Hodgdon "WARNING" About 40S&W

[scooter123]

Feed ramp intrusion into the chamber isn't isolated to early Glocks. With barrel lengths shorter that 3.5 inches some intrusion can be essential to obtaining a reliable feed cycle and the 40 caliber Shield has started to gain a reputation for bulging case. A simple way to test for this with fired brass is to take some calipers, hold them about 3/16 inch above the base, and rotate the case while noting the measurements. If you find an "out of round" condition above about 0.015 inch you have a bulged case. You can also roll a case on a smooth table top and see how "smoothly" it rolls.

If you have a pistol that bulges your cases by 0.015 to 0.025 inch I believe that you would be safe reloading those cases up to 5 times. However, I don't think you should try and push that and you will obviously have to segregate those cases from those from other pistols. You will also want to purchase a 40 caliber Lee Factory Crimp Die and their Bulge Buster kit for this die. I also wouldn't advise reloading any cases with a bulge exceeding 0.025 inch. While brass is actually a lot tougher than some may think a 40 caliber case isn't so expensive that you need to reload every one you find or have.

I'll also note that my only experience with bulged 40 caliber cases are range brass picked up by mistake and I haven't had any problems after bulge busting those occasional cases. Note, rather than purchase the Lee kit I simple used a SHCS set on the case holder to push the case through my FCD. Not really too convenient but for 5 or 10 cases at a time useable. I'll also note that I like the 40 S&W and load it from rather mild with 950 FPS 180 grain plinkers to 165 grain hand stingers at 1150 fps.

 

[Groo01]

Groo here
Main reason I DO NOT like 40 Short and Weak.
All mine but one [ EAA witness Gold team]
have been converted to 357sig.
The ramps are different , due to the bottle neck case and the case was
beefed up at the base.

 

[g4g17]

MORE Internet BS! GLOCK RULES, too bad!

 

[F75gunslinger]

MORE Internet BS! GLOCK RULES, too bad!

Not internet BS. Did you even look at the post above with the pics ? It may not be an issue with current Glocks , but with earlier ones it certainly can be a problem . It isn't just a Glock problem as others have said, just that the Glocks seem to get more press about it because they're so popular .

 

[Road_Clam]

It isn't just a Glock problem as others have said, just that the Glocks seem to get more press about it because they're so popular .

Or because Glocks are so hated ? LOL

 

[medic15al]

MORE Internet BS! GLOCK RULES, too bad!

Not hardly. They are good pistols but nowhere near the elevated status shallow individuals emotionally attach themselves to.

The Gen II G-17 and 19s are the pistols that the company established their reliability record. Early Gen III 9mm as well. After the extractor/ejector/recoil spring cock-up they have pretty much dropped into the low-budget reliability range. And Brass to face is a flaw.

 

[Rule3]

Groo here
Main reason I DO NOT like 40 Short and Weak.
All mine but one [ EAA witness Gold team]
have been converted to 357sig.
The ramps are different , due to the bottle neck case and the case was
beefed up at the base.

That expression or statement is more internet nonsense. Yes it may be shorter than the 10mm from which it came, but it certainly is not weak, Sure you can load it weak, but it's strange how so many LE agencies use it.

 

[dannyabear]

That expression or statement is more internet nonsense. Yes it may be shorter than the 10mm from which it came, but it certainly is not weak, Sure you can load it weak, but it's strange how so many LE agencies use it.

Equally strange the FBI and others are going back to 9mm

 

[bigedp51]

Equally strange the FBI and others are going back to 9mm

The FBI is going back to the 9mm because there is a shortage of Elmor Kieth types with degrees in accounting.

I bought my 5 inch S&W .44 magnum from my son who doesn't reload and he prefers his Sig 228 9mm. He came home one weekend and we went out shooting. He wanted the .44 back after he shot some of my mild reloads.

 

[Preacher Skip]

I have a Glock 34, 17, 19, 26 two 42's and a Just Right Carbine that uses Glock 9mm magazines.
I'd rather have 17 (18 with one in the tube) ANYDAY than 6 of anything else for defensive situations.
That said, I also have a Golck 22 RTF Gen 3 that I have shot the snot out of, now son in law #2 has it and shoots it a lot. My loads are 180gr TC of HP over a charge of SR4756 or Longshot or HS-6. Nothing faster than that unless the bullet weight goes down or goes to lead bullets. Of course, then I change barrels too... ��

 

[Preacher Skip]

My favorite 44mag plinking loads are 200gr LRNFP over 4.5gr of Bullseye. Soft shooting in my M629 Classis? Oh yeah baby!

 

[Rick_A]

I decided to get some pics of the BHP's chamber as I couldn't find any representing the .40 online. Looks much like the MKIII 9mm.
20160219_123103 by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr
20160219_123113 by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr
20160219_123209 by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr
20160219_123516(0) by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr

I just clean it for the wife and shoot it on occasion, so I've never really looked at the gun in much detail. There's some interesting things going on there, but it looks likes there's enough support.