.40 S&W reloads.

aggiejrc · April 15, 2001, 12:37 AM

Howdy guys!!!!!!!

I just posted a message about getting into reloading and ya'll have been very helpful and supportive. I appreciate it a lot. Another question i've been itchin to ask. It seems that a bunch of people, and a couple of friends of mine also, are leery about reloading for the .40 S&W? Is there something different in the reloading process or is it hard to get correct? My friends won't shoot with reloads of their .40's. Why is everyone so concerned?

Thanks for your help..

Aggiejrc

_________________________________________________________

Texas A&M University. KEEP THE FIRE BURNING!!!!!!!!!!!

Stephen Ewing · April 15, 2001, 01:06 AM

Let me offer a couple thoughts here: A) Those stories about Tactical Tupperware exploding? Those are .40s, frequently. B) There seems to be some belief that many .40s are overgrown nines, rather than designed from the ground-up .40s, which leads to things like poorly-supported chambers.

How well those views are supported by reality is something I'm not really qualified to comment on, but those perceptions seem pretty well entrenched. Personally, I can produce .40s that have never had that factory crap fired through them, just like most of the other calibers I fool with.

The curiousity about your friends is killing me. How many Aggies does it take to load some .40?

Steve

Sub MOA · April 15, 2001, 01:28 AM

Reloading the .40 is no different than loading most other semi-auto cartridges...9,10,45. Same procedures, same concepts.

There may have been some merit in the concerns over first generation .40s. I think most all these problems have been ironed out. Manufacturers beefed up the required parts, but I think first impressions like this tend to die hard.

As a side note, read the owner's manual of just about any handgun. Just about all will tell you not to fire reloads, factory ammo only. Do I follow this advice? Heck no, but there are some people that do. So it doesn't surprise me some folks have apprehensions about loading individual calibers, based on personal beliefs. It takes all kinds of people to make the world go 'round.

Sub

muzzletalk · April 15, 2001, 02:34 PM

I have loaded thousands of rounds in 40. I Have never had a issue with reloading them. I find them to be just like any other caliber. In fact, I have the same exact setup for my .45 as I do for my .40 except for the die size of couse. As far as the amount of powder and the type of powder the OAL are all the same.

nwgunman · April 15, 2001, 09:24 PM

Ah, yes, can we touch here briefly on the much heralded "k-B"? As in ka-Boom! I've personally seen one in a Glock .40 (model 22), but it was NOT with a "reload", but rather due to total lack of maintenance. I saw another in a Glock .45 due to operator error. I seen several back in the "old days" with .38 supers ("superface"!). Anyhow, in some pistols, the chamber is undersupported. This is especially true in the Glock. The .40S&W is fairly high pressure little cartridge. You can pick up a new fired factory case from a Glock (and some others) and see the bulge. Add to this the infamous Glock polygonal rifling and the use of lead bullets and there can be problems. But, if you do your homework, exercise the usual cautions, you too can run thousands of "re-loads" through your forty with no problem. Stay safe.

Ron Ankeny · April 15, 2001, 10:38 PM

Reloading for a .40 S&W is not as forgiving as loading for the old .45 auto...it's easier to get into trouble. Fast powder, heavy bullets, and deep seating, when combined with an unsupported chamber are indeed a recipie for disaster.

If you pay attention, a .40 is easy to reload, but if you screw up...

saands · April 17, 2001, 12:57 AM

I have shot, almost exclusively, reloads in my USP40C ... I read all the reports of kB!'s and some interesting write-ups on the 180 grain bullets. I decided that I would stick to 90% of max loads (which with BullsEye, PowerPistol, VV340 and VV350 are more than potent enough) and only use the lighter bullets (135gr and 155gr). Since I use brass I find on the range floor, I measure the OAL of every case and toss anything that isn't at least .001" below max trim length. I figure this way I set some kind of limit on how many times a case gets reloaded. I usually discard a handful of cases for this reason every time I reload.

FWIW ... That was how I approached it ...

