Reloading for Glock?

[UpTheIrons]

I may have the cart ahead of the horse, but here's a question: I'm looking at starting to reload soon (.45 and .38 at first). There's a possibility of adding a Glock to the family firearm fold, and I've been wondering...

How does one reload for a Glock if the back end of the chamber is unsupported. I've seen the pictures of what can happen to reloads after the bulging and resizing, so how do you compensate for this? A replacement barrel that supports the whole case? Smaller powder charge? If you replace the barrel, does that lead to ammo feeding issues (the whole point of the back of the chamber being unsupported in the first place)?

Man, I've still got a lot to learn...

[nuparadigm]

The "partially-unsupported-chamber-issue" is just another alarmist rant against Glock made by people who are searching for reasons to dislike them. So many Glcoks have been fired by so many people for so long with reloaded ammunition that your safety is assured. Use quality dies (Dillon, RCBS, Lyman, etc.) and you wont have a problem.

[Houston1944]

The unsupported chamber concern with Glocks is most often directed at Glocks chambered in the 40S&W caliber. This caliber is more prone to pressure spikes and the Glock 40 Kb's failures usually begin at the unsupported area since that is the weakest point of the containment area. This, combined with some other reasons that I won't get specific on caused Glock a lot of problems several years ago. Many a Glock 40 bit the dust in the early 2000's. I know because I joined the Glock Kb club in 2001.

I do not think any of this is a concern for the Glock 9mm and 45acp. Prior to my Kb I was measuring brass from reloads fired in Glocks for 9mm, 45acp and 40S&W. The bludge at the base of the brass showed a much higher percentage increase for the 40 than it did on the other calibers. Unfortunately my research came to a halt when I had to take my Glock home in plastic baggies.

[Bob Landry]

The .40 is problematic because it's a high pressure round, and you see more Glocks blow because of the unsupported chamber. If you shoot factory rounds or you are a careful reloader, you will probably still get the bulge, but you should be OK.. Just stay away from max loads and fast burning powders..

[UpTheIrons]

Thanks for the info and for dispelling the rumors! It'll likely be .45 and/or 9mm (whichever Mrs. UpTheIrons decides on) that I'll be reloading, anyway, so it shouldn't be a problem.

[redintex]

I do reload for my G23(40 S&W) and have shot quite a few of them with no issues. If the issue keeps you up at night, spend $100 on a Lone Wolf barrel that has conventional rifling and increased support to alleviate these concerns. I have ordered one for long term reloading use, as they make an excellent product and I won't have to worry...

Again, my .02,

redintex

[HankB]

The only "issue" I'm aware of in regard to loading for Glocks is that lead bullets and the polygonal rifling don't get along very well - the lead can build up to the point that it starts raising pressures more than is acceptable.

Some folks claim there's no issue here, and that they've personally fired a gazillion cast bullets through their Glock.

Maybe they have, but I would stick to jacketed or plated.

[gsat]

I have read the posts on shooting reloads in a Glock. I recently purchased 2000 40cal 175 SWC from BulletWorks and had the intention to reload and shoot them in my G35. I now may have a change in heart if these posts are correct. What is the difference in the lead bullet compared to the jacketed bullet? If there is any doubt that failure may occur I will sell these and purchase a full jacketed bullet. If anyone is interested in purchasing these I can bring them to PSC anytime.

[arod757]

I have read the posts on shooting reloads in a Glock. I recently purchased 2000 40cal 175 SWC from BulletWorks and had the intention to reload and shoot them in my G35. I now may have a change in heart if these posts are correct. What is the difference in the lead bullet compared to the jacketed bullet? If there is any doubt that failure may occur I will sell these and purchase a full jacketed bullet. If anyone is interested in purchasing these I can bring them to PSC anytime.

The lead bullet is softer, so more lead gets left behind with each fired round, possibly gumming up the barrel to the point of a kaboom. The polygonal rifling in the Glock barrel is what causes this. Jacketed bullets are harder, so they won't leave the lead behind in the barrel to cause this problem.

Like some of the posts above mentioned, it may be worth your while to buy an aftermarket conventional rifled barrel so you can shoot lead through your Glock with no problems.

[CDH]

Count me as one of the guys with many thousands (probably nearing 10k) of reloads through a 40 cal Glock without a problem. Then again, I find that starting loads cycle the action fine, maintain POI within reasonable distances (easily to 10 yards, who cares beyond that as this isn't a target pistol), and are easy on brass. Case bulge is negligible, barely measurable with calipers, and brass life is fine.

Loose chambered pistols (like Glock but certainly not limited to them) do not handle hotrodding as well as some others (like a full size 1911 built to 45 ACP dimensions and chambered for 9mm). Since the Glock 17 was built around the 9mm and overall dimensions left unchanged when they chambered it to 40S&W (making the G22), it left the safety margins reduced a bit. Add Federal trying to maximize case capacity and leaving the web of their cases thin, comp shooters trying to insure major power factors, careless reloaders trying for 10mm ballistics, etc., and you have a recipe for a higher than average failure rate.

Be careful and you'll be fine. Keep your barrel clean and even lead is fine...just clean often and watch for buildup...it comes on fast.

[gsat]

Thanks for the information. I did purchase a Lone Wolf barrel for my G35 to shoot reloads with a lead bullet. The first 150 rounds I shot factory 165 winchester with no problems. I then shot 150 rounds of the 175 reloads with the lead bullet and I had 4 of them jam in the gun. The question I have is this common for reloads or is this a barrel issue that I should contact Lone Wolf about. I had read somewhere that Lone Wolf has had issues but since the factory ammo shot well with no problems I wanted another opinion before I called. Thanks.

[CDH]

There are many possibilities for jamming. Where did the jam occur? Did it hang up in the mag rails? Half in the feed ramp? Hanging half out of the barrel? Cartridge nose against the front of the ramp? Is it just one mag doing it?

Can you get a picture of it jammed? The position of the cartridge when it jams can tell you a whole lot and it a good place to start...