Powder puff setup for glock 17?

HighValleyRanch · April 13, 2011, 01:18 PM

Been wanting to shoot reloads through my glock 17 and found a good deal on a KKM match barrel.

Just wondering if anyone has set up their glocks for shooting light loads with a reduce recoil spring?
will it work?

For fun range practice and target of course, not SD.

HighValleyRanch · April 14, 2011, 11:59 AM

No help on this?

Come on you powder puff experts!

MrWesson · April 14, 2011, 12:36 PM

I have shot my stock glock 26 with 2.8gr of bullseye and it operated the slide just fine and had just slightly more recoil than a .22 pistol.

With the 17's slide being longer/heavier it may not. I would first try to load something that will just operate the slide.

Id make 10rds of each using bullseye(best powder for light loads). I should also mention that I was shooting lead bullets.
3.5gr
3.3gr
3.1gr
2.9gr

I dont know what bullet you are using so I cannot recommend an OAL.

IMO no need to modify your gun if it will cycle with anything around 3gr of bullseye but if you want you can just add a lighter recoil spring.

HighValleyRanch · April 14, 2011, 01:01 PM

I will be using slash K hardcast 125 gr. round nose to start, but with w231 powder as i have a bunch of that for my other pistol loads.

I have use bullseye in the past with my bullseye loads.
Quite smoky.

I did some research, and Midway does have a 15 pound reduced power recoil spring. My gun is a first generation, so not sure if it has the stock 16 or later 17 pound spring.

Guess the best is to load some and try to see if the gun functions with the reduced loads, but just trying to get feedback whether others have gone this route.

mattlago · April 14, 2011, 01:16 PM

I shoot light reloads through my 17 all the time. Obviously do this at your own risk from all of the hype you read on the internet with Glocks and reloads, but I have never had an issue.

I dont know the formula as I have it at home but essentially I make the load with about 25% less charge than recommended and never have a failure. The only reason I bother to reduce the load is that I am paper punching and it is cheaper.

Good luck.

MrWesson · April 14, 2011, 04:09 PM

If you have that kkm barrel then dont even worry about shooting lead it only applies to the stock barrel.

I shot 1k rounds through my glock barrel and just cleaned it every range session. I wouldnt shoot more than 300 at a time through the stock barrel.

HighValleyRanch · April 23, 2011, 12:38 AM

UPDATE:
I received my KKM glock 17 barrel and it was a drop in fit.

Found that I had 350 rounds of some RNL that I had loaded way back when.
Took one apart and it was 3.4 of ......w231 with a 124 grn RLN bullet, taper crimp.
Used the barrel to check each round for drop fit.
Checked all the primers. All look good, weighed some more and they were consitent.

Took it out to the range finally today.
First tried the new KKM barrel with Win white and it worked perfect.
then tried the old reloads.....
Load is too low powered, jam with every shot, because the slide was not cycling back enough.

So should I go with a lower power spring, or
Can I pull all the bullets and reload with the recommended load of 3.8?
Will pulling the bullets with a hammer type puller deform the bullets?
Can I safely resize with the primed case?

I would dump the old powder and use fresh.

What would you do?

g.willikers · April 23, 2011, 11:41 AM

When I unfortunately loaded a few hundred rounds way too light, and after pounding out a few bullets with the hammer style bullet puller, I decided to do this:
Use the weak rounds for practice.
Load one round in the chamber, and one round in a mag.
Put an empty mag in the gun.
Practice slide lock reloads.
Start with an empty gun, slide forward in battery.
Do a dry fire to simulate an empty gun, reload and shoot.
Put one of the weak rounds in a mag with regular rounds.
Practice clearing jams.
And whatever other similar drills you can think of.
This defective ammo will get used up pretty quick.
Knowing how to quickly do this stuff could make all the difference, one day.

mrray13 · April 23, 2011, 12:25 PM

I like what g.willikers suggested. Use the old, light loads for malfunction drills. If you've shot a few, and they all caused a cycle issue, then they would be perfect for it.

After that, why not buy a reduced power spring? It's not like they are expensive, or hard to change out.

I'm sure you've thought of this, but seems like it should be mentioned anyway. Just make sure your light loads, seems the current old ones are doing okay, clear the muzzle.

AK103K · April 23, 2011, 12:58 PM

A collet puller works much better than the hammer type. You can use the poweder over, and if you pull the decapping pin, resize the case if you wish, although, I dont know if you'd really need to. May want to, and probably should expand them though.

You can even decap live primers with no trouble and reuse the primers.

Over the winter, I took apart about 2000 rounds of 357SIG I'd loaded. I sold off the guns and all the factory ammo I had, but didnt want to sell the reloads. I did trade the brass off though. I used the bullets, powder, and primers in 9mm cases, and just shot the last 250 rounds of it today.

I never had good luck with light loads in my Glocks. If anything, I always loaded them at the other end of the load tables.

