- Location
- Southwestern Ontario
If you are loading .40 S&W (this calibre seems to be prone to these issues, but likely not the only one that is) there are a number of things to look out for if you are using once-fired or range brass:
1. Battle of The Bulge
.40 S&W fired through Glocks (notably, but my Beretta 96 does it too) can result in a bulge or "Glock Smile" at the base of the fired brass near the web. This is due to the feed ramp protruding well into the chamber of the barrel resulting in an unsupported area of the brass casing above the web. Often, sizing dies will not go down far enough on the brass during reloading to take the bulge out. If left, the bulge will result in stuck rounds in the barrel, FTE's, or out-of-battery conditions during firing. The dirtier the gun, the worse this gets. There are two relatively cheap ways of handling this issue. The first is using a Lee Bulge Buster kit along with a Lee Factory Crimp die of the appropriate calibre to process your brass prior to loading. This does a great job and all rounds will chamber perfectly. The second, if you happen to have loaded rounds that are bulged in some way, you can use a Lee Factory Crimp Die in a single stage press or as a final step in a progressive press. This also ensures the rounds will chamber perfectly. The first method is preferred over the second as you are not working with loaded rounds.
2. Watch your OAL
.40 S&W seems, in my experience, to be far more finicky than 9mm (or .357, or 5.56) to load and be consistent. Very small changes in OAL can result in FTF's in a a wide variety of firearms, so if that is your problem I would look here first. I stay between 1.125 and 1.135 inches and that seems to work just fine. Anything shorter is a crap shoot for my aging Beretta. Yours might be different, but that's my experience.
3. Check your brass
.40 S&W also seems to react to pressure over time sooner than other calbres I have reloaded. This could easily be brass quality as I am shooting mixed head stamp, but I have not noted cracked brass showing one particular head stamp. Brass will thin and crack at either the top (vertical split) or at the top of the web (Glock Smile location discussed earlier). Check all your .40 brass and stay safe.
Other things I have learned about reloading:
1. Take your time. If you are in a hurry, go buy some factory and shoot that.
2. The RCBS Lockout die is worth it's weight in gold and should be on every progressive press in the nation.
3. Double check everything, all the time.
4. Don't cheap out on equipment. You'll be sorry you did and you'll just pay in other ways.
5. If you are not at least somewhat detail-oriented, don't reload. It's not for the impatient.
6. Play around. Seeing the effect of small changes at the press on the range is a part of the fun of reloading.
7. Don't go straight to max load. Start midrange and work up. Your shooting hand will thank you for the lower recoil and you won't turn your $1500 Kimber into a hand grenade.
8. The Lee Factory Crimp Die is probably the best crimping die on the planet.
9. Load in a well-lit area.
10. Wear safety glasses and latex gloves.
11. There are regulations that apply to the storage of powder and primers. Know them and act accordingly.
12. If in doubt, pull and start over, even if it means pulling 500 rounds.
I'm sure there are other nuggets others can add, but these are mine.
Chrossphyre
1. Battle of The Bulge
.40 S&W fired through Glocks (notably, but my Beretta 96 does it too) can result in a bulge or "Glock Smile" at the base of the fired brass near the web. This is due to the feed ramp protruding well into the chamber of the barrel resulting in an unsupported area of the brass casing above the web. Often, sizing dies will not go down far enough on the brass during reloading to take the bulge out. If left, the bulge will result in stuck rounds in the barrel, FTE's, or out-of-battery conditions during firing. The dirtier the gun, the worse this gets. There are two relatively cheap ways of handling this issue. The first is using a Lee Bulge Buster kit along with a Lee Factory Crimp die of the appropriate calibre to process your brass prior to loading. This does a great job and all rounds will chamber perfectly. The second, if you happen to have loaded rounds that are bulged in some way, you can use a Lee Factory Crimp Die in a single stage press or as a final step in a progressive press. This also ensures the rounds will chamber perfectly. The first method is preferred over the second as you are not working with loaded rounds.
2. Watch your OAL
.40 S&W seems, in my experience, to be far more finicky than 9mm (or .357, or 5.56) to load and be consistent. Very small changes in OAL can result in FTF's in a a wide variety of firearms, so if that is your problem I would look here first. I stay between 1.125 and 1.135 inches and that seems to work just fine. Anything shorter is a crap shoot for my aging Beretta. Yours might be different, but that's my experience.
3. Check your brass
.40 S&W also seems to react to pressure over time sooner than other calbres I have reloaded. This could easily be brass quality as I am shooting mixed head stamp, but I have not noted cracked brass showing one particular head stamp. Brass will thin and crack at either the top (vertical split) or at the top of the web (Glock Smile location discussed earlier). Check all your .40 brass and stay safe.
Other things I have learned about reloading:
1. Take your time. If you are in a hurry, go buy some factory and shoot that.
2. The RCBS Lockout die is worth it's weight in gold and should be on every progressive press in the nation.
3. Double check everything, all the time.
4. Don't cheap out on equipment. You'll be sorry you did and you'll just pay in other ways.
5. If you are not at least somewhat detail-oriented, don't reload. It's not for the impatient.
6. Play around. Seeing the effect of small changes at the press on the range is a part of the fun of reloading.
7. Don't go straight to max load. Start midrange and work up. Your shooting hand will thank you for the lower recoil and you won't turn your $1500 Kimber into a hand grenade.
8. The Lee Factory Crimp Die is probably the best crimping die on the planet.
9. Load in a well-lit area.
10. Wear safety glasses and latex gloves.
11. There are regulations that apply to the storage of powder and primers. Know them and act accordingly.
12. If in doubt, pull and start over, even if it means pulling 500 rounds.
I'm sure there are other nuggets others can add, but these are mine.
Chrossphyre
