LiveLife
Member
CZ57, I just posted on that thread. Can you shoot reloads out of factory Glock barrels? I have. So, why are there continuing concerns of KaBoom(KB) and reloads in Glocks?
It is true that Gen3/Gen4 have better case base support than Gen1/Gen2 barrels at the ramp area. However, Glock chambers are still quite generous and there's still an area near the ramp that doesn't fully support the case base (BTW, this area is now comparable to many other factory barrels). I think the generous chamber is still an issue as I see bulged 40S&W cases (bulge 2/3 way down the case wall) with new factory ammunition and high range to near max reloads. If the bulging and resizing of the case wall is repeated using near max/hot loads, I believe it will weaken the brass and contribute to case failure.
I have shot a lot of 40S&W reloads in my factory Gen3 Glock barrels using jacketed/plated bullets at mid to high range load data and W231/HP38. The cases usually show no bulges or very slight bulging. In recent years, I have used Lone Wolf barrels in my Glocks for added margin of safety due to their tight chambers and improved case base support at the ramp area. Also, I am now happily shooting lead bullets for reduced cost of reloading.
Here's a repost from the other thread:
Even though you are careful about your reloads and use mid-range load which may not bulge the case, if you pickup range brass, you could have picked up someone else's brass that's been over-stressed or reloaded enough times with bulge/resize cycles to weaken the brass.
I pick up range brass and this is the reason why I use Lone Wolf barrels in my Glocks. Case base support is better than any other factory barrels I have seen and the tight chamber minimizes the case expansion to the point that my high range 40S&W loads take hardly any effort to resize. Spent case walls are very straight.
It is true that Gen3/Gen4 have better case base support than Gen1/Gen2 barrels at the ramp area. However, Glock chambers are still quite generous and there's still an area near the ramp that doesn't fully support the case base (BTW, this area is now comparable to many other factory barrels). I think the generous chamber is still an issue as I see bulged 40S&W cases (bulge 2/3 way down the case wall) with new factory ammunition and high range to near max reloads. If the bulging and resizing of the case wall is repeated using near max/hot loads, I believe it will weaken the brass and contribute to case failure.
I have shot a lot of 40S&W reloads in my factory Gen3 Glock barrels using jacketed/plated bullets at mid to high range load data and W231/HP38. The cases usually show no bulges or very slight bulging. In recent years, I have used Lone Wolf barrels in my Glocks for added margin of safety due to their tight chambers and improved case base support at the ramp area. Also, I am now happily shooting lead bullets for reduced cost of reloading.
Here's a repost from the other thread:
Yup, sounds like a classic Glock KB (case base fails and escaping gas blows out the magazine and mag release/internal parts also get damaged).I pulled the trigger and immediately felt a sting on the inside of my right hand. I looked down and the magazine had been blown out the bottom of the gun and a piece of the magazine release fell onto the ground.
Alliant's website currently don't list Red Dot for 40S&W. It doesn't matter whether your load was mid range or near max. The case base failure could occur from weakening of brass with repeated bulging and resizing of the case or other factors.The load used was 4.5gr of Red Dot (max in Alliant manual is 5.1gr) behind a 170gr round nose bullet.
Even though you are careful about your reloads and use mid-range load which may not bulge the case, if you pickup range brass, you could have picked up someone else's brass that's been over-stressed or reloaded enough times with bulge/resize cycles to weaken the brass.
I pick up range brass and this is the reason why I use Lone Wolf barrels in my Glocks. Case base support is better than any other factory barrels I have seen and the tight chamber minimizes the case expansion to the point that my high range 40S&W loads take hardly any effort to resize. Spent case walls are very straight.