# Reloading 40's and 9mm and.....



## BZimm (Feb 29, 2016)

I'm relatively new to handguns and I've been lurking here for a while trying to learn as much as I can. I've taken this hobby seriously and I have a Gen 4 G23 with an extra 9mm barrel and a S&W Highway Patrolman. I want to learn more about handloading because my ammo consumption is growing.

When I set up a bench I would like to handload 38 special (357) and 40 cal. My approach is slow and methodical and I read ALOT.

My questions are:

- What about loading the 40 cal. rounds from a Glock 23? Can I resize those cases for the occasional "smile", or is reloading 40 cal. cases from a Glock simply not a good thing?

- Can I reload 9mm from my LoneWolf conversion barrel without those same worries?

- I think I might start with the 38 and 357 loads, but I know that I can chew through a lot more rounds with the Glock. Any advice along these lines?

I know there's a lot of variables involved with my questions and I will likely be in the research phase for quite awhile yet. I can continue to practice with commercial ammo for the time being while I become more comfortable with the handloading idea. I appreciate any ideas you may offer.

BZimm


----------



## Craigh (Jul 29, 2016)

As far as Glock goes, I have no idea. I only currently own one, a Glock 19 and don't care for it that much. I also don't shoot 40 cal at all and so have no experience with it. 

I do shoot a lot of 9mm and 38/357. I have done a lot of handloading for close to 35 years, but currently do not because of health reasons. I expect to start back at the loading bench sometime this next year. With respect to 38/357, I prefer to just stick with 357 brass. There's no financial advantage to using 38 Special brass and since I use a lot of lead wadcutter and semi wadcutter bullets in purchased swaged and my own cast varieties, there's less chance of leading up the chambers. Some shooters swage their own, but I never have. Just cast. In fact, I still have quite a few Keith type cast semiwads sitting around I need to load up. Of the few revolvers I still own, none are 38 Special only. 

I used to prefer fast burning power for light range loads like Bullseye or Red Dot, but over the years, I moved to slower powders for safety reasons. Whatever powder you choose, I like the idea of having the load be greater than half the case and easily visible to me. That inherently protects me from inadvertently causing a double charge. It would spill or be visible. I couldn't seat the bullet. I've chosen Power Pistol powder as my 35 caliber handgun load these days. I've considered HS6, but not tried it as of yet. Good recipes are on the Alliant site for Power Pistol and on the Hodgdon site for HS6.

Have fun. Sorry for the lack of more information.


----------



## noylj (Dec 8, 2011)

My rule is: If you can SEE the bulge, the case is ruined. My gun and hand are worth more to me than the cost of a case.
9x19 cases are stronger than .40 S&w and seldom have any bulge.
I like to run all range pick-up cases through a Lee Bulge Buster. For 9x19, I use a Lee 9mm MAK FCD, with the crimp guts removed, for Bulge Busting.
Finally, Glock has been tightening up their chambers over the years and a NEW Glocks should not have any more bulge problems than almost any other .40 S&W.
When the police first started using Glocks and .40 S&W, almost every round fired had cases with the "pregnant guppy look" and the conclusion was that was OK since the cases would not be reloaded. Guess what?


----------



## BZimm (Feb 29, 2016)

Ok, that is interesting. I have a G23 Gen 4 that I love to shoot. I also shoot 9mm with it through a LoneWolf barrel. I need to learn more about the "Glock smile" because I've eyed up most of the saved cases I'm accumulating and I really can't see or feel a problem. I agree though, I'd be concerned reloading deformed brass like some of the pictures I've seen.


----------



## noylj (Dec 8, 2011)

The Glock smile (almost entirely .40 S&W) came from Glock cutting the feed ramp way too far into the chamber, so there was exposed case with little to no web to support the pressure. The thing was, Glock eliminated too much case support and the .40 S&W fires at the same pressure as the 9x19, but the case web does not go up relatively as far in the case--so you had a poorly supported case in a poorly supported chamber.
Since then, they have, with each generation, moved the feed ramp back to the point where the current Glocks are as well supported as most other semi-autos.
If you pick up range brass, you have no control over what generation of Glock fired the round, but if you can't SEE the bulge, the case is, to me any way, still OK. If you can see any bulge, throw it away.


----------



## Argon18smith (Nov 4, 2016)

I just ordered 5000 rounds of once-fired 9mm. I will be sure to check the cases. Tnx


----------



## BZimm (Feb 29, 2016)

Ok, this is really helping. I've been studying the brass that I collect from my practice and I just haven't found anything comparable to some of the pictures I've seen in my web surfing. So I feel a lot better when you tell me about Glock tightening up the chamber tolerances. My fired brass is from my "range" and to my knowledge there has never been another handgun there of any caliber. Well....at least since our ownership began in 1936. Thank you in advance for any thoughts at all......


