.40 S&W Bulge

[m3mh0g]

I've been reloading for a few months, but up until now I have only loaded .45 ACP. Last week I decided to try .40 S&W. I noticed bulges in my brass while loading my first few rounds. Since it was range pickups I figured it was just a few cases nearing the end of their life. Long story short it wasn't. I'm using Lee 40 S&W dies and the de-priming/full length sizing die is causing these bulges. The picture below the case on the right has the bylge the one on the left doesn't. I hope you are able to see it, the bulge is about 1/4 inch from the rim. You can feel the bulge. Everything passes the plunk test ok, but I haven't shot any yet. Should I be concerned or should I just shoot away?

 

[Trent]

40 SW will bulge in a non-fully-supported chamber. Normal. Just make sure it's not EXCESSIVE, and that you have your sizing dies adjusted to size as much of the case as possible (to avoid feed problems).

 

[m3mh0g]

Trent thanks for the quick response, the bulge is not coming from the gun. The case is bulging from the full sizing die.

 

[Trent]

The webbing (bottom of the case) typically isn't worked when you resize. You can see where your sizing marks stop. Anything below that isn't touched.

The cases DO expand - all around, the full length - when fired. When you resize, it's not unusual to see and feel a little "bevel" about a quarter inch up from the case (it's a lot more pronounced, actually, on my 9mm brass, especially the stuff which was fired through an MP5). Won't hurt anything!

Load it and shoot it.

 

[Claude Clay]

if the lee die has a radiused mouth, this may be the area of the bulge.
if so, a full length re-sizing die may solve the battle of the bulge

 

[liscomb20]

Those are exactly what my brass looks like after I fire them through my glock 23. its the nature of the beast. I have reloaded them and fired them with no problems. The lee dies wont touch the buldge if you want to get rid of the buldge you will have to use this http://www.midwayusa.com/product/882261/lee-bulge-buster-base-sizing-kit-380-auto-40-s-and-w-45-acp. I also think rcbs makes one but it is around 80 bucks

 

[LiveLife]

Your bulges don't look bad. If the bulges look like these, I would worry (they were new factory ammo but not shot in my Glocks). And even most of these bulged cases fully resized using Lee carbide resizing die.

If I can't fully resize bulged cases on the first attempt (bottom of resizing die barely kisses the top of shell holder/plate), then I rotate the case 90 degrees and attempt to resize again. If they won't resize on the second attempt and freely fall into the tightest barrel chamber I have (Lone Wolf), I deem the case wall too far stretched (note "thinned") and I toss them in the recycle bin.

 

[918v]

The case in BDS's bottom picture is a normally expanded .40 S&W. That's how they should look out of a Glock, Beretta, whatever. Many sizer dies will not remove this bulge entirely, so you'll need one of those push-through dies if you want it gone.

This is what you wanna toss:

 

[LiveLife]

The case in BDS's bottom picture is a normally expanded .40 S&W.

Not all factory loads expand cases like that in my Gen3 Glocks (G22/G27) and when I am using mid-to-high range load data with some powders (W231/HP-38, Universal, WSF, AutoComp), I do not get bulges like that.


Not sure what dies you are using but Lee carbide resizing die will remove the bulge in most cases so you can reliably feed/chamber your reloads in most pistols. Some resizing dies like Dillon won't resize the bulges as far down as Lee dies and you may need to use either Lee FCD or Redding G-Rx die to push-through resize the cases.

 

[jmorris]

A "plunk test" likely won't let you know it could be a problem case unless you are using a case gauge.

 

[david bachelder]

The bulge 918V posted must be from an older Glock. The newer Glocks still bulge cases but it looks like what you describe. I have a Glock 23 that does exactly as your photo shows. A slight bulge about 1/4" above the rim. I'd be afraid of the pregnant guppy look and discard those casings. the others can be reshaped with a number of tools. I prefer the Redding resizing die shown here.

I also use mid range loads. Currently 5.0 grains Universal under a 180 grain Berrys Round Nose Plated bullet. I also have some cast bullets to try with a Lone Wolf barrel, but haven't been able to get to the range lately.

 

[gamestalker]

The buldge is a common thing unless you buy a die intended to size all the way down to the extraction grove, it will always be there.

On another note, looking at your pics it seems you may be over doing with the ream and chamfer. Could be just the pictures and lighting, but it appears you might be taking too much off the mouth? When you ream and chamfer, only take off what is necessary to remove any lip or rough edges on the mouth. You don't want to remove more than that, as .40 cal. and on other simular auto loading handgun cartridges that head space at the mouth. The primary focus is on the out side of the mouth, as it could cause the cartridge to chamber too deep resulting in FTF's, or worse yet, pinching of the case mouth in the throat when discharged. If the mouth gets pinched in the throat, it can cause pressures to spike unpredictably high. The pluck test sound is the case mouth stopping at, or contacting the stopping point of head space in the throat. You don't want the mouth going beyond the "ridge" of the chamber throat. I'm sure someone else here can clarify the proper term I'm looking for regarding the head space portion of the throat.

