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8/26/2015 10:55:46 AM EDT
I just completed a 40sw ar built on a glock mag lower. The problem started when I went to test the gun. My 40 reloads would not load in the gun. I then pulled out my case gauge and found that none of my reloads would gauge. Approximately the last 3/16 would not slide into gauge. I have never had a problem with any of these reloads in my pistols and I have not made a 40sw reload run since I bought the case gauge. I have had similar problems with 308 and thought I may not have sized far enough down so I pulled out my rcbs three die set and resized some brass that was ready to load. My dies will not size brass to gauge. Do they make a small base die set for 40? I have not been able to find one.      Thanks
8/26/2015 11:31:27 AM EDT
[#1]
Quoted:
I just completed a 40sw ar built on a glock mag lower. The problem started when I went to test the gun. My 40 reloads would not load in the gun. I then pulled out my case gauge and found that none of my reloads would gauge. Approximately the last 3/16 would not slide into gauge. I have never had a problem with any of these reloads in my pistols and I have not made a 40sw reload run since I bought the case gauge. I have had similar problems with 308 and thought I may not have sized far enough down so I pulled out my rcbs three die set and resized some brass that was ready to load. My dies will not size brass to gauge. Do they make a small base die set for 40? I have not been able to find one.      Thanks
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ETA:  First make sure you sizing die is going all the way down and touching the shell plate.  If your still having issues look into the following.

Lee undersize 40 S&W sizing die is what you want.  It will size your brass by ~0.001 inch under minimum spec and the carbide sizing insert in it has a smaller radius on the lead-in.  If you make sure its going all the way down to touch your shell plate it will size further down the brass than pretty much any other die except for roll sizing.  Best solution for Glocked 40S&W brass short of investing in a roll sizer.
8/26/2015 11:52:13 AM EDT
[#2]
I buy once fired 40 S&W brass that has been fired in many different guns. My problem with sizing was my die left a ring around many cases where the mouth of the die stopped. Not so-called Glock bulge but just appears to be fired in large chambers? I bought a Lee Undersized Die but it only left a larger ring where the die stopped. Even when turning the die down to just touch the shellholder made no difference. End of story, I bought a Redding GRX sizing die. You push the entire case through the die then size normally. Now cases come out perfect. Like I said, in my case the Lee Undersize Die made them worse and actually moved brass material where the die stopped. The Carbide Redding GRX is expensive but well worth the cost for me. They make them non-carbide but lube is needed. The carbide doesn't need lube. Always inspect 40 brass for badly bulged or guppy shaped bulges and scrap any you find. But for making sure 40 S&W fits a gauge and sizes perfectly, run them all through a Redding Carbide GRX die then process as usual. The only pistol caliber I load that needs full case sizing.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/231187/redding-g-rx-carbide-base-sizing-die-kit-40-s-and-w-357-sig-10mm-auto
8/26/2015 12:28:54 PM EDT
[#3]
X2 on the GRX Redding die.   I have several .40 chambers to load for and some are too tight for my sized brass so it all goes through the GRX die so I don't have to sort it.
8/26/2015 12:36:09 PM EDT
[#4]
A couple things to check.

Are you using a shell holder made by the same company as the dies?

Adjust the dies exactly like the manufacturer instructs.  Usually with ram at top of stroke, screw sizing die down to touch shell holder.  Back off the ram, turn die further in till you get a resistance like cam-over of the ram.

I use carbide Dillon dies for .40S&W with lube on the case also.

My cases and loaded rounds always gage just fine.  I've never had the need to use the GRX dies everyone told me I'd need.  YMMV

Closely go over your process.
8/26/2015 12:50:06 PM EDT
[#5]
Careful with carbide dies. Turning the die down tight against the shellholder with cam over and you "can" break the carbide ring ruining the sizing die.
8/26/2015 1:00:45 PM EDT
[#6]
Quote History
Quoted:
Careful with carbide dies. Turning the die down tight against the shellholder with cam over and you "can" break the carbide ring ruining the sizing die.
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Good point.  But in 40 years of using carbide die, following manufacturers instructions, I've never broken a carbide sizing die.

But I suppose it happens.
8/26/2015 1:14:40 PM EDT
[#7]
run some brass through a Redding GR-X die or a Lee Bulge Buster.

If the brass by itself will not chamber, then you have a chamber issue.

If the brass(by itself) does chamber then seat a few bullets.

If seating the bullets causes the rounds to not chamber then you may be over crimping and deforming the case or not crimping enough.

Are you seating and crimping in separate steps or in one step?
8/26/2015 1:22:10 PM EDT
[#8]
Did you gauge the brass after sizing or only after seating?

Try before seating. I have had pistol rounds fail gauge only when I do the following: over flaring or under seating...

FCD may help a little but I would check those first.

8/26/2015 5:24:51 PM EDT
[#9]
Make sure your crimp is correct... that could also not allow your reloads to sit flush in the gauge.
8/26/2015 8:48:30 PM EDT
[#10]
A little cam over works well for me with ammo for my Glock Model 22 (.40 S&W) with carbide dies.  You must make sure you full length resize all the way to the head for .40 S&W.  My Hornady .40/10mm carbide die set is holding up fine with a slight cam over.

Remember that if the brass was previously fired in a .40 Glock, it may have the infamous "Glock bulge."  Most sizing dies can take care of this, but only if you size completely down to the head.  If your sizing die does not fully resize out the bulge, get the Lee Bulge Buster mentioned above.  I have not needed one.
.
Question:  Can you chamber and shoot new factory ammo?  If so, that would rule out a tight chamber.
8/26/2015 9:04:44 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote History
Quoted:
A little cam over works well for me with ammo for my Glock Model 22 (.40 S&W) with carbide dies.  You must make sure you full length resize all the way to the head.  My Hornady .40/10mm carbide die set is holding up fine.

