Will be loading for a G40 Gen 4 MOS.

Bullets are Hornady 180 XTP.

Powders on hand are W-296, W-231, and AA#9.

Purpose is for hunting deer and hogs 25-30 yards... MAX 50 yards for sure.

So... just got some 1X fired brass in from the EE. Some is large primer, some is small primer. Any preference?

I noticed some had the "Glock bulge", however, it smoothed out upon resizing. Any issues/concerns?

Not looking for "on the edge" max loads, just some warm stout loads suitable for taking game at reasonable ranges.

I know a member here posted about his G20 coming apart, I'm not looking to duplicate his experience.

So... any specifics in reference to the 10mm I should concern myself with? Any advice or cautions are appreciated.

Thanks.

Not specifically for gluck but at that range any midrange load with the XTP will work well. My preferred hunting load for my Delta is only slightly above the midway point on the loading ladder with power pistol.  Plus my stock sights are spot on at 50 yards. I can say with experience it is quite sufficient for big Ohio Whitetails. 10mm has a good power to weight ratio even without nuclear loads.

I like LPP brass.  Starline or Hornady.

In my G20 with factory internals the results with AA9 are below:

Hornady brass WLP primers, March 2015 shot over Shooting Chrony Master at 15 feet. Five shots per string.

13.8gr AA9
Low 1169
High 1178
Avg 1174 fps
ES 9.45
SD 3.6

14.0gr AA9
Low 1203
High 1211
Avg 1207 fps
ES 8.07
SD 3.31

At 14.4gr AA9 shot over Chrony at 5 feet
Low 1228
High 1244
Avg 1236
ES 15.67
SD 7.34

14.6gr AA9 shot at 5 feet with one shot tossed out
Low 1224
High 1254
Avg 1240
ES 30.06
SD 14.79

From that testing I compared to factory loaded Hornady Custom 180gr XTP ammo and found that 14.0gr of AA9 pretty much mimics the factory Hornady load.  What I load for 10mm 90% of the time is 13.8gr.  I have experimented with Silhouette and 800X also.  AA9 is best for me unless I want nuclear loads, then it is 800X.  I have Longshot also but have not tried it yet.

FWIW, my Chrony is iffy.  Very hard to get good readings in certain weather, not sure how much I trust it.  When it works, it works, seems to be trustworthy.   When it doesn't work, load, shot distance,  etc. It makes me not trust it.  With the G20 when I had to back it up to 5 feet to get consistent readings I start to lose trust in the reading.  I would like to do the below test again in good weather at varying distances to see if I get different results.  (or put a round through the Shooting Chrony and buy a LabRadar...)

In March 2017 shot in my G40 with a 22lb ISMI flat wire recoil spring shot over the same Chrony at 15 feet:

10 shot string,
WLP primers
Hornady 2X fired brass

13.8gr AA9
Low 1256
High 1301
Avg 1276
ES 44.72
SD 15.23

ETA:  all loads above the bullet was seated to 1.255" and crimped with a Lee FCD at just over 1/2 turn from contact.

@Bowhntr6pt:

@kingston_fisher

Thanks!

I do have about 2 pounds of 800X left and I believe it's discontinued... any data numbers you have is appreciated.

@FB41

Thanks for the input, especially the crimp info.

I don't have any load tickets for 800x.  I think that was back when I was still using the stickers from Dillon and would stick them on the ziplock bag the bullets were in.  Hornady 8th lists the 180gr XTP as starting with 800x at 6.7gr and max is 10.1gr.  Seated to 1.260".  Which means I would have seated to a mean of 1.255".  WLP primers.

I can tell you that somewhere around 8.4gr of 800x things get interesting.   Recoil was harsh.  The plastic recoil spring guide and bushing in my Delta Elite was smashed.  I think I shot three or four rounds of 9.0grs and stopped, pulled the rest down.  Don't think I owned my G20 at that time.  If I did I would have data I believe. I couldn't imagine 10.1gr of 800x.

One other issue I found with loading XTPs was that the RN seating plug with my Lee die set would smash the hollow point partially closed.  Even though I was seating and crimping separately.

I had a machinist friend make me a seater plug with a set screw that contacts the hollow point cavity right as the plug contacts the ogive of the bullet.  This prevented the bullets from deforming during the seating.  I do the same with 45ACP but it wasn't really an issue like 10mm.

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I gave up on 800X- the recoil at 8.7 grains was just beating the hell outta my EA Witness and I really didn't much of an improvement over Longshot.

Unfortunately, that particular load was pretty damn accurate at 25 yards, but my Longshot load (9.5 grains under a 180 XTP) ain't bad (yes, I know the load ain't what's on Hodgdon's website- it came from the 2002 Hodgdon Basic Loading Guide and I see no reason to change it until I change lot dates on the powder).

First, what do you mean by "Glock bulge"?
Bulge is slightly higher case head expansion than that from more fully supported chambers.
Measured just above the case extractor groove,
my G20 expands the head to .431" whereas my Ruger SR1911 expands to .429".
If you have cases that show a smile-like bulge or a "blister",
these cases are permanently weakened in that area and are unsafe to use.
Second, of the powders you listed only AA #9 is suitable for a hunting load with 180gr projectile.
Other powders that do well are Ramshot Silhouette, CFE Pistol and Longshot.