GS

 

[jmorris]

you'll need one of those push-through dies if you want it gone.

Or a roll sizer. Unlike the push through dies, it will also clean up any imperfections in the extractor grove.

 

[918v]

The bulge 918V posted must be from an older Glock.

No.

Glocks do not bulge cases this way as a regular course of business. The picture I posted is a case of a round that was fired out of battery and not necessarily through a Glock.

 

[Walkalong]

Besides, the OP was asking about the spot where the sizer stops on the case and the "bulge", or transition spot where the sizer stops and shows a step in diameter with many dies.

Looks like perfectly normal sizing on the OP's case.

His using "bulge" to describe it on a .40 case got us off track.

 

[The Bushmaster]

Thank you Walkalong. I was wondering when someone would catch that. The same thing occurs with 9mm X 19 brass and is quite normal.

 

[Sgt. Stiglitz]

I have Small base dies for my 9 MM's.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/386755/lee-u-carbide-small-base-sizing-die-9mm-luger

If I don't run em through this I have issues shooting them only in my Glock 17 after the have been through say my sub gun, 9 MM AR or some other 9 I have. Only the Glock with its match chamber has issues.............
http://www.magmaengineering.com/component/banners/click/10/

Looks like the ticket for reforming .40 brass before reloading on a progressive.

Anyone seening this before?

 

[TonyT]

I have used once fired 40 S&W brass from LEO Glock's. I use a normal Lee 40 S&W carbide die set and have not experienced any problems with the resultant ammo. I shoot the ammo in 1911's, CzZs, a PO and two S&W revolvers. I also consign the brass to the scrap heap after 4 reloads.

 

[m3mh0g]

Ok thanks guys for all the help. Its not that the sizing die is making a bulge in the brass it's that it is sizing the rest of the case above the "bulge" so that is why it looks odd. I shot them today and they functioned flawlessly. Did load a few with 7.0 of power pistol and those were pretty snappy and flashy. The Hornady book still has two more steps up for their 155gr XTP. Not sure I'll make it there

 

[jmorris]

If I don't run em through this I have issues shooting them only in my Glock 17 after the have been through say my sub gun, 9 MM AR or some other 9 I have.

Don't have the problem with 9mm ARs but our other SMGs were the reason behind getting the casepros.

 

[Trent]

Yeah you'll run in to problems with a fully supported chamber, if the bulge isn't worked out. Not so big of a deal in guns with a feed ramp that cuts in to the chamber. (That unsupported part of the chamber where the feed ramp is, is the culprit behind the bulge in the first place. With the exception of MP5, those tend to do a lot worse things to brass).

 

[jmorris]

With the exception of MP5, those tend to do a lot worse things to brass).

Has to be pretty hot loads to have the flutes make a difference but I agree.

 

[Maximumbob54]

You are looking at the bottom half of the common that seems to be called wasp waist caused by sizing with carbide sizing dies. When you seat the bullet you will then see the top half where the bullet causes a bulge at the top. It isn’t a problem in the slightest and should just be ignored.

 

[jmorris]

Looks like the ticket for reforming .40 brass before reloading on a progressive.

Anyone seening this before?

That is what was refered to in post #8 Lee also makes one that costs about $300 less. I built a pneumatic version of one but switched to a roll sizer once I used one once.

 

[Trent]

JMorris -

A cop friend of mine was (and still is) the firearms instructor for police over in Peoria. I used to get all of the brass from the Peoria Cty Sherriff's Dept, the majority of which had the "fluting marks" from being fired in an H&K select fire. I had about a 10% discard rate on the brass. The back of the cases were bulged something FIERCE.

I'd often suspected that one of their rifles had bad headspacing (and even went so far as call up and tell their armorer about it).

Now they recycle their brass, and I lost my supply. Not that it mattered. By the time they did that I'd accumulated *3* 5 gallon buckets of 9mm brass. While I've given most of it away... I'll still never run out. Ever.

(Part of the deal was I'd promised not to resell the brass - that way no one could be accused of anything "untowards".. I gave quite a lot of it away to friends over the years. Still probably have somewhere in the region of 30k casings).

FYI, I hate reloading 9mm. Cases are *just* small enough it causes my hands to cramp up fiercely when handling them. Don't have that problem with 40S&W and higher.