RELOADS IN GLOCKS

[kimbercollector]

I just got into reloading a few years back...pretty much stick to the straight case 45 and 223.

I picked up the once fired AM Eagle at my police range and shoot FMJ plated 200 grns round noses.

Can I shoot reloads in my Glock or no? I havnt yet...researching what a "supported" barrel is and "unsupported" is...I have no clue what this means...

What is "Glock Buldge"

Want to keep my eyes and fingers...I never stray from my reloading manauls and want to learn what to look for...

Thanks all...any explanations and education would be super helpful...Dave

 

[Tydeeh22]

as long as they are plated / jacketed. assuming you are using the factory barrel. never run a straight lead ball through a factory glock barrel. gets ugly quick.

45 acp wont give you the problems that you commonly see in the 40 cal glocks.

the "glock bulge" is caused where the chamber of the firearm has a slightly loose chamber that way it basically "eats any ammo", and the brass expands to those larger dimensions upon being fired.

some sets of dies will correct the issue. Lee dies for example, i believe they come down far enough on the case to solve that issue. but you're shooting .45, load em up and enjoy.

 

[.452browning]

I've never had any problems with any rounds fired through my G17. Factory, reload, FMJ, HP's, +P's. Strongly advise against lead rounds.

 

[ridetoslide]

Glocks have polygonal rifling. The problem with lead is people shoot soft stuff at high velocities, which causes the lead to smear inside the barrel. That in turn makes the barrel ID smaller and causes pressure to go sky high. With that said, I have a Baby Eagle with the poly rifling and all I shoot is lead. How? I buy good quality lead with a BHN of 17 and keep the loads just so the gun cycles, or in other words no hot loads. Shot thousands and my barrel looks brand new. I know, I was leery too but talked to some old seasoned reloaders ( Steve-owner of Granger Guns for one) and was given this information. Just my .02 1/2 pennys

 

[ssblair]

I thought that I read somewhere that the Glock 45s dont use the polygonal rifling?

I've shot plated lead 230gr bullets through a Glock 30, but I don't have a whole lot of experience one way or the other.

 

[T4rdV4rk]

I believe that you can shoot harder lead alloys through a polygonal barrel with minimal issues. Maybe have to remove the lead every once and again. Can anyone weigh on that?

 

[in625shooter]

Actually the lead bullet issue is only part of it.The biggest issue on reloading for a Glock is the case bulge. If you notice most Glock KB's normally are with the 40 cal and are from the case rupturing at the base. That type of KB happens when folks try to get a couple too many reloads out of the case. You need to full length resize the case no matter what caliber you reload. For my Glock 40 I would buy factory new shoot it reload that case 2 no more than 3 times then trash the brass. I never use brass I "find" at the range you don't know the history. You can reload for your Glock but there is a couple issues.

I'm not a Glock fanboy but they do work and I used one for IPSC for a while and keeping with what I stated worked with ZERO problems. Showing my age I remember when shooters KB'd just as many K frame 38 specials blowing topstraps so this "Glocks will KB" is really exaggerated. Usually human error is involved and their ego won't let them say "yeah I was wrong there" After all we all know more than one person that could tear up an anvil with a spounge if left alone in a room for 10 min, relaoding is no different!

 

[foxmustang]

I run full lead thru my Lone Wolf barrel, and keep the factory clear of any lead. Those barrels are well worth it to me if you shoot target a lot. Eventually, going full lead reloads will pay for the barrel, if you shoot that much IMHO.

 

[XtremeVel]

some sets of dies will correct the issue. Lee dies for example, i believe they come down far enough on the case to solve that issue. but you're shooting .45, load em up and enjoy.

Lee does offer an answer for the Glock bulge, but it's not their typical sizing die... It's called the " bulge buster " and must be used in combination with their FCD...

Glocks have polygonal rifling. The problem with lead is people shoot soft stuff at high velocities, which causes the lead to smear inside the barrel.

While that's true, that certainly is not the only reason for leading... Here's a brief good explanation on what's possibly a more common reason for leading...