Remember that if the brass was previously fired in a .40 Glock, it may have the infamous "Glock bulge."  Most sizing dies can take care of this, but only if you size completely down to the head.  If your sizing die does not fully resize our the bulge, get the Lee Bulge Buster mentioned above.  I have not needed one.
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In an older Glock, maybe...  Current Glocks have essentially the same support as everybody else's .40 barrels.  And EVERY auto pistol can let cases bulge at the base.

Since I load range brass, I use a Lee Bulge Buster on my .40 brass.  Since these cases are literally straight, it's a bit tougher to size the whole length of the case in a sizer of the standard design, so the Bulge Buster takes care of the part of the case that standard dies have problems with.
8/26/2015 9:10:18 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote History
Quoted:

In an older Glock, maybe...  Current Glocks have essentially the same support as everybody else's .40 barrels.  And EVERY auto pistol can let cases bulge at the base.

Since I load range brass, I use a Lee Bulge Buster on my .40 brass.  Since these cases are literally straight, it's a bit tougher to size the whole length of the case in a sizer of the standard design, so the Bulge Buster takes care of the part of the case that standard dies have problems with.
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Quote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
A little cam over works well for me with ammo for my Glock Model 22 (.40 S&W) with carbide dies.  You must make sure you full length resize all the way to the head.  My Hornady .40/10mm carbide die set is holding up fine.

Remember that if the brass was previously fired in a .40 Glock, it may have the infamous "Glock bulge."  Most sizing dies can take care of this, but only if you size completely down to the head.  If your sizing die does not fully resize our the bulge, get the Lee Bulge Buster mentioned above.  I have not needed one.

In an older Glock, maybe...  Current Glocks have essentially the same support as everybody else's .40 barrels.  And EVERY auto pistol can let cases bulge at the base.

Since I load range brass, I use a Lee Bulge Buster on my .40 brass.  Since these cases are literally straight, it's a bit tougher to size the whole length of the case in a sizer of the standard design, so the Bulge Buster takes care of the part of the case that standard dies have problems with.


My Model 22 was made in 1990, a first year Gen 1.  There are a lot of older Model 22s out there with original barrels.
8/26/2015 10:39:48 PM EDT
[#13]
I use the Lee undersize, and between my brother and I, we load a lot of .40 from once fired police(glock) brass.  Very few fail gauging due to the case head, more barely stick before going all the way in, due to shooting coated bullets.  We are then shooting in either an STI ramped barrel, or a Shuemann, with no problems chambering.  Maybe multiple glock firings and the undersize die lead to the ring where the die ends.
8/27/2015 8:54:24 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote History
Quoted:


My Model 22 was made in 1990, a first year Gen 1.  There are a lot of older Model 22s out there with original barrels.
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
A little cam over works well for me with ammo for my Glock Model 22 (.40 S&W) with carbide dies.  You must make sure you full length resize all the way to the head.  My Hornady .40/10mm carbide die set is holding up fine.

Remember that if the brass was previously fired in a .40 Glock, it may have the infamous "Glock bulge."  Most sizing dies can take care of this, but only if you size completely down to the head.  If your sizing die does not fully resize our the bulge, get the Lee Bulge Buster mentioned above.  I have not needed one.

In an older Glock, maybe...  Current Glocks have essentially the same support as everybody else's .40 barrels.  And EVERY auto pistol can let cases bulge at the base.

Since I load range brass, I use a Lee Bulge Buster on my .40 brass.  Since these cases are literally straight, it's a bit tougher to size the whole length of the case in a sizer of the standard design, so the Bulge Buster takes care of the part of the case that standard dies have problems with.


My Model 22 was made in 1990, a first year Gen 1.  There are a lot of older Model 22s out there with original barrels.
True, but there are a lot of newer ones out there too.  And there are enough other guns that let .40s bulge unacceptably that I object to calling it purely a Glock issue.
8/27/2015 10:22:40 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote History
Quoted:
True, but there are a lot of newer ones out there too.  And there are enough other guns that let .40s bulge unacceptably that I object to calling it purely a Glock issue.
View Quote View All Quotes
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Quote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
A little cam over works well for me with ammo for my Glock Model 22 (.40 S&W) with carbide dies.  You must make sure you full length resize all the way to the head.  My Hornady .40/10mm carbide die set is holding up fine.

Remember that if the brass was previously fired in a .40 Glock, it may have the infamous "Glock bulge."  Most sizing dies can take care of this, but only if you size completely down to the head.  If your sizing die does not fully resize our the bulge, get the Lee Bulge Buster mentioned above.  I have not needed one.

In an older Glock, maybe...  Current Glocks have essentially the same support as everybody else's .40 barrels.  And EVERY auto pistol can let cases bulge at the base.

Since I load range brass, I use a Lee Bulge Buster on my .40 brass.  Since these cases are literally straight, it's a bit tougher to size the whole length of the case in a sizer of the standard design, so the Bulge Buster takes care of the part of the case that standard dies have problems with.


My Model 22 was made in 1990, a first year Gen 1.  There are a lot of older Model 22s out there with original barrels.
True, but there are a lot of newer ones out there too.  And there are enough other guns that let .40s bulge unacceptably that I object to calling it purely a Glock issue.


Agree.  It persists.
9/1/2015 10:21:23 PM EDT
[#16]
Thanks a lot for all the help. I ordered the carbide redding grx.
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