Loading .40 s&w

[weirdbeard]

Hey guys, I recently picked up a glock 23 and was planning to reload for it. However I noticed that the case says not to reload for it. Is this is true, or what are your thoughts? Thanks

 

[ny32182]

Make sure your sized cases are in spec, use jacketed bullets, and load away.

 

[LiveLife]

If you are using factory Glock barrel, stay with jacketed and plated bullets. If you want to shoot lead bullets, I recommend an aftermarket barrel with conventional land/groove rifling:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=494542

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=6211423#post6211423

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=6245465#post6245465

 

[Walkalong]

Most makers say no reloads to cover their butts. Other than taking the polygonal rifling in to consideration, and some, mostly older, issues with "Glocked" brass, there is no reason not to re-load for them.

 

[Paints]

I don't own Glocks, but every manufacture that I do have says to use "factory new ammo".

I reload many calibers (380/9/38/357/44/45) but I don't reload 40SW any more.

 

[boston]

I have a glock 23c that easily has 20,000 rounds through it, with 10,000 of those being reloads, both commercial and my own. Never a hicup. Only shoot my own reloads right now. All the reloads have been with jacketed bullets, either from Rose or Montana Gold.

As stated earlier, use jacketed bullets and reload away.

 

[Clark]

I have nothing to add outside of the scope of what BDS wrote, but I am doing it anyway.

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The High Road, nor the staff of THR assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.


I bought a very old Glock 22 with night sights already dim 10 years ago.
I have taken apart hundreds of guns and I expect the chamber to be at the bottom end of the SAAMI registered drawing dimensional tolerance, and the ammo at the bottom end of the ammo dimensional tolerance.
But that Glock 22 was the exception.
The SAAMI spec is from .4274" + .004" tolerance. The Glock was bigger than that.
I worked up loads and got guppy belly case bulges from lack of case support:
The max load for 135 gr Power Pistol is 9.6 gr.
I got bulges at 11.6 gr [a 25% powder charge overload seemed terrible after overloading 9mm]

The other problem is the case support.
The stock barrel had a feed ramp that intruded from breech face to .235".
The web of the cases is only .180", leaving .055" of thin unsupported case wall at the bottom of the chamber.
That may be ok for SAAMI pressure loads of 35,000 psi, but it is no good for hot loads.

So I TIG welded up the feed ramp and re cut the chamber and feed ramp to support to .180" [And no trouble feeding any type of bullets. What was Glock thinking?]

So then I went back to the 135 gr Power Pistol load, but only 14.4 gr would fit. Still not a real hot load.

Then I did 15.5 gr 800X 200gr.
That is more than an extra 100% powder.
A double load, and then some.
To give you and idea of how hot that is, the max load for 44 mag is 200 gr 15.5 gr 800X, but in a much bigger case volume.

What does it all mean?
After market barrels are not going to give support at .180", but they will be a lot better than my stock Glock .235" with a diameter > .4314".

 

[The_woodsman]

Clark: If you wrote a book, I would buy one.

If you sold aftermarket barrels, I would buy one.

Costs within reason, of course.

 

[ants]

I wonder if Winchester and Remington warn against reloads in their rifles and shotguns. Have you seen that statement in their literature?

I'm asking because they sell reloading components. Bullets. Brass. Primers. Wads. Winchester powders (distributed by Hodgdon).