Loading tips for 40 S&W

[3030guy]

I've been reloading for a few years now, both pistol and rifle. I'd like to start reloading 40 S&W for my Glock 23, which has a gen 2 barrel, gen 3 frame, all stock parts. I'll only be using jacketed bullets, no hot rodding, just practice loads. I've heard of the infamous glock kaboom, and would like to hear any sage advice to avoid it before rolling my own 40's. Thanks in advance for your time and input!

[cwlongshot]

Nothing special to know really. Nothing beyond basics used for all auto pistol loading... 

Taper crimp only, FL re size cases.  Follow the book loads and work up slowly.

Good luck,
CW

[Larry L]

Don't over look the plated bullets for plinking. I use a lot of Rainier 135 gr plated HPs in my 40's and they are not only extremely accurate but easy on the hand. About the same as a 9mm in recoil. I use AA5 or HS-6. Berrys also makes a 135 gr plated bullet and they shoot equally as good as the Rainiers. For carry ammo you might take a look at the Remington Golden Sabres. Their 165gr sure shoots great and opens up picture perfect. Another one that a lot of folks like is the Speer Gold Dots.

[Lloyd Smale]

Cast works just as good in a glock as jacketed do. Only thing ill advise you not to do is push your ammo. Look in a loading manual and they usually will give 3 levels of loads. stick with the middle load in a glock with its unsuported chamber. Not that they wont run full power loads but doing it like that will be alot easier on your brass. Look at any full power load shot out of a glock and youll notice by the base the case is swelled like a guppy. It makes reusing it hard to do. Only way to do it and its something anyone loading for a glock should invest in is a push through sizer. Lee and redding sell them. Full power loads in a glock even using new factory ammo make me nervous. If that case bulges like that all it takes is a crappy case that slipped threw the automated quality control system to turn your gun into a pile of parts or your hand to hamburger. then even if you didnt blow up with that crappy piece of brass the first time, when your reload it you work that brass even more each time it swells and is resized. Stick to loads that dont work your brass as much and youll be fine.

[Larry L]

I'm going to assume Lloyd has a Glock 40 in the Model 23 as the factory barrel is supposed to be hexagon rifling. Lead bullets and hexagon rifling don't mix well. Considering you're looking for decent practice ammo, there's no reason to load at the top of the book and therefore the unsupported chamber doesn't matter. The Glocks I've seen go boom were caused by ammo loaded at or above max and usually the shooter was trying to see just how fast he could empty the gun.
http://us.glock.com/products/model/g23gen4

[cwlongshot]

The use of lead in a stock GLOCK barrel has and will be forever debated.

For most the factory dosen't recomend it and that's enough. For others they use it and see zero issues with its use.

Personally I equate it as I do shooting short bullets in long chambers. As long as you properly clean up after shooting you will be just fine.

CW