Hello gang, I and new to this forum and have loaded rifle ammo for some time, however I have not loaded any pistol. I have a Clock 22 .40 cal. Been shooting UMC, Winchester and Remington ammo. Saved the cartridges and now will start reloading them. I have books from Sierra, Hornady, Lymann and Speer. Two books show trimmed case length to .845 and two show to trim to .840. I have notice some of the used rounds are less than .840. Is there a very minimum length for loading. Plus I use RCBS Carbide Dies where they recommend not sizing all the way to the base. Please give me your advise as to what is safe.
.40 S&W questions?
- Thread starter C.S.63
- Start date
Skip Sackett
US Veteran
Stuff! Welcome to the forum!
You sure picked a great way to start handgun loading! NOT!
The combination you have, 40S&W + Glock, has had its share of trouble with factory ammo, let alone reloads!
That being said, it is doable! And, it is doable safely! You just have to understand what you have and how to get there from here.
First question though, "who are "they" when you talk about not resizing all of the case?" Most certainly, you MUST resize the whole case if you want it to chamber properly every time. Someone makes a special die just for Glocked 40 brass! It sizes where most dies cannot reach. Do a web search and it will turn up.
For me, and I have loaded for a Glock 22 for a while now, well, since I gave the gun last year to my son in law, and have had no ill happen. My 180gr plated bullet travels out of that barrel right at 1000fps and does it with less pressure than most powders being used today. I used SR4756 to build my loads and if you go to the Hodgdon data website, you will see that there is only one powder that gives higher velocity with lower pressure and that is Longshot.
Either one will work well for full power loads. What do you want to do with the rounds you reload? Impress others or punch holes in paper? If you are strictly punching holes in paper, and have a stock Glock barrel, let me suggest one powder for you to consider for that: HP-38/W231, they are the exact same powder. Now, this needs to be qualified: This is for a light bullet, say, 135gr to 165gr and staying below 28,000psi.
Just me but, I would NEVER use anything faster than that ever ~again~ in the 40. Just me, there is lots of data out there for other powders, just not going to go in my Glock or Browning High Power or other pistol that has an unsupported chamber. If the firearm that I am loading for has one of them, I am going to do my dead level best to stay under that 28,000psi self imposed limit. I had a BHP come partially apart in my hand, scared me to life and that life made me see the error of my ways!
Do yourself a favor too, stay under that 28,000psi limit to start with. You will be glad you did!
FWIW
You sure picked a great way to start handgun loading! NOT!
The combination you have, 40S&W + Glock, has had its share of trouble with factory ammo, let alone reloads!
That being said, it is doable! And, it is doable safely! You just have to understand what you have and how to get there from here.
First question though, "who are "they" when you talk about not resizing all of the case?" Most certainly, you MUST resize the whole case if you want it to chamber properly every time. Someone makes a special die just for Glocked 40 brass! It sizes where most dies cannot reach. Do a web search and it will turn up.
For me, and I have loaded for a Glock 22 for a while now, well, since I gave the gun last year to my son in law, and have had no ill happen. My 180gr plated bullet travels out of that barrel right at 1000fps and does it with less pressure than most powders being used today. I used SR4756 to build my loads and if you go to the Hodgdon data website, you will see that there is only one powder that gives higher velocity with lower pressure and that is Longshot.
Either one will work well for full power loads. What do you want to do with the rounds you reload? Impress others or punch holes in paper? If you are strictly punching holes in paper, and have a stock Glock barrel, let me suggest one powder for you to consider for that: HP-38/W231, they are the exact same powder. Now, this needs to be qualified: This is for a light bullet, say, 135gr to 165gr and staying below 28,000psi.
Just me but, I would NEVER use anything faster than that ever ~again~ in the 40. Just me, there is lots of data out there for other powders, just not going to go in my Glock or Browning High Power or other pistol that has an unsupported chamber. If the firearm that I am loading for has one of them, I am going to do my dead level best to stay under that 28,000psi self imposed limit. I had a BHP come partially apart in my hand, scared me to life and that life made me see the error of my ways!
Do yourself a favor too, stay under that 28,000psi limit to start with. You will be glad you did!
