed brass.
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I reload for 6 different Glocks, 4 of them being .40 caliber, and I shoot much more than the average guy. I reload my brass several times and have never had a single issue of any kind. I don't load them particularly "hot" but they are right at max.

You couldn't be more wrong.
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What part, exactly, do you think he got wrong?
 
WeedWhacker said:
The partially supported chamber "problem" only appears to be an issue when using out-of-spec ammunition. Glocks were designed, among other things, to be extremely reliable. An "unsupported" chamber helps to ensure reliable chambering even with a filthy firearm.
Click to expand...

You couldn't be more wrong.
Click to expand...

Aside from the issue of fatigued brass, which I completely overlooked, what am I unable to be more wrong about?
 
I don't load them particularly "hot" but they are right at max.
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Um, isn't max as high as one may safely go? IMHO any "max" load is by definition *hot* and anything beyond max is *unsafe*.
 
Um, isn't max as high as one may safely go? IMHO any "max" load is by definition *hot* and anything beyond max is *unsafe*.
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Um, I assume that you don't reload a whole lot.
Books are guidelines. What is max in some books is not in others. What is max at one elevation or temperature is not at another. What is max in some guns may not be in a gun by a different manufacturer. I have been loading for nearly 40 years. I loaded literally hundreds of thousands of rounds. I have a done as much research and testing as anyone out there on many cartridges and I have a thorough working knowledge of reloading and most everything that is associated with it.

To answer your question, no, max by some reloading manuals is not always as high as one may safely go. In YHO, any "max" load is, by definition, *hot* and anything beyond that is unsafe. IMO, "max" is a liability regulated guideline that should be approached with caution. *Hot* is just short of those tell-tale signs of high pressure and anything beyond that is unsafe.
 
I am totally lost guys..I have a Glock 27 and have been using Georgia Arms 40 s&w reloads in 165gr. FMJ. I have put hundreds of rounds thru it to date and no problem...so what's the beef?
 
I am totally lost guys..I have a Glock 27 and have been using Georgia Arms 40 s&w reloads in 165gr. FMJ. I have put hundreds of rounds thru it to date and no problem...so what's the beef?
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Same here…I think we have here an urban legend that has spiraled out of control. There may be a ring of truth to it, but the devil is in the details. I'll do the Google search thingie. However, I'm not that motivated because my G27's have been flawless after shooting over 1,000 rounds, including over 300 rounds of hot Double Tap 155gr.
 
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Most of the so-called "Glock case head failures" are pictures of chambers peeled open like a banana, or a case that looks practically melted, with the primer ruptured, etc. The vast majority are obvious double and triple charges.

A partially unsupported chamber does not cause that kind of thing to happen. And most .40s do have partial chamber support. Used to be a bunch of pics on another thread. My Kahr MK40 has a partially unsupported case, and it's rated for .40 S&W +P, which doesn't even exist (by SAAMI standards, anyway)! I wouldn't be too worried about it. I did have my Glock's feed ramp TIG welded for full chamber support, but only because I handload, and I'd like to be able to reuse my brass until I can no longer read the headstamp.
 
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