@johndm1967


Thanks for the reply.

Yes, I'm referring to the cases that have the bulge from the unsupported chamber area. After sizing, it's no longer there and I'm getting about a 0.423" measurement BUT you can see (not feel) the shiny area where the bulge was.

I did have one case that ended up with a ridge of pushed up brass after sizing, visible and you can feel it, so I tossed it.

@kingston_fisher
@dryflash3

Opinions of the Redding G-Rx die? Some good YouTube videos on it. Apparently this die set will help avoid the creasing or pushing up of the brass at the base when trying to size brass with the bulge.

That shiny area is indicative of weakened case wall.
You run a risk of case blow out if you use those cases,
and any portion of that shiny area is in unsupported area.
I have had cases with that same shiny area, immediately put into scrap bucket.

The GRX die works well to remove the smile, but only use it if you need to. If your loads are to the point that you're producing a smile big enough to cause issues, you're better off getting a barrel with a fully supported chamber. It will pay for itself given the wear and tear on your brass that you are saving by fully supporting it, and you also save $100 by not needing the GRX die.

This can not be emphasized enough:
If your 10mm Glock fired brass has the "Glock Smile" that case is trash.
You're playing with fire reloading such a case.
Even in these crisis times, a piece of brass isn't worth risking your firearm and fingers, eyes, etc.
Head expansion is expected and easily uniformed through a Lee Bulge Buster.
That smile is sign of weakened brass in an area where brass must be strongest to contain pressures associated with 10mm.

@Bowhntr6pt

I have the GRx die for 40/10mm it works very well.  

As kinda mentioned above though; I would only load "full power" 10mm in virgin Starline or once fired good inspected brass.  If I had to run a case through the GRx die I wouldn't try to use that case to push a 180gr bullet past 1200fps.

To be honest I haven't used the GRx die in 6+ years.  I sold my Delta Elite and both of my Glocks are Gen4.  I haven't needed it.

Agree 100%, thanks, that's why I'm asking here. My shooting needs are minimal actually because all I'm doing is hunting.

I don't have any brass that has the distinctive "smile", I would know to toss those w/o question, but some pieces were slightly bulged near the base, which I'm sure is slight head expansion, and the main concern thus my post. When resized, you can see the around the base that was sized, I'd say about 270-degrees around if not slightly more on some, less on others. But no pronounced smiles like I've seen in pics.

Some showed no signs what so ever, most likely mild loads or fired in something other than a Glock.

Yep, already decided to use brass with no signs for hunting loads... I'd like to get 1180-FPS with the 180 XTPs and AA #9. Not looking for maximum FPS.

Thanks again...

An aftermarket barrel might take care of the "glock smile" problem. Also would allow for less stressful shooting of cast bullets*.
AA9 is really good for higher end loads in 10mm. Can't help with the other powders. My go to for 10mm is AA9, AA7 and power pistol.


*Some people freak out over shooting cast in a stock Glock barrel. Aftermarket barrels have standard rifling and greatly lessen the risk of leading**.

**Or so I am told.

Thanks for the post, much appreciated.

One good thing I suppose is none of the brass I have had the distinct smile/bulge...some just seemed to be almost symmetrically bulged at the base.

Ahh, I load 13.8 aa9 and am getting 1300+ fps.
I was using labradar.
My chrony met a well deserved end which included a magdump and buckshot just to make sure it was dead.
Pistol is a 5" 1 911.
180gr hap and 180gr coated cast, win brass, win large pistol.
Shit maybe I have some oddball aa9?
Now I have to try the same load from a different can.

I like blue dot

Have any of you tried True Blue for cast bullets in 10MM?

My Lymans 49th has published data for 175gr lead bullets using True Blue.

I am currently using Blue Dot & ACC #7 for my cast 10MM loads but I'm down to less than a pound of each.

I have 3lbs of True Blue on hand and would like to know if its feasible for plinking rounds.

I'm also looking to make mellow mid range loads with my home cast 175gr powder coated bullets.

This way I can conserve my remaining Blue Dot, AA-7 & AA-9.

Thank You.

I ordered the Redding GR-X die and ran all my brass through it. No problems.

I did some loads this afternoon with Win Large Primers, AA #9, and Hornady 180gr XTP's. COAL was 1.260". Pistol was a Gen 4 G40.

At the start, sized cases had a base of .422 and post firing showed .432/.433.

MagTec Factory FMJ was around 1216 FPS.

Had a hard time initially getting the Chrony to cooperate but I'm looking at the follow LIMITED results.

13.0grs was 1216 for ONE SHOT.

13.5grs was an average of 1243 with FIVE shots, which is 1 FPS faster than what AA says it should be.

Accuracy at about 7 yards freehand was good.

Brass looks good and will go into a bag labeled TWICE FIRED and future use limited to mild plinking loads.

Now that I have a limited idea, I'm going to shoot more tomorrow, weather permitting, and I'm going to see what 13.6grs gives... I really don't see a need to go beyond that if I'm crowding 1250 FPS which is my goal.