FWIW
Smith Crazy,
Thanks for the reply. The they I was referring to is the instructions for setting up the resizing die for RCBS Carbide Die. The instructions say not to let the Die touch the Case holder due to possible cracking of the hardened Carbide. Suggested distance is about 1/4 inch off the holder. This does not allow for a full re-size. I was going to use WSF loaded to 6.6 gr with a 180 JHP. Will rethink this and look at lowering the pressure to your suggestion. Also I notice that most of the cartridges were pushing the .840 and some were below that. At what length would you suggest trashing the cartridge?
stuff101
Thanks for the reply. The they I was referring to is the instructions for setting up the resizing die for RCBS Carbide Die. The instructions say not to let the Die touch the Case holder due to possible cracking of the hardened Carbide. Suggested distance is about 1/4 inch off the holder. This does not allow for a full re-size. I was going to use WSF loaded to 6.6 gr with a 180 JHP. Will rethink this and look at lowering the pressure to your suggestion. Also I notice that most of the cartridges were pushing the .840 and some were below that. At what length would you suggest trashing the cartridge?
stuff101
Skip Sackett
US Veteran
Hey stuff,
Sorry, left that question untouched! haha
At any rate, I do one of two things. If the case works at the shortest length I have, that becomes the new "skip standard" for the cartridge. If the OAL is the same as the recipe, case length plays no part in the situation, not until you have to crimp them that is!
Will spend a bit more time answering this later. WSF may be just fine for the burn rate. Not too familiar with it to be honest. What place or what powders are around it on the chart at hodgdon.com?
Sorry, left that question untouched! haha
At any rate, I do one of two things. If the case works at the shortest length I have, that becomes the new "skip standard" for the cartridge. If the OAL is the same as the recipe, case length plays no part in the situation, not until you have to crimp them that is!
Will spend a bit more time answering this later. WSF may be just fine for the burn rate. Not too familiar with it to be honest. What place or what powders are around it on the chart at hodgdon.com?
CS63...I have fired many thousands of Montana Gold Bullets in 9mm, 38, .40 & 45 and have a very HIGH regard for them.
Norm does a great job and even gave me a tour of his plant which was WAY cool! I used to haul hundred's of thousands of his bullets back to the SEIPS club in Idaho Falls when I lived there.
Randy
Norm does a great job and even gave me a tour of his plant which was WAY cool! I used to haul hundred's of thousands of his bullets back to the SEIPS club in Idaho Falls when I lived there.
Randy
While I was looking up C.U.P. Pressures for the .40 cal loads I found what seams to be a big difference between Hodgon and Layman which one is correct? I don't want to load too light but being too heavy could be a real serious problem. Does Hodgon sell a book that shows C.U.P. Pressures. Layman seams to be the only one. I looked up the Hodgon chart on line and was alarmed to see the difference. Maybe I am just not reading it correctly. Just don't want to make a mistake that could damage my pistol or myself.
Skip Sackett
US Veteran
C.U.P. pressure rating is used by Lyman because they don't have an electronic transducer for that caliber, most likely. "Squished" copper was the standard for a long, long time but now, not so much. Hodgdon has a transducer evidently and uses it. The charges listed at Hodgdon will be safe in any type of firearm that you shoot them in with the caveat that you use the whole recipe, especially the OAL in this caliber.
Faulkner
Member
I've not seen TiteGroup powder mentioned, it's my powder of choice for 9mm and .40 S&W. I've fired several thousand rounds of .40 loaded with TiteGroup and like it's low muzzle flash and very clean burn. I've used Power Pistol with satisfactory results, but with all the other benefits I also get more rounds per pound with TiteGroup. I use 180 grain bullets exclusively.
I get all my brass free at the department range and it's 99% Glock fired. It gets resized on my Dillon 550 and never have had a problem.
I get all my brass free at the department range and it's 99% Glock fired. It gets resized on my Dillon 550 and never have had a problem.
K&Nframe
Member
I think if you reread it you will see that it is 1/4 turn, not 1/4 inch. You should just be able to see daylight between a carbide die and the shell holder.
Kevin
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