40 brass bulges

[hellonwheels]

Hi guys,
I am getting ready to start reloading 40's. I have been shooting Winchester White Box 180gr. at 989 fps and 165gr. at 1014 or so. I have a RCBS Pro 2000 reloading setup. I need some schooling from you folks as to where to go from here. I am looking at Horndy Dies and a Redding GRX sizing setup for truing my brass. This is where I need some help. Who makes the best setup for getting the bulge out of the 40 brass? Also, do I need a brass trimer? What is a good brass trimer to get? Finally, How many times am I looking at to be able to reload a 40 brass? I really like the recoil of the 180gr. vs the 165gr. So I well be reloading 180gr. JHP at about 1000fps. Any suggestions as to powders and powder amounts to put me in this bracket?

[tappedandtagged]

Since you have the dreaded 40 buldge, I'm going to venture a guess and say you are shooting a Gen 2 glock?

As far as the buldge, dunno which is best. None of my 40's have the buldge (I shoot two Gen 3's and a Gen 4). I know if itwere me, I would just buy the Lee 4 die set. Then buy the optionl (and cheap) buldge buster from Lee. It uses the factory crimp die in the set to remove the buldge. From what I've read it works as good as any device. That and the cheaper price would make it seem to me that it is the "best" one to go with. Then again, it all depends on if you can look past the name. I know I can.

The issue with shooting a gun with an unsupported chamber is the buldge. You can iron it out and load again, but if that buldged spot were to load into the chamber and the weakened previously buldged part hits the unsupported spot again, you very well could have the cae rupture in that spot and vent gases down into the frame/mag well of your gun.

The number of loads all depends on how hot of a load you are running, the brand and lot of your brass and whether the previously stressed buldged spot hits the unsupported part of the chamber again.

If this sounds scary, it could be. One way to avoid it is to buy a replacement barrel for the gun (with a supported chamber). Then shoot away until you see neck splits or loose primer pockets.

You shouldn't ever need to trim the brass, but only time will tell for sure. I would hold off on that purchase until you know.

[Rule3]

What gun are you shooting???

[Zappa]

I hate bulged brass, that's why I got rid of my Beretta 92 and use an aftermarket KKM barrel in my Glock 27. A fully supported chamber eliminates this from ever happening.

[Skip Sackett]

Nothing faster than Unique will EVER find it's way into ANY 40S&W that I load for, NEVER!

Longshot or SR4759

Lowest pressure, highest velocity. If you want plinking rounds, load to the minimum side of SR4756...

[hellonwheels]

Aw! Yes I forgot the gun that I shoot. It's a M&P 40. And I love it.

[hellonwheels]

Does anyone make a fully supported barrel for the Smith & Wesson M & P?

[Rule3]

Originally Posted by hellonwheels

Aw! Yes I forgot the gun that I shoot. It's a M&P 40. And I love it.

I am confused?

The MP 40 should have a fully supported barrel/chamber I do not know of any SW semi autos that do not??? But I do not have one so may be wrong.

Can you take a picture of the barrel with a round in it??

[Skip Sackett]

It has a fully supported chamber and I love mine as well BUT, still, heed the cautions above.

People will tell you they have done this with that powder and yada, yada, yada. I had a KB in a Browning High Power in 40S&W and it was with a Lyman #48 load. When I called Hodgdon and told them my load, they said: "That's .5gr over our maximum with that powder and you have no idea what that pressure really is because that powder is really finicky when it goes over pressure........Thankfully it was an all steel gun and didn't blow up in my hand BUT, that was enough.

Since then, I have run thousands of loads through a Glock 22 using SR4756. My son in law now has that gun and Square Deal B and he is loading the same powder with wonderful results.....

This is just a word to the wise, you are living in a free country, for the time being, and I assume you are an adult.....YOU are responsible for your actions...I have just given you some advice!

Have fun, be safe....

[Rule3]

Power Pistol is my go to powder for 9mm and 40 SW. Hornady likes it also.

Here is a list of some "lite" loads

Make Right With a ".40 Lite"

Stick with the slower powders as Skip says.

Burn Rate

[rodsvet]

Just get the Redding die. I got the non carbide one when they first came out and it does an excellent job. The carbide ones are 2x the $ and break on occasion. I shoot and carry a 1st gen glock 23 and load and shoot the brass many times without incident. I do use a Wolf barrel at the range with reloads and the factory barrel with Corbons for carry. Enjoy and be careful. The last little bit of velocity is not worth going for. The target, paper or human doesn't know the difference. Rod

[hellonwheels]

Thanks Skip

[hellonwheels]

Reelin in the years, I am new at s/w semi-autos and I have no idea if the M&P is fully supported or not. If I pull the barrel from my gun and place a spint cass in the barrel, should the cass be all the way in?

[Rule3]

Don't worry about "bulging" brass as it's not gonna happen with your gun/barrel Unless you go overboard with your reloading.

I shoot CZ, HK and Sigs in 40 and it's no different than 9mm or 45 ACP. The main "offenders" are Glock 40 and Browning HP 40. Even those can be bulge free if you shoot low to medium loads. Only when you max them out do you get drastic bulges.

Guess I am saying don't create a problem before it may happen.

[Rule3]

Originally Posted by hellonwheels

Does anyone make a fully supported barrel for the Smith & Wesson M & P?

The barrel in it.

[Maximumbob54]

I just started using WSF as it's even slower than Unique. I only have a dozen loaded up for testing so far.

[hellonwheels]

Thanks guys,
there is a gun show next weekend and I am going to get me some IMR 4756, new brass, and bullets. I trully appreciate all of the schoolin'. Oh yeah, a set of four Lee dies.
Jim

[Maximumbob54]

Oh, and I can vouch for the Redding G-Rx die. I use it on all my range pick up brass. It's also the only think I use Oneshot lube on that works.

[growr]

My Dillon dies do a great job on Glocked brass...might work for you as well.

Randy

[handgunner356]

I use Universal Clays for my 40s', pretty much matches Unique as to burn rate and loads. I pick up a lot of range brass from who knows what guns, never trimed a 40 case but I do check each round in a case gauge. If I do find one that doesn't drop right in I usually mark it and set it aside. When I got time at the range I try shooting them off, usually they chamber and fire OK, then I discard the brass. Any that don't I pull apart and reuse what I can.

[gwpercle]

Lee makes a push through case sizer for bulge removal , works well and is inexpensive.

gary

[Rule3]

Why don't folks read the whole threads?

The OP does not have a Glock, He does not have Glocked or bulged brass and does not have a gun/barrel they will bulge the brass.

It is a problem that has not yet occurred.