50150me
Member
I am just about to start reloading 40S&W. I use range brass. Do I need a 4th die to prevent bulging? I have reloaded 9, 38 and 45's for years with out cases bulging problems. Firearm would be a S&W Shield.
40S&W Bulging cases?
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If you size the case , bell it and don't seat the bullet too deep in the case......
most pistol ammo should not have a bulge, if the correct dia. is used
in a chamber that meets spec's.
most pistol ammo should not have a bulge, if the correct dia. is used
in a chamber that meets spec's.
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The problem is the guns that have an unsupported area that allows the case to bulge on firing. This is something that is more common with the .40 than any other cartridge. If you have those cases you'll need to do something about it. Lee Bulge Buster is the best solution. The FCD as a final step may help but it still can't get all the way down the case. You are likely to run into problems but you can wait until you do.
Could use a bulge buster
Oh, "That" kind of a bulge................
Unsuported case bulges need to be fixed or tossed.
Just remember that these are damaged cases, that you will be using...
that have a structural damage.
Unsuported case bulges need to be fixed or tossed.
Just remember that these are damaged cases, that you will be using...
that have a structural damage.
I would not run any of those in my guns.
MyDads38
Member
Anything with an extreme bulge gets tossed. I use the Lee Bulge Buster/Factory Crimp die and have very few issues. I tumble brass then push all brass through FCD/Bulge Buster and then load as normal. I check all rounds in a Lyman case gage and also plunk test a few in my barrel. I've loaded cast and plated bullets with no issues.
STORMINORMAN
Member
Just Toss 'em!
I just throw out any 40 S&W cases I find (at any step along the way) that exhibit any bulge or visible or tactile imperfection...
Actually, I do this with all cases for all calibers as an S.O.P. (SOP?).
This can happen while depriming, after cleaning with SS pins, while resizing and/or expanding, when hand priming or in the powder/seating step. If one makes it to crimping and final inspection (usually a case gauge) I'm going to set it apart and break it down anyway.
Cheers!
P.S. I have found less than a couple dozen bulged 40 S&W cases in years of reloading this caliber, even going way back to the "GLOCK smile" era. Over supplied with brass for all the calibers I reload. I'm easily picky.
I just throw out any 40 S&W cases I find (at any step along the way) that exhibit any bulge or visible or tactile imperfection...
Actually, I do this with all cases for all calibers as an S.O.P. (SOP?).
This can happen while depriming, after cleaning with SS pins, while resizing and/or expanding, when hand priming or in the powder/seating step. If one makes it to crimping and final inspection (usually a case gauge) I'm going to set it apart and break it down anyway.
Cheers!
P.S. I have found less than a couple dozen bulged 40 S&W cases in years of reloading this caliber, even going way back to the "GLOCK smile" era. Over supplied with brass for all the calibers I reload. I'm easily picky.
See my post #30. Most of the bulges you won't even see with your eye but you do when you gauge them or load them. (Rollsizing)
9 mm reloading and gage
9 mm reloading and gage
Fishinfool
Member
There were a number of Glock "Kaboom's" in .40 cal a number of years ago. Most all involved using reloaded .40 brass that had been fired in earlier generation Glock's that had poor case head support - AKA "the bulge". Brass is cheap, and I wouldn't use brass that was bulged at the webb. I am unsure of the amount of case head support in the Shield.
Larry
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Baltimoreed11754
Member
Get a bulge buster. I use one on my .45acps that get banged up in pccs. Ones that are noticeably deformed throw in your brass recycle. But I thought they could be reused in a fully supported chamber.
Glock improved the unsupported issues a few generations back.
My understanding is that this was mostly a Gen 1 factory Glock barrel issue. Seemed to be exacerbated by new brass supplies (mostly Speer at the time) that had a thinner case area. Brass cases have been thickened and Glock provided for increased bbl support. Gen 2 bbls were improved, most factory loads showed no issues. Some fired brass would exhibit the "Glock smile" in Gen 2 bbls with hotter loads only.
If fired cases are from older 80's-90's Gen1 G22/G23 or maybe Gen2, roll size or use a GR-X.
My understanding is that this was mostly a Gen 1 factory Glock barrel issue. Seemed to be exacerbated by new brass supplies (mostly Speer at the time) that had a thinner case area. Brass cases have been thickened and Glock provided for increased bbl support. Gen 2 bbls were improved, most factory loads showed no issues. Some fired brass would exhibit the "Glock smile" in Gen 2 bbls with hotter loads only.
