Fixing the .40 Glock bulge

[Bang]

Found this while researching the .40 S&W "problems". What a mix of claimed expertise on both sides of the arguments! Leaves one to either err on the side of caution and avoid the cartridge, or say screw it, I don't know anyone who experienced these problems and just forget about it, following some common-sense rules like don't feed and remove and feed your ammo thru your gun without paying attention to set-back (which in itself appears arguable).

Here's a tool I didn't know existed. I was glad to learn of it even though I have no plans to reload for my G23. Others here may benefit that it exists.

http://www.gundigest.com/ammunition-..._fixglockbulge

At the end, the writer says picking up fired brass at the range you can't tell if it was fired in a Glock. Really??? First of all, the distinct mark on the fired primer yells Glock, and if the Glock bulge is a big enough problem to prompt a manufacturer to make a tool addressing it, won't that bulge be present also?

[dkf]

The GR-X die is basically the same principal as Lees FCD/Bulge Buster kit. Roll sizing is a better option than either those two. But a roll sizer is a bit of coin.

Myself, I think it is blown out of portion. There are handguns that are harder than brass than Glocks. A lot of guys want to take range brass fired in more forgiving chambers in a self defense pistol, size them and run them in a tighter match chamber.

[40twist]

Lee also makes one called the bulge buster.


eta see post above

[SuperVel]

Has anyone honestly seen bulged brass from a Gen3 or Gen4 .40?

I'm not saying it isn't an issue, but I have never seen it personally - either from my Gen3 35, or friend's Gen3/4 22, 23 & 27. I reload the brass normally.

I have heard that the Beretta 96 has less support than any .40 out there, and some are saying the S&W Shield is pretty generous but I have no experience with either. If bulging is a problem for you handloaders, EGW has (made by Lee) undersize sizing/decapping dies in .40 and several other calibers.

Maybe the problem was the Gen2 .40 and it has been corrected? I hace never even seen a Gen2 in the wild. It seems like all the older Glocks have vanished from the scene around here.

[DucatiRon]

You can also pretty much eliminate the buldge just by using Lee's final crimp die. It's resizing ring is much lower / not as much as a taper than a standard sizing die. While I don't shoot .40 S&W my 10mm does buldge a bit in my G20 and G29. It buldged enough that w/o using the final crimp die the casings won't chamber in my Kimber. By using the 40 S&W/10mm final crimp die all my brass chambers in my Kimber. YMMV

[dkf]

Has anyone honestly seen bulged brass from a Gen3 or Gen4 .40?

I'm not saying it isn't an issue, but I have never seen it personally - either from my Gen3 35, or friend's Gen3/4 22, 23 & 27. I reload the brass normally.

I have heard that the Beretta 96 has less support than any .40 out there, and some are saying the S&W Shield is pretty generous but I have no experience with either. If bulging is a problem for you handloaders, EGW has (made by Lee) undersize sizing/decapping dies in .40 and several other calibers.

Maybe the problem was the Gen2 .40 and it has been corrected? I hace never even seen a Gen2 in the wild. It seems like all the older Glocks have vanished from the scene around here.

Yeah the Gen3 and Gen4 .40 barrels have more support. The Berttas support is not too great and many consider it worse than Glocks. The older S&W Sigmas in .40s were pretty bad too. One of the best supported barrels I have seen and shot it is the G3n3 and 4 Glock .357sig barrels.

[wanneroo]

Before I started reloading I was so worried about the so called "Glock Bulge" but after thousands of rounds I've never found it to be an issue.

[SuperVel]

You can also pretty much eliminate the buldge just by using Lee's final crimp die. It's resizing ring is much lower / not as much as a taper than a standard sizing die. While I don't shoot .40 S&W my 10mm does buldge a bit in my G20 and G29. It buldged enough that w/o using the final crimp die the casings won't chamber in my Kimber. By using the 40 S&W/10mm final crimp die all my brass chambers in my Kimber. YMMV

Just wondering if the Final Crimp Die and the Factory Crimp Die are the same thing?

Also, just for the record - I stated that my Gen3 35 does not noticeably bulge brass and no extra sizing is required.
However my Gen3 20 does bulge more than I'm comfortable with Underwood loads. I am not going to shoot any more until I when/if I get an aftermarket barrel. The old weak FBI load, Hornady Custom & Critical Defense, and handloads close to max in Hornady #9 do not bulge noticeably and no extra sizing is required.

[DucatiRon]

Ya same thing. I used the wrong description of the tool. Was doing two things at once and did not deliver on the exact die name.

[Bang]

Just removed the barrel from my 3rd gen G23 (dated November 2004 by serial number chart), chambered a round and looked at the unsupported area, a necessary part of the ramp for feeding. It looks like the gap is still under the thick part of the shell head.