Saands

April 15, 2001, 01:06 AM	#2
Stephen Ewing Senior Member Join Date: February 26, 2000 Posts: 329	Let me offer a couple thoughts here: A) Those stories about Tactical Tupperware exploding? Those are .40s, frequently. B) There seems to be some belief that many .40s are overgrown nines, rather than designed from the ground-up .40s, which leads to things like poorly-supported chambers. How well those views are supported by reality is something I'm not really qualified to comment on, but those perceptions seem pretty well entrenched. Personally, I can produce .40s that have never had that factory crap fired through them, just like most of the other calibers I fool with. The curiousity about your friends is killing me. How many Aggies does it take to load some .40? Steve __________________ Remember: Smith and Wessons are like real estate; they're not making any more.

April 15, 2001, 12:37 AM	#1
aggiejrc Member Join Date: March 26, 2001 Location: waco, tx Posts: 41	Howdy guys!!!!!!! I just posted a message about getting into reloading and ya'll have been very helpful and supportive. I appreciate it a lot. Another question i've been itchin to ask. It seems that a bunch of people, and a couple of friends of mine also, are leery about reloading for the .40 S&W? Is there something different in the reloading process or is it hard to get correct? My friends won't shoot with reloads of their .40's. Why is everyone so concerned? Thanks for your help.. Aggiejrc _________________________________________________________ Texas A&M University. KEEP THE FIRE BURNING!!!!!!!!!!!

April 15, 2001, 01:28 AM	#3
Sub MOA Senior Member Join Date: June 28, 2000 Location: WA Posts: 292	Reloading the .40 is no different than loading most other semi-auto cartridges...9,10,45. Same procedures, same concepts. There may have been some merit in the concerns over first generation .40s. I think most all these problems have been ironed out. Manufacturers beefed up the required parts, but I think first impressions like this tend to die hard. As a side note, read the owner's manual of just about any handgun. Just about all will tell you not to fire reloads, factory ammo only. Do I follow this advice? Heck no, but there are some people that do. So it doesn't surprise me some folks have apprehensions about loading individual calibers, based on personal beliefs. It takes all kinds of people to make the world go 'round. Sub

April 15, 2001, 02:34 PM	#4
muzzletalk Member Join Date: January 3, 2001 Posts: 85	I have loaded thousands of rounds in 40. I Have never had a issue with reloading them. I find them to be just like any other caliber. In fact, I have the same exact setup for my .45 as I do for my .40 except for the die size of couse. As far as the amount of powder and the type of powder the OAL are all the same.

April 15, 2001, 09:24 PM	#5
nwgunman Senior Member Join Date: July 16, 1999 Location: Olympia, WA Posts: 312	Ah, yes, can we touch here briefly on the much heralded "k-B"? As in ka-Boom! I've personally seen one in a Glock .40 (model 22), but it was NOT with a "reload", but rather due to total lack of maintenance. I saw another in a Glock .45 due to operator error. I seen several back in the "old days" with .38 supers ("superface"!). Anyhow, in some pistols, the chamber is undersupported. This is especially true in the Glock. The .40S&W is fairly high pressure little cartridge. You can pick up a new fired factory case from a Glock (and some others) and see the bulge. Add to this the infamous Glock polygonal rifling and the use of lead bullets and there can be problems. But, if you do your homework, exercise the usual cautions, you too can run thousands of "re-loads" through your forty with no problem. Stay safe.

April 15, 2001, 10:38 PM	#6
Ron Ankeny Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2000 Posts: 316	Reloading for a .40 S&W is not as forgiving as loading for the old .45 auto...it's easier to get into trouble. Fast powder, heavy bullets, and deep seating, when combined with an unsupported chamber are indeed a recipie for disaster. If you pay attention, a .40 is easy to reload, but if you screw up...

April 17, 2001, 12:57 AM	#7
saands Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 1999 Posts: 1,573	I have shot, almost exclusively, reloads in my USP40C ... I read all the reports of kB!'s and some interesting write-ups on the 180 grain bullets. I decided that I would stick to 90% of max loads (which with BullsEye, PowerPistol, VV340 and VV350 are more than potent enough) and only use the lighter bullets (135gr and 155gr). Since I use brass I find on the range floor, I measure the OAL of every case and toss anything that isn't at least .001" below max trim length. I figure this way I set some kind of limit on how many times a case gets reloaded. I usually discard a handful of cases for this reason every time I reload. FWIW ... That was how I approached it ... Saands