180gr Lead In G35 W/storm Lake Barrel Chambering Problem

[mike cyrwus]

Hi, I have these .40 180gr conical flat point, hard cast bullets that have a rather long bearing surface, and when I seat it at 1.125", Im actually hitting the barrel lands and rifling. I would need to seat it down to 1.07" for me to get all of the bearing surface of the bullet into the case, and for it to chamber properly, I checked by dropping it in the barrel.

These same cartridges when as long as 1.13", will still drop right in the stock glock barrel chamber.

The fellow I bought the glock had mentioned that he thought the storm lake barrel was unusually tight. He had mentioned that he was shooting the 185gr coated precision bullets through the stock glock barrel because they wouldnt reliably chamber in the storm lake.

The case isnt the issue as I have a U-die.

The bullets mike at .400-.4005.

It looks like a high bullet shoulder or insufficient taper reaming of the barrel is the culprit.

So: in review, my two questions are:

1) can I seat those lead bullets down to 1.07"?'; how much should I lower my powder?

I have shot plated 180gr with 4.2gr of titegroup at 1.125"

2) Is this tightness a "common" deal with storm lake barrels? Anyone else have experiences with shooting 185gr precisions in one or other aftermarket barrels?

I have some 185gr precisions en route to me.

thanks much!

[DaveM]

I had this same problem with a 9mm KKM barrel. It had no throat at all. It seems that alot of custom barrels are made with very little throat. When I called KKM they said that throating the barrel would hurt accuracy which I think is bunk. This was an open gun shooting major 9 so I was pushing for case capacity anyway. I just kept trying different bullets because KKM wouldn't fix it and I didn't want to buy a throating reamer.

1.107 is pretty short for .40 I would start well below the starting load and just work up watching for pressure signs.

I am using 3.6 gr titegroup and a 180 gr Zero in a G-22 for light steel loads and minor PF for production. It is a very light load it might be a place to start or just have the barrel throated.

This all probably doesn't help you much but I feel your pain I've been there. I think factory barrels are throated for a reason.

I had this same problem with a 9mm KKM barrel. It had no throat at all. It seems that alot of custom barrels are made with very little throat. When I called KKM they said that throating the barrel would hurt accuracy which I think is bunk. This was an open gun shooting major 9 so I was pushing for case capacity anyway. I just kept trying different bullets because KKM wouldn't fix it and I didn't want to buy a throating reamer.

1.107 is pretty short for .40 I would start well below the starting load and just work up watching for pressure signs.

I am using 3.6 gr titegroup and a 180 gr Zero in a G-22 for light steel loads and minor PF for production. It is a very light load it might be a place to start or just have the barrel throated.

This all probably doesn't help you much but I feel your pain I've been there. I think factory barrels are throated for a reason.

[mike cyrwus]

thanks much.

[mscott]

I certainly don't like the idea of loading that short. If not for the safety reasons, my Glocks don't like real short ammo. You better either get the barrel reamed or switch bullets. I had the same problem with my Springfield 1911 with lead bullets and started loading short. That seemed like an accident waiting to happen, so I called Manson Reamers (search the web) and got a .40 throating reamer ordