40 S&W not sizing correctly

[Thumb]

I sort of mentioned this in another thread but thought I'd start another just for this problem. I'm using a Hornady LNL press with Lee dies and I am getting mixed sizes on my brass after depriming and sizing with the Lee full length sizer. It seems that the sizer does not go completely down to the base and leaves about a 1/4" unsized which most of the time is OK but I've been getting maybe 2 out of 10 reloads that will not pass the Lyman case gauge. They will jam about 1/4" from the base.

The brass I am using are my own once fired and my buddy's brass which is once fired so I know they are good. I measured a round that passed and it measured .424" and then I measured one that failed and it was .427" so there is not a lot of difference but enough to cause it to fail and also jam while chambering in the pistol.

I was thinking about buying the Lee Precision U sizing die but don't know if that would be a good idea or not. Maybe I should just toss the bad ones but then I don't know they are bad until I load them which is sort of a PITA.
Just found a Lee Bulge Buster also so maybe that might help.

Both guns are Glock 22's with KKM barrels so it's not the old Glock unsupported barrels causing it.

Any suggestions?

 

[Dans40X]

As you've witnessed,
Your out of battery slide condition on your Glocks w/ your reloads-
You would be best suited to push ALL of your Glock fired brass through the Lee Bulge Buster die to size the head of the case just fwd of the extraction groove.
Then drop fit a few into the chambers before reloading for verification that they will fit both chambers.

Lee dies are not over-engineered,actually under-engineered.

 

[Thumb]

OK, will get that bulge buster on order then. Thanks

 

[Dans40X]

Redding manufactures one of steel & one of carbide w/ far better quality than Lee.

I'd taper bore & inside hone a grade 8 7/8"-14tpi hex bolt before wasting money on a Lee product.

 

[Thumb]

Well, too late for getting Redding dies, I already own all Lee dies for all of my calibers. I'll just have to make due with them.

 

[jonbearman]

The u-die does the same thing.I just ordered one in 45acp.

 

[Thumb]

OK, just field stripped my Glock and cleaned it from yesterday and thought I'd test the rounds that failed the gauge test and they plunked right into the barrel with no problems. Maybe I should fire up my lathe and make my own go/nogo gauge for my barrel.

 

[chuckbuster243]

This is a common problem in the 40sw. I load as normal and drop check. The ones that fail go into the plinking/practice pile and the rest go to my match ammo. The die must be adjusted down as far as you possibly can. If you want them all perfect the bulge buster is the ticket. Or if you have money to burn the carbide Redding. Works for me in my uspsa pistols shooting thousands a year. Matt

 

[Thumb]

Since I'm not into competition shooting all of mine are for just plinking but of course I like to hit the bullseye if possible. My problem with the bulge at the bottom is that the round will not completely seat into the barrel and the slide doesn't close all the way and usually I have to take a rod and push the round out. Now normally this is not much of a problem at the range but in a dire situation it would not be healthy. When I get the bulge buster I'll try it out and see if it does the job.

 

[stool]

the issue with 40 s&w brass is glock chambers.( not the old glock 40 case failure chamber..it is history) part of glock's claim to fame is it almost never ftf (fails to feed). this is by design..the design being a large chamber..all the way to the breech end. this allows brass to expand more than most other guns, and dies are not designed to resize bases on pistol cases.
continued use in glocks can and has led to case failure.its why glock 40 users dump their brass early and move on to the next lot.
the case base can grow enough that a legal 10 rd mag may only hold 9, or a 14 rd mag hold 13....
the push thru dies work.( i designed mine over 12 yrs ago, offered the design to dillon, they passed. a couple yrs later they were on the market by the other guys)
sammi case gauges are almost useless ...size to fit your gun..as you have found out..but be warned in a glock 40 continued useage of the same lot of brass is an issue.

 

[chuckbuster243]

the issue with 40 s&w brass is glock chambers.( not the old glock 40 case failure chamber..it is history) part of glock's claim to fame is it almost never ftf (fails to feed). this is by design..the design being a large chamber..all the way to the breech end. this allows brass to expand more than most other guns, and dies are not designed to resize bases on pistol cases.
continued use in glocks can and has led to case failure.its why glock 40 users dump their brass early and move on to the next lot.
the case base can grow enough that a legal 10 rd mag may only hold 9, or a 14 rd mag hold 13....
the push thru dies work.( i designed mine over 12 yrs ago, offered the design to dillon, they passed. a couple yrs later they were on the market by the other guys)
sammi case gauges are almost useless ...size to fit your gun..as you have found out..but be warned in a glock 40 continued useage of the same lot of brass is an issue.

+1

This is also why I shoot a 1911.

 

[Thumb]

the issue with 40 s&w brass is glock chambers.( not the old glock 40 case failure chamber..it is history) part of glock's claim to fame is it almost never ftf (fails to feed). this is by design..the design being a large chamber..all the way to the breech end. this allows brass to expand more than most other guns, and dies are not designed to resize bases on pistol cases.
continued use in glocks can and has led to case failure.its why glock 40 users dump their brass early and move on to the next lot.
the case base can grow enough that a legal 10 rd mag may only hold 9, or a 14 rd mag hold 13....
the push thru dies work.( i designed mine over 12 yrs ago, offered the design to dillon, they passed. a couple yrs later they were on the market by the other guys)
sammi case gauges are almost useless ...size to fit your gun..as you have found out..but be warned in a glock 40 continued useage of the same lot of brass is an issue.

Using used brass should not be a problem for me since I have around 1000 cases plus every time I go to the range my buddy shoots at least 50 new rounds which is 3 times weekly and i get his cases since he doesn't reload. I reload once a year all the cases I have so I probably won't reload a case more than 2 maybe 3 times in the next 3 to 4 years. When I reload I mark each box with the date plus how many times it's been reloaded. I would say it's safe to say that maybe I can chuck a case after the 3rd reload and still not run out of new cases for a very long time.

Like I mentioned before, maybe I'll make a go/no gauge myself on my lathe to make sure I don't get any oversized ones.

 

[stool]

you do not needto make (or buy) a gauge...
you have one...
take the bbl out of the gun and use it...

Like I mentioned before, maybe I'll make a go/no gauge myself on my lathe to make sure I don't get any oversized ones.

 

[Thumb]

What, and do more than I have too? ;D
I would have to clean the gun then if I took it apart! :

I do still have the stock Glock barrel but it's not as tight as the KKM barrel so
it's no use to me there dag nab it!

you do not needto make (or buy) a gauge...
you have one...
take the bbl out of the gun and use it...

Like I mentioned before, maybe I'll make a go/no gauge myself on my lathe to make sure I don't get any oversized ones.

 

[Thumb]

OK, I did a test today at the range using three different guns, a Glock 22 gen3, a Glock 22 gen2 with KKM barrel, and a Kahr CM40. I shot 10 rounds through each gun using brand new factory loads(same ammo) through all 3 pistols and collected the brass and kept them separated per pistol.

When I got home I measured each piece of brass and here are the results.

Glock/factory barrel: average brass size was .430" +/- .001"
Glcok/KKM barrel: average brass size was .425" +/- .001"
Kahr CM40: average brass size was .424" */- .001"

The Lyman gauge measures at .423"
My average reloaded cartridge is around .422"

I will reload this brass I shot today and keep them separated again by pistol and then measure them again. I'm thinking that the problem brass is coming from the Glock factory barrel brass but I'll let you know when I do.

 

[brian427cobra]

The Lee Bulge Buster does exactly the samething as a Redding Carbide GRX for a third the price, it's the only Lee tool I recommend, I shoot 180s at 725fps, 40 minor should be considered cheating.

 

[Rustystud]

Anyone who shoots a semi auto pistol and who reloads would be wise to invest into a "Roll Sizer". Not Cheap tools.
I have a Case Pro 100 with dies for 380, 9mm, 38/357, 44 mag, 45 acp, 223Rem and 308Winchester.


I full length size and deprime, then roll size all my pistol brass, and AR brass. I case gauge every reload. it prevents a lot of heart ache especially at a match.

Nat Lambeth

p.s. Mike Flurry is a great guy to deal with just a little slow.

 

[brian427cobra]

Nat I agree about the Case Pro 100, it's like my Prometheus G2, it's one of those tools you don't see the value in until you own one.

 

[Thumb]

Wow! I'll see if I can win the lotto so I can get one.

 

[brian427cobra]

Until then Bulge Bust'em