Questions on reloading 9mm...

[Sig357]

Thanks for the help guys, and thanks Shiloh for posting your original question.

[J-cat]

I'm a huge glock fan but you might want to consider not reloading for a OEM barrel. The unsupported chambers can be a problem with brass the has been fired a number of times. Where a supported chamber can fire the same brass 20-30 times I would not trust running it more than 3-4 times. If you wanted to reload for you glock I would pick up a cheap Lone wolf barrel for it.

Glock 9mm barrels offer more support for the case than Glock 40-45 cal barrels. What you bring up is a non-issue.

[J-cat]

Bohoki,
What OAL measurements should I be looking at? I was thinking about the OAL case length, but I forgot about the OAL for the cartridge and the problems with magazines, not to mention avoiding running the bullet into the rifling on the barrel.

Any suggestions on how to determine that magic number other than trial and error? Or just duplicate factory ammo OAL case length?

Use your barrel as a gauge. Load your rounds long and drop them in to see if they hit the rifling, then seat them deeper as necessary. You won't hit rifling at mag length with FMJ RN profiles and JHP's are too short to hit the rifling and stay in the case.

Use the OAL's recommended by the bullet manufacturer.

[J-cat]

Definetly get a 9mm case gauge.

His barrel is a case gauge.

[Bug Splat]

Guys, the issue is not the glock unsupported chamber, its the weakened brass that you have already fired, resized, fired, resized, fired, resized. The more you stretch the brass the weaker it gets. While new brass is more than capable of holding 9mm pressure, after it has been weakened the lack of support can be a problem. Range rental pistols will most likely only fire once fired brass. This is not a problem. Its the guy who keep resizing the glock brass unit it can no longer contain the pressure on its own. Agian, I'm a big glock fan. My G17 is my most trusted firearm in my house but even I know what happens to brass when its been resized so many times.

[Shiloh13]

I had planned on picking up a Lone Wolf or KKM barrel for practice with reloads. I only shoot factory ammo in the GSSF matches, so the stock barrel will do fine for those situations. I would do this with any caliber Glock, just because it is so easy to do and provides better safety with reloads.

[J-cat]

[J-cat]

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Critical%20Look%20at%20the%20Glock%2017.htm

[AJD]

Guys, the issue is not the glock unsupported chamber, its the weakened brass that you have already fired, resized, fired, resized, fired, resized. The more you stretch the brass the weaker it gets. While new brass is more than capable of holding 9mm pressure, after it has been weakened the lack of support can be a problem. Range rental pistols will most likely only fire once fired brass. This is not a problem. Its the guy who keep resizing the glock brass unit it can no longer contain the pressure on its own. Agian, I'm a big glock fan. My G17 is my most trusted firearm in my house but even I know what happens to brass when its been resized so many times.

And there isn't any of evidence that people who are reloading for Glock 9mms (and there is VERY large # people who reload for them) are experiencing issues with weaker brass that can no longer contain pressure after 3-4 reloadings. It's speculation and guessing at best. And as J-Cat mentioned, the 9mm Glocks actually have decent chamber support compared to other Glock calibers. The number of KBs with Glock 9mms is almost unheard of. One of the few I have heard of was a from a member on this site who had a KB with factory ammo.

[Omega13device]

I've been reloading 9mm and .45ACP for years on a Dillon SDB, for several different semi-auto pistols. I work off the measurements in the reloading manual and have never had a problem. IMO you should always start with what's in the manual and then make your adjustments from there.