I just got my press and I want to reload for my glock 40. I know that glocks are a huge pain to reload for because of the bulges in pistol cases. How do you do this? I'm considering getting rid of my glock and getting a pistol that's easier to reload for but I'm not stoked on it cause it's a great shooter.
- Thread starter nikdanja
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I reload for my Glocks and haven't had any problems in the years I've been doing it. I've used single stage with rcbs dies and the last 4000 rounds have been on a Dillon 550b with Dillon dies. I use plated bullets and have never had any issues with case sizing or feeding.
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I've loaded thousands of rounds for both 9 and 40 Glocks with just the standard Dillon carbide dies and have never had a problem with the bulge. If whatever die you have doesn't size down far enough, just get a undersized die from EGW and be done with it. There's nothing difficult about reloading for a Glock.
Same experiences here. Loaded a couple thousand and shot through my 9mm Glock with no issues whatsoever.
Lone wolf barrel? I haven't thought about that before because I need to get one to shoot cast bullets. So you've never had any problems with it?
Several manufacturers also make a push thru sizing die that eliminates the bulge.
If you think it may be an issue, simply get redding push through die and you will NOT have any issues no matter what. You can also make a push through die out of a lee carbide sizing die, just make a plunger and remove internals. Push the brass all the way through it and the are perfect, better than roll sized brass 
My Glocks are a bit hard on brass but a lee die set will do the job nicely.
I now use a KKM barrel and my brass comes out in primo shape and lead is no problem.
My particular Glock barrels do NOT like lead and that was my main reason for the KKM
Thanks for the help guys. Looks like I need to look into a aftermarket barrel. I'm going to use all dillon dies so hopefully this issue won't be a issue at all. I've just heard that everytime you shoot a glock the brass comes out all jacked up.
Before you jump to the conclusion of needing an aftermarket barrel I would run your factory one unless you're looking to shoot hard cast lead bullets or you want something threaded for use with a suppressor. Stick with plated or jacketed bullets and give it a go. I've shot thousands of my reloads using plated bullets through my personal G22 and through my issued G22. I can't even begin to count the number of rounds I've loaded for my brother or other officers to use in their blocks, never had any issues.
The Glock "bulge" is not the problem it once was in older pistols as Glock has added a little more support to the rear of the case. Standard dies should work as I've used Hornady, Lee, and Dillon dies all with no issues in the Glocks.
Before going to a barrel that will make your reliable glock unreliable just to shoot cast bullets, I'd take a look at bayou bullets. They're lead with a super hard green coating. I'm about to hit 10k through my g34 barrel and they don't have any issues. Fouling is minor. I clean the barrel every 1k or so.
bulged cases in glock are from +P+ loads which are not recommanded in the glocks, with standard loads your brass won't bulge. That old tale comes from the first gen model 17 which had very generous chamber to increase reliability for the military contract. that bulged brass problem has been solved on the gen 2 and up since. brass can be reused many times without problems.
cheers.
cheers.
I find that HK barrels will bulge a case at least as much as Glock, maybe more. The Dillon sizer die is radiused to allow more reliable insertion of the spent brass into the die, BUT they don't size the case down as close to the rim as a normal die. I run the Lee undersize die which solves about 90% of the bulge issue. The loaded rounds are all run through a case gage and the ones that wont fit are pushed through the Redding push-through die. I get 100% reliability with this process. Just don't get in a hurry pushing loaded rounds through the Redding.
I load both hard lead and plated bullets through my Dillon 650. My #21 eats it all. Dillon dies, all mixed brass. I've never had a problem.
I find almost every 40 gets a bulge. When I ro a stage and pick up brass from glock to 1911 to 2011 to etc... they all get a bulge. I've got bags full of them from all makes and models and they all vary but plenty leave a bulge. More a case design I think.
Same here. I've reloaded thousands of cases fired in Glocks and have never had an issue.
GREAT info, i'm right at the point where I have about 1K of .40 brass shot from my Glock G22 as well, never knew of the Glock's "bulge" issue. I'm about ready to buy a set of dies and start loading .40 pistol. So just reiterate the dies question, what's the best brand of die to purchase ? (I'm thus far been very happy with RCBS dies)
I have been doing all my pistol loading on a Lee die set. It was cheap and the truth is I haven't had a reason a switch. Also a big +1 on the polymer coated bullets like Bayou bullets. For all intents and purposes a coated bullet is just a lead bullet that wont lead your barrel. Source them right and you can get some really good prices.
