What is the big deal reloading for glocks

[MH357]

Whats different for reloading glocks. Some say it can not be done others say no big deal. I know a friend who reloaded a batch of 10mm that jammed a lot in his glock but worked fine in his smith. I am thinking of buying a glock 9mm but don't want anything I have to buy factory ammo for.

Any insight into this??? Obviously people must have more problems reloading for glocks than othe handguns for this to be floating around on the net.

Mike H

[Adam Helmer]

Mike H,

In 1989, I got my Glock M19 9mm issued to me. I bought it with personal funds and when I retired in 1996, it came home with me as a POW (Personally owned Weapon). I have a note that came originally with the M19 from Glock that says: "Do Not Fire Handloads In This Arm."

I have successfully shot many handloads through my M19 Glock 9mm pistol. Since some handloaders are more proficient than others, I would not let one handloader's misfortune be the guiding rule in my handloading processes for Glocks or any other handgun.

Adam

[Rocky Raab]

Mike, almost all gun makers say to use factory ammo only in their guns. It's hard to blame them, with the propensity for some people to sue manufacturers for something they themselves dorked up...

However, the Glock DOES have a problem with reloads due to the design of the feedramp/chamber. In certain calibers (most notably the .40 S&W and to a lesser extent the .45 ACP) the design leaves a small protion of the cartridge wall unsupported.

That's not a huge problem with ammo that's never been fired (factory stuff) but is a huge problem with reloads. Why? Because the first firing bulges the case wall at that unsupported point. Resizing cannot iron out that bulge because it happens right at the point that's covered by the shellholder lip.

If that weakened case is fired again, it can let go. Many have, especially in .40 S&W. It's a catastrophic failure, usually wrecking the gun and often the holding hand.

The only two alternatives for owners of .40 S&W or .45 ACP Glocks is to use factory ammo only or to replace the original barrel with an aftermarket one that does support the whole chamber. Of course, replacing the barrel voids the Glock warranty.

[MH357]

Thats a very good reason to not get a glock! Sounds like a bad design that needs to go back to the drawing board. Also makes you wonder about people buying "once" fired brass or range pickups.

Thanks Mike H

[Rocky Raab]

No, the Glock is a great design. But it wasn't designed for reloaders. It was created for police and defense - two groups who do not use reloads.

BTW, the 9mm chambering doesn't seem to suffer from the problem. The irony is that 9mm ammo is so cheap nobody needs to reload it!

[Esox357]

Check out glocktalk.com if you want info on reloading for the glock especially the 40 S&W. It has what many call a unsupported chamber which allows the case to bulge more so than other brands. This design allows it to feed flawlessly.
It can and has been reloaded safely using the factory barrel, but most opt to buy a after market barrel that fully supports the case when they plan on reloading for it.
I do pin shoots and know of at least three guys that shoot hundreds of reloaded rounds through factory glock barrels in 40 S&W with no problem or ill effect.
In the case of the infamous "Kaboom" which is correlated to poor quality control with reloaded rounds, its design allows the magazine to blow out the bottom and sometimes the slide release lever will blow out causing a blood blister at most. The Kaboom is not just known to glocks but to all makes and calibers of firearms.
With that said I love my glocks and have found them to be utterly reliable and plenty accurate for my use. Esox357.

[pistolchamp]

I reload 9m/m, 40 S&W, 10m/m and 45 ACP with no problems in my Glocks.

Normally only target ammo with lead bullets (a Glock myth that you can't use lead), but, I have fired many rounds of full power handloads for hog hunting from my 10m/m with no problems at all.

My Model 24 (40 S&W with long slide) is the most accurate semi-auto handgun I own and it gets only 180 grain SWC lead bullets over 5.5 grains of WW-452AA. Thousands of them.

[Craig 522]

You can reload for Glocks, just use a few precautions.

Use jacketed bullets or plated bullets. Not lead or moly. Guys do it but it isn't recommended. Glocks have blown apart and every one I have seen was either an over charged load or a lead bullet or both.

As mentioned, Glocks do not have a fully supported chamber. This is part of the reason you don't want to use really hot reloads in them unless you go to an aftermarket fully supported chamber barrel. And the 40 S&W is the most finicky.

Unlike some guns, you cannot load the OAL much longer than factory ammo for a GLock. Most of this has to do with the magazines don't have sufficient room for long bullets.

You can resize fired brass back to factory spec but not in your sizing dies. You need a Case-Pro which will size the case all the way down to the rim. They are not cheap though.

I shoot competitively and Glocks are probably the 3rd most common gun on the range, after 1911s and STI type guns. I guarantee you a large number of them are shooting reloads. However, 9mm factory ammo is just about as cheap as you can reload so unless you need a specific bullet or load, you may as well use factory 9mm stuff.

For the most part, if you use safe loading practices with published loads and good components, your GLock will fire more reloads through it than you can probably shoot in your lifetime.