April 13, 2011, 01:18 PM	#1
HighValleyRanch Senior Member Join Date: July 15, 2005 Posts: 4,066	Powder puff setup for glock 17? Been wanting to shoot reloads through my glock 17 and found a good deal on a KKM match barrel. Just wondering if anyone has set up their glocks for shooting light loads with a reduce recoil spring? will it work? For fun range practice and target of course, not SD. __________________ From the sweet grass to the slaughter house; From birth until death; We travel between these two eternities........from 'Broken Trail"

April 14, 2011, 11:59 AM	#2
HighValleyRanch Senior Member Join Date: July 15, 2005 Posts: 4,066	Anyone? No help on this? Come on you powder puff experts! __________________ From the sweet grass to the slaughter house; From birth until death; We travel between these two eternities........from 'Broken Trail"

April 14, 2011, 01:01 PM	#4
HighValleyRanch Senior Member Join Date: July 15, 2005 Posts: 4,066	Thanks I will be using slash K hardcast 125 gr. round nose to start, but with w231 powder as i have a bunch of that for my other pistol loads. I have use bullseye in the past with my bullseye loads. Quite smoky. I did some research, and Midway does have a 15 pound reduced power recoil spring. My gun is a first generation, so not sure if it has the stock 16 or later 17 pound spring. Guess the best is to load some and try to see if the gun functions with the reduced loads, but just trying to get feedback whether others have gone this route. __________________ From the sweet grass to the slaughter house; From birth until death; We travel between these two eternities........from 'Broken Trail"

April 23, 2011, 12:38 AM	#7
HighValleyRanch Senior Member Join Date: July 15, 2005 Posts: 4,066	What would you do? UPDATE: I received my KKM glock 17 barrel and it was a drop in fit. Found that I had 350 rounds of some RNL that I had loaded way back when. Took one apart and it was 3.4 of ......w231 with a 124 grn RLN bullet, taper crimp. Used the barrel to check each round for drop fit. Checked all the primers. All look good, weighed some more and they were consitent. Took it out to the range finally today. First tried the new KKM barrel with Win white and it worked perfect. then tried the old reloads..... Load is too low powered, jam with every shot, because the slide was not cycling back enough. So should I go with a lower power spring, or Can I pull all the bullets and reload with the recommended load of 3.8? Will pulling the bullets with a hammer type puller deform the bullets? Can I safely resize with the primed case? I would dump the old powder and use fresh. What would you do? __________________ From the sweet grass to the slaughter house; From birth until death; We travel between these two eternities........from 'Broken Trail"

April 23, 2011, 11:41 AM	#8
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	When I unfortunately loaded a few hundred rounds way too light, and after pounding out a few bullets with the hammer style bullet puller, I decided to do this: Use the weak rounds for practice. Load one round in the chamber, and one round in a mag. Put an empty mag in the gun. Practice slide lock reloads. Start with an empty gun, slide forward in battery. Do a dry fire to simulate an empty gun, reload and shoot. Put one of the weak rounds in a mag with regular rounds. Practice clearing jams. And whatever other similar drills you can think of. This defective ammo will get used up pretty quick. Knowing how to quickly do this stuff could make all the difference, one day. __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

April 14, 2011, 12:36 PM	#3
MrWesson Senior Member Join Date: October 10, 2010 Posts: 357	I have shot my stock glock 26 with 2.8gr of bullseye and it operated the slide just fine and had just slightly more recoil than a .22 pistol. With the 17's slide being longer/heavier it may not. I would first try to load something that will just operate the slide. Id make 10rds of each using bullseye(best powder for light loads). I should also mention that I was shooting lead bullets. 3.5gr 3.3gr 3.1gr 2.9gr I dont know what bullet you are using so I cannot recommend an OAL. IMO no need to modify your gun if it will cycle with anything around 3gr of bullseye but if you want you can just add a lighter recoil spring.

April 14, 2011, 01:16 PM	#5
mattlago Member Join Date: February 8, 2011 Posts: 55	I shoot light reloads through my 17 all the time. Obviously do this at your own risk from all of the hype you read on the internet with Glocks and reloads, but I have never had an issue. I dont know the formula as I have it at home but essentially I make the load with about 25% less charge than recommended and never have a failure. The only reason I bother to reduce the load is that I am paper punching and it is cheaper. Good luck.

April 14, 2011, 04:09 PM	#6
MrWesson Senior Member Join Date: October 10, 2010 Posts: 357	If you have that kkm barrel then dont even worry about shooting lead it only applies to the stock barrel. I shot 1k rounds through my glock barrel and just cleaned it every range session. I wouldnt shoot more than 300 at a time through the stock barrel.

April 23, 2011, 12:25 PM	#9
mrray13 Senior Member Join Date: January 26, 2008 Location: Missouri Posts: 911	I like what g.willikers suggested. Use the old, light loads for malfunction drills. If you've shot a few, and they all caused a cycle issue, then they would be perfect for it. After that, why not buy a reduced power spring? It's not like they are expensive, or hard to change out. I'm sure you've thought of this, but seems like it should be mentioned anyway. Just make sure your light loads, seems the current old ones are doing okay, clear the muzzle.

April 23, 2011, 12:58 PM	#10
AK103K Senior Member Join Date: May 1, 2001 Posts: 10,223	A collet puller works much better than the hammer type. You can use the poweder over, and if you pull the decapping pin, resize the case if you wish, although, I dont know if you'd really need to. May want to, and probably should expand them though. You can even decap live primers with no trouble and reuse the primers. Over the winter, I took apart about 2000 rounds of 357SIG I'd loaded. I sold off the guns and all the factory ammo I had, but didnt want to sell the reloads. I did trade the brass off though. I used the bullets, powder, and primers in 9mm cases, and just shot the last 250 rounds of it today. I never had good luck with light loads in my Glocks. If anything, I always loaded them at the other end of the load tables.