Reloading .40 s&w

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RTF2

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Hey all, I'm fairly new to shooting & I'm quickly realizing it's incredibly expensive, I've been ordering in bulk online but reloading my own is starting to catch my eye. Not just for the expense but out of interest also. Anyone on here load .40's? I'm stil in the process of learning and probably won't be getting any reloading equipment till late this year. But just a few noob questions,

I know you're not supposed to use reloads in a glock, but I'm sure if you load your own, do it properly, take your time and double check everything there shouldn't be an issue right?
Can you load "low recoil" rounds ie: using less power & lighter bullet, this will surely reduce pressure in the chamber correct?

I'm looking for a fun, low cost (relatively) hobby to go hand in hand with my shooting. I like the idea of being able to save money and customize my own loads.

Due to where I live (Newfie) I'm going to have to buy everything online, I hope shipping costs don'tgo through the roof! I don't know of anywhere around here I can buy reloading supplies!

Any input, experience, anything at all would be appreciated!

Thanks,
Trevor
 
To not use reloads in a glock is a myth. If you have a manual then pick a powder and projectile and work your way up. I use titegroup with a 180 gr hp bullet in my glock. You might experience case bulge depending the gen of glock you own. What I do for that is , on the last stage of my Dillion 650 I use a Lee carbide seater with the adjuster removed.

This allows the loaded round to go further in the die removing any case bulge that might be present. I would say Xreload might be the best option for you to purchase components and equipment.
Cheers
 
Yeah, I've been running 3.3Grs of Titegroup and a 180Gr Campro bullet. It's almost 1Gr under the books starting value for that load. Light recoil and accurate.
I run this in a gen 2 Glock 22. I'll also do fullhouse loads but I use new Brass when I do them.
 
there are never rules saying not to use reload in any guns. not that I know of. I reload from 9mm to 44mag for different makes/models without any issues.

for 40s&w, I load for G22 Gen4, M&P40 and HKP30L with different powders. all work great. as long as you read and follow the steps in the books/manuals carefully, you will have better than factory ammo for your particular gun. have fun!

for the powder change, the rule of thumb is that you can go lower than the minimum as the worst could happen is that the slide won't cycle properly, but don't go over the max, especially for newbies. I follow others' advice when I started, always load from the minimum, with 0.2gr as increment, all the way to the max. then during the test shooting, watch for pressure signs and stop if you have slightest doubt. fortunately, I think these dates, all the reloading manual makers are pretty safe, even the max is not extremely hot, even for my 44mag loads. then if you feel the minimum is still jumpy for you, you can go below the minimum until the slide cannot recycle properly. that would be the real minimum for your gun. of course, it could go even lower if there is lighter recoil spring available. that's another story you may not need right now. :)

RTF2 said:
Hey all, I'm fairly new to shooting & I'm quickly realizing it's incredibly expensive, I've been ordering in bulk online but reloading my own is starting to catch my eye. Not just for the expense but out of interest also. Anyone on here load .40's? I'm stil in the process of learning and probably won't be getting any reloading equipment till late this year. But just a few noob questions,

I know you're not supposed to use reloads in a glock, but I'm sure if you load your own, do it properly, take your time and double check everything there shouldn't be an issue right?
Can you load "low recoil" rounds ie: using less power & lighter bullet, this will surely reduce pressure in the chamber correct?

I'm looking for a fun, low cost (relatively) hobby to go hand in hand with my shooting. I like the idea of being able to save money and customize my own loads.

Due to where I live (Newfie) I'm going to have to buy everything online, I hope shipping costs don'tgo through the roof! I don't know of anywhere around here I can buy reloading supplies!

Any input, experience, anything at all would be appreciated!

Thanks,
Trevor
Click to expand...
 
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Yes, you can reload for a Glock. I use lead bullets and clean the barrel with a few strokes of a bronze brush. Lead does not build up. If you use plated bullets, there is no leading at all.

I use lead 155s and lead 180s. 3.5 gr of TiteGroup works well in both. 3.5 under a 155 is very mild and pleasant.

Change your profile to include your town. That way a reloader in the area can help you out. I no longer live in Gander.
 
My Dillon xl650 paid for it self in the first year of reloading. You can crank out 1200 rounds an hour if you push it.(couldn't move my arm the next day)
I shot 5000 rounds that year, and the next, and the next. You can reload for any firearm except rimfire. You just have to get the right size bullet for your glock and the rest is easy. google reloading components in eastern Canada and see what pops up.
 
Depending on the generation of Glock, you may find that there is a bulge in the casing after firing. That's because some of the barrels don't fully support the chamber. It happens in my 10 mm G20 as well. I use a Redding G-Rx die to De-Glock my 10mm and .40 brass. Some folks might be able to tell you it isn't neccessary. It isn't a big deal for me to do it, I have the die so I do it. YMMV. If you need one, I got mine from Grouse River, a dealer on CGN.
 
Thanks for all the input guys, I'm looking at bullets online now, and it seems to me the .40 & 10mm are interchangeable? They are available in .400 & .401, do each of these have a specific purpose? Choosing The bullet seems to be the most confusing part haha

Thanks
Trevor
 
How many rounds a month do you shoot? And if you had more ammo would you actually shoot more than that?