If fired cases are from older 80's-90's Gen1 G22/G23 or maybe Gen2, roll size or use a GR-X.
When the case expands and bulges excessively down at the head and then you push it back into orig shape in a die,,the brass is probably already work hardened beyond where it should be.
The case head portion of a cartridge is supposed to be harder (temper) than the mouth to contain the pressure of unsupported brass in that area.
But some guns have more unsupported area than others.
Some brass starts out a bit softer than it should in that area.
When you bulge it that far that's cold working the metal. It might already have micro cracks in it.
Then the sizer die pushes it back into shape and all looks well, but it may crack more or that second operation develops cracks and more brass hardness.
Then when it's fired and that area is unsupported once again there's a good chance it may not bulge and hold,,but just blow out.
I was shown a STAR Model B-Super not long ago that a case blew out. That in turn cracked the plastic grips and blew some brass into the shooters palm of his grip hand.
The problem was that the feed ramp of the gun, both the frame & bbl,,had been altered slightly in attempts to get hollow pt and other bullets to feed better. That left the case unsupported much more than the orig design which had a rather steep and abrupt ramp.
But the pistol was designed to used FMJ ammo and they work just fine with that in most instances.
The ammo was reloads as well,,so they may have also been bulged from previous multiple firing & reloadings and the brass suffered from the above condition.
My best advise was to use factory FMJ in the STAR. Or if he want to continue to reload,,use other new or once fired brass (that shows no bulge on the case).,,reload that and then toss it.
The case head portion of a cartridge is supposed to be harder (temper) than the mouth to contain the pressure of unsupported brass in that area.
But some guns have more unsupported area than others.
Some brass starts out a bit softer than it should in that area.
When you bulge it that far that's cold working the metal. It might already have micro cracks in it.
Then the sizer die pushes it back into shape and all looks well, but it may crack more or that second operation develops cracks and more brass hardness.
Then when it's fired and that area is unsupported once again there's a good chance it may not bulge and hold,,but just blow out.
I was shown a STAR Model B-Super not long ago that a case blew out. That in turn cracked the plastic grips and blew some brass into the shooters palm of his grip hand.
The problem was that the feed ramp of the gun, both the frame & bbl,,had been altered slightly in attempts to get hollow pt and other bullets to feed better. That left the case unsupported much more than the orig design which had a rather steep and abrupt ramp.
But the pistol was designed to used FMJ ammo and they work just fine with that in most instances.
The ammo was reloads as well,,so they may have also been bulged from previous multiple firing & reloadings and the brass suffered from the above condition.
My best advise was to use factory FMJ in the STAR. Or if he want to continue to reload,,use other new or once fired brass (that shows no bulge on the case).,,reload that and then toss it.
40 S&W and 10mm are known for their bulged brass. Badly bulged ('guppy belly') gets tossed, medium bulge for softer/medium reloads, no bulge for any reload. My LE Wilson case gauge is indispensable.
The standard 'busting' procedure is to run them through a pass-through die (e.g. Redding G-Rx) before sizing. Aftermarket bbls are often used to replace OEM Glock bbls to minimize bulging - KKM for me.
The standard 'busting' procedure is to run them through a pass-through die (e.g. Redding G-Rx) before sizing. Aftermarket bbls are often used to replace OEM Glock bbls to minimize bulging - KKM for me.
Maybe the Op can clarify his question as there's a difference in obtaining a fired case that's bulged & bulging a case while reloading.
If he's asking should be buy a 3-die reloading set or a 4-die reloading set I always go with the 4-die sets.
No matter, either set should not cause bulges in just reloaded cases unless you're doing something wrong.
.
I find all Glock bulge cases by doing an empty brass plunk, then dump test into my Wilson gauge after sizing/depriming, wet tumbling in my FA, drying and visual sorting by headstamp. Lately, there have been fewer and fewer Glock finds from range brass as time passes.
Last batch a month ago from about 5 years of storage revealed 6 cases which hung up about 1/8" out of the gauge out of about 400, all of which went directly into the trash can.
I just don't think it is worth taking the chance considering information in several of the postings above.
Jack
Last batch a month ago from about 5 years of storage revealed 6 cases which hung up about 1/8" out of the gauge out of about 400, all of which went directly into the trash can.
I just don't think it is worth taking the chance considering information in several of the postings above.
Jack