I shoot nothing but range brass in my G35, I run every single piece through a Lee Bulge Buster, the BB is a add on for the Lee Factory Crimp Die, my adive is to throw in the garbage the crimping portion of the FCD, the carbide ring will make the bullets feed like butter at the expense of accuracy.
I bought 3 Glocks 15 years ago, with different case supports:
1) Glock 19 9mm feed ramp intrusion 0.190", case web thickness 0.160" -> 0.030" of thin case wall unsupported, can shoot 60% extra powder before case bulge
2) Glock 22 40sw feed ramp intrusion 0.235", case web thickness 0.180" -> 0.055" of thin case wall unsupported, can shoot 25% extra powder before case bulge
2) Glock 20 10mm feed ramp intrusion 0.250", case web thickness 0.180" -> 0.070" of thin case wall unsupported, can shoot 3% ~ 10% extra powder before case bulge
What have I done about this?
1) G19 9mm .. I made a 48 pound triple recoil spring assembly. I put in a New York Trigger to reset as fast as the recoil spring pushes the slide. I doubled the magazine springs in parallel to keep up with the slide speed so the chamber would not come up empty. I have never seen anyone be me with strong enough grip to chamber a round. This is all tuned up for 20% extra powder. This means the stock case support is up to anything theoretically possible in this pistol. The only reason for an aftermarket barrel would be; length, muzzle threads, accuracy, leading, etc. But not case support.
2) G22 40sw... The chamber was not only instruded, the rear inside diameter was larger than SAAMI spec tolerances. Almost all chambers are at the small end, this is very unusual to see something too big. I TIG welded up the feed ramp and re cut the chamber and feed ramp at .180" -> 0.000 unsupported case wall. It can now shoot 154% extra powder.
3) G20 10mm....I bought a Bar Sto aftermarket 10mm barrel with 0.230" feed ramp intrusion -> 0.050" unsupported. Can now shoot 50% extra powder. I also Bought a KKM aftermarket 40sw barrel for the G20 with feed ramp intrusion of 0.200" -> 0.020" unsupported. I have not shot the KKM, but I would assume it can take 100% extra powder if anyone could take the recoil. With the 1.3" OAL and stronger 40sw case head, I could potentially chrono the highest power that ever came out of a G20 with 4.5" barrel.
1) Glock 19 9mm feed ramp intrusion 0.190", case web thickness 0.160" -> 0.030" of thin case wall unsupported, can shoot 60% extra powder before case bulge
2) Glock 22 40sw feed ramp intrusion 0.235", case web thickness 0.180" -> 0.055" of thin case wall unsupported, can shoot 25% extra powder before case bulge
2) Glock 20 10mm feed ramp intrusion 0.250", case web thickness 0.180" -> 0.070" of thin case wall unsupported, can shoot 3% ~ 10% extra powder before case bulge
What have I done about this?
1) G19 9mm .. I made a 48 pound triple recoil spring assembly. I put in a New York Trigger to reset as fast as the recoil spring pushes the slide. I doubled the magazine springs in parallel to keep up with the slide speed so the chamber would not come up empty. I have never seen anyone be me with strong enough grip to chamber a round. This is all tuned up for 20% extra powder. This means the stock case support is up to anything theoretically possible in this pistol. The only reason for an aftermarket barrel would be; length, muzzle threads, accuracy, leading, etc. But not case support.
2) G22 40sw... The chamber was not only instruded, the rear inside diameter was larger than SAAMI spec tolerances. Almost all chambers are at the small end, this is very unusual to see something too big. I TIG welded up the feed ramp and re cut the chamber and feed ramp at .180" -> 0.000 unsupported case wall. It can now shoot 154% extra powder.
3) G20 10mm....I bought a Bar Sto aftermarket 10mm barrel with 0.230" feed ramp intrusion -> 0.050" unsupported. Can now shoot 50% extra powder. I also Bought a KKM aftermarket 40sw barrel for the G20 with feed ramp intrusion of 0.200" -> 0.020" unsupported. I have not shot the KKM, but I would assume it can take 100% extra powder if anyone could take the recoil. With the 1.3" OAL and stronger 40sw case head, I could potentially chrono the highest power that ever came out of a G20 with 4.5" barrel.