----------



## Craigh (Jul 29, 2016)

BZimm said:


> Ok, this is really helping. I've been studying the brass that I collect from my practice and I just haven't found anything comparable to some of the pictures I've seen in my web surfing. So I feel a lot better when you tell me about Glock tightening up the chamber tolerances. My fired brass is from my "range" and to my knowledge there has never been another handgun there of any caliber. Well....at least since our ownership began in 1936. Thank you in advance for any thoughts at all......


I might be being pedantic, but I'm not sure Glock is tightening up chamber tolerances, but instead moving the feed ramp so more of the web is supported. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Also, I'm a little confused about the part concerning no other handgun has been used on your personal gun range since your family purchased it in 1936 other than your 40 cal Glock. The 40 S&W was first produced in 1990 as a "punked down" 10 Auto. The FBI asked for the 10 Auto which is a much more powerful 40 caliber, but when they got it, found the desk jocks as well as some operators couldn't handle the recoil and noise. They couldn't qualify with it. They asked Winchester for under powered loads. Finally, Smith and Wesson just cut down the 10 Auto case to hold those under powered 10 Auto loads and viola, you get the 40 S&W round. This way existing 9mm framed sizes could be chambered in a shortened 10mm load. Rather than call it something like 10 Short or 10 Special, they called it 40 S&W. The original 10mm Auto is just too hot and possibly a bit long to fit in an existing frame size which is generally used for 9mm. 10 Auto is generally used in the same larger frames as 45 ACP. My first was a superb Springfield Omega 1911A in 10 Auto.


----------



## BZimm (Feb 29, 2016)

Hmmm...pedantic? What a cool word.

Didn't mean to confuse you; Sorry.


----------



## Craigh (Jul 29, 2016)

BZimm said:


> Hmmm...pedantic? What a cool word.
> 
> Didn't mean to confuse you; Sorry.


LOL I'm confused easily.


----------



## Argon18smith (Nov 4, 2016)

Just started resizing my newly acquired once fired 9mm brass. Found some S&B Nontox brass that had a smaller flashhole and my Lee die primer removal pin didn't like it. I used a lot of force with the press and managed to remove the primer. This is the first time I have had any issues with any brass of any type. I hope I don't run into any more of this brass.


----------



## joepolo (Mar 28, 2016)

Funny you should talk about brass today. I was loading some 380's, and ran across a couple 9mm that was cut down to the 380 size. Just wonding if people do that on a normal basses. Seems to me it would be a lot of work.


----------



## Craigh (Jul 29, 2016)

Argon18smith said:


> Just started resizing my newly acquired once fired 9mm brass. Found some S&B Nontox brass that had a smaller flashhole and my Lee die primer removal pin didn't like it. I used a lot of force with the press and managed to remove the primer. This is the first time I have had any issues with any brass of any type. I hope I don't run into any more of this brass.


I like Sellier & Bellot ammo a lot. It's one of my favorites, but over the years, I've noticed some of the European ammo companies tend to put a pinch looking crimp on the primer pocket which can be a devil to overcome. My PPU brass seems not to have it, but my MagTec from Brazil seems to have a lot. I'd image it will be hard to punch out the primer. Sellier & Bellot has it sometimes and others. The more expensive stuff doesn't. Maybe my imagination.


----------



## Craigh (Jul 29, 2016)

joepolo said:


> Funny you should talk about brass today. I was loading some 380's, and ran across a couple 9mm that was cut down to the 380 size. Just wonding if people do that on a normal basses. Seems to me it would be a lot of work.


What did it say on the head? Did it say 9mm Luger or just 9mm? In much of the world, 380 is called 9mm Browning, 9mm Short, 9mm Kurz, 9mm Corto, 9mm Court, 9x17 as well as other names. It might have said 9mm and not been 9mm Luger. I just don't think folks would bother cutting it down. I think 380 is mostly an American thing.


----------



## joepolo (Mar 28, 2016)

Had to use a magnifer but it only say's 9mm K. Another good day,I learned something. So could they be loaded as 380's, dug them out of my bad brass bucket, or should I just leave them there. Thanks Craigh


----------



## SamBond (Aug 30, 2016)

The 380 is Very sensitive to small changes. 
One brand of brass could differ enough from another to make a real difference in the powder charge needed. 
If you use the 'off brand' stuff, I'd recommend reworking the load while watching for pressure signs. 

I've had guys tell me they could 'cut down' 9mm Luger brass to make 380's.
They don't realize 9mm's are thicker inside at the head/web area and case wall resulting in less powder space if cut down.
Bullet pull (or fit) would also be stronger (or tighter). Cutting down Nines to make 380's, not something I would do. 


Sam


----------



## Argon18smith (Nov 4, 2016)

Found more of the [email protected] Nontox brass. The flashhole is at least 40% smaller in diameter than the other brass. Took a drill bit and drilled the flashhole to the same diameter. Is this a good idea or a bad idea??
I would imagine scientists have tested all sizes of flashholes to see which one creates the better powder burn - if it even matters.


----------