Click here: Missouri Bullet Company

I've shot plated lead 230gr bullets through a Glock 30, but I don't have a whole lot of experience one way or the other.

The plated soft lead will be fine in the Glocks... The only issue I have ever had with them is they are so soft you won't want to run them through a Lee FCD or they can be sized small and effect accuracy.

I believe that you can shoot harder lead alloys through a polygonal barrel with minimal issues. Maybe have to remove the lead every once and again. Can anyone weigh on that?

See link posted above... It explains " obturate " and the relationship between the hardness and pressure...

I just got into reloading a few years back...pretty much stick to the straight case 45 and 223.

I picked up the once fired AM Eagle at my police range and shoot FMJ plated 200 grns round noses.

Can I shoot reloads in my Glock or no? I havnt yet...researching what a "supported" barrel is and "unsupported" is...I have no clue what this means...

What is "Glock Buldge"

Want to keep my eyes and fingers...I never stray from my reloading manauls and want to learn what to look for...

Thanks all...any explanations and education would be super helpful...Dave

OP, best to forget running any lead through the Glock...

As for anything else, you will be fine... Follow good, safe reloading practices and inspect your cases... If your chamber is oversized and/or unsupported, you will see it right away after you resize your first case... You will want that case to drop right into your case gauge or chamber properly...

 

[Spike_351]

I just got into reloading a few years back...pretty much stick to the straight case 45 and 223.

I picked up the once fired AM Eagle at my police range and shoot FMJ plated 200 grns round noses.

Can I shoot reloads in my Glock or no? I havnt yet...researching what a "supported" barrel is and "unsupported" is...I have no clue what this means...

What is "Glock Buldge"

Want to keep my eyes and fingers...I never stray from my reloading manauls and want to learn what to look for...

Thanks all...any explanations and education would be super helpful...Dave

Reloads are ok as long as you don't use lead bullets. Glock tend to have polygonal rifiling in which lead builds up in quickly and is easily forgotten about which eventually obstructs the barrel and prevents a bullet from exiting the barrel, and for unsupported chambers, I know a little but not enough to explain it very well. Also this problem isn't specific to glock it goes for any barrel that has polygonal rifiling ( Jericho 941, glock, some H&K products ect.)

 

[marv]

I hardly ever use factory ammo in my handguns....unless its rimfire. My primary reason for reloading is to get light loads that are kinder to my old arthritic wrists. Therefore leading is not a problem in any of my guns including glocks.

 

[mrortega]

The Glock .45 barrels are just like the 9mm and .40 as far as rifling. The 3rd and 4th gen .40s don't have the same problem as the earlier gens as far as case bulging. I've shot a bunch of factory and reloads through my G27 and 23 and I've never seen a bulge. I load my FMJ 180gr. practice loads to the same fps as the good factory Speers and Federals so I assume the pressures are about the same. I use Blue Dot and have read that it gets up to speed with somewhat less pressure than some other powders.

If you want to load and shoot lead stuff get a Lone Wolf or other replacement barrel. They have regular rifling and are available in stainless.

 

[Raskolnikov]

I have had my Glock 22 (40 cal) for nearly 10 years now. Until ammo became uber expensive, I never fired reload through it. In the last five years, I have fired hundreds to reloaded rounds through it (that I have purchased). I have never had any significant problems. I believe I had to clear a couple jams, but other than that, it fires like a dream.

 

[charley59]

I was reloading lead bullets in my new 1988 Gen 1 G17 before anyone said your cannot do that! 40K rounds later, the G17 is still firing lead bullet reloads. And I shoot LB reloads in my G21. I have not seen the "Glock Bulge" on any of my fired cases. And my fired cases resize pretty easily. But then again, my reloads are tailored for accuracy and reliable functioning in the gun. I do not load "hot" or maximum pressure loads for my pistols. Polygonal rifling: All Glocks have Hexagonal (6 sided) rifling EXCEPT the .45 ACP and GAP guns, which have Octagonal (8 sided) rifling.