Your answer to this question will aid us in suggesting presses for you. It's confusing because one person's idea of "a lot per month" might be another's idea of a fairly light single session.
 
BCRider said:
How many rounds a month do you shoot? And if you had more ammo would you actually shoot more than that?

Your answer to this question will aid us in suggesting presses for you. It's confusing because one person's idea of "a lot per month" might be another's idea of a fairly light single session.
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I work offshore on a 4 weeks on/off rotation. So every second month I've been shooting about 300-400 rounds a month. I could easily shoot 1000 a month depending on what it would cost me, If not more.
 
From my Glock manual:
"The use of reloaded ammunition will void the Glock warranty, due to the unpredictability of the standards (SAMMI/NATO) adhered to, since reloads of poor quality ammunition may not meet (SAMMI/NATO) specifications, may exceed limits, and therefore may be unsafe."

I don't care and reload for my Glock 21 to my heart's content. I also at times shoot very light loads and have the lightest springs installed to ensure the slide cycles properly.
 
RTF2

Any semiauto that has the feed ramp extending too far into the chamber will cause "Glock Bulge" so it isn't just a "Glock problem". The fix for the Glock .40 was two fold, the ammunition companies made the cases thicker in the base and Glock shortened the feed ramp. You can see below the 1998 Glock barrel has a longr feed ramp than later model Glocks.

CaseSupport2-1_zpsb7ee6216.jpg


Below my Gen 3 Glock .40 shooting .40 Lite reloads, I think this isn't bad for a 65 year old fart with chronologically gifted eyesight and the start of cataracts. ;)

Below were test workup loads with TiteGroup and 231 and 165 grain plated bullets.

40SampW001_zpsfc7e7b54.jpg


Make Right With a “.40 Lite”

http://www.handgunsmag.com/ammo/ammunition_40lite_091806/
 
luckey said:
..... for the powder change, the rule of thumb is that you can go lower than the minimum as the worst could happen is that the slide won't cycle properly .....
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The consensus used to be that if you went below the minimum powder charge, you could get into dangerous pressures as the entire powder charge could ignite at once rather than in a controlled progression. The reasoning was that the small powder charge wouldn't cover the primer (the cartridge is "laying" horizontal when you're shooting), and was exposed to the primer ignition the entire length of the case. To a large extent, though, that is considered a myth today. And if it was a real phenomenon, it would mostly be a problem with really low powder charges in really big cases.

To the OP: As others have suggested, with a 40 S&W you'll know when the powder charge is insufficient when the gun starts functioning erratically.

And all firearms manuals will say "Shooting of reloaded ammo is forbidden" or some such thing. In this case, the manufacturer is purely concerned with money. They don't want to take on the costs of repairing guns that have been damaged by over-pressure or otherwise incorrectly reloaded ammo, nor do they want to expose themselves to liability in the event someone blows their hands/face/whatever off shooting improperly loaded ammo. Ammunition is pretty simple with only 4 components. If done properly, reloaded ammo is every bit as safe, accurate, and reliable as factory ammo... just cheaper! Plus you can load lighter than factory loads, and find a combination that is more accurate while at the same time being easier on the gun and the shooter.
 
The minimum charge shown in the book is the limit at which either the slide may not cycle or the pressures becomes erratic because they are too low for a good burn. There is no danger of a detonation.

When I load with powders like 231 and Titegroup I start lower than the book value, and test in 0.3 increments up to the book max. Each gun is shot with that test and I note which load works best for each gun. Usually one load will be best in most of them (like 4.3 gr TG under 200 gr SWC in 45ACP) but a few guns will only work well with a different load (usually a mild load).

Some of the very slow powders, like 296, don't respond well to downloading, and the book will mention not to go lower than the published load.
 
dusticles said:
Curious about the Win 231, does it seem to work with the 165's? I have a pile of it for 9mm but never thought of experimenting with the .40..
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My .40 silhouette target above were workup loads starting at 4.0 to 4.8 grains of 231 and a Rainier 165 grain plated bullet. I thought they shot well and it sure made it easier to find your brass. It seemed as though these light loads from my Glock were thrown in a higher arc and landed just a few feet away.

My son sold me his Smith & Wesson 29-5 because he didn't like the recoil and doesn't reload. The next time he came home and shot my reloads he wanted it back.

This .44 magnum has a five inch barrel so please note below at 4.2 inches 100% of the powder is burnt, and I'm using 231. ;)

44231_zps745df461.jpg
 
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9mm retreads in a glock, and no problems with Campro JHPs. Just a thought . While I agree with the choice of glock:), have you considered 9mm vs. 40?

I guess it depends on where you live (seeing as the OPP and some other local LEOs use 40), but where I am, about 99+% of the pistol brass I find to re-use from the range comes in 9mm. I think over a few months I have found maybe a dozen usable .40 s&w brass. Just spitballing, and trying to help prevent you from having to actually BUY brass:)

All that aside, reloading is a very addictive hobby. Just starting myself, but enjoying it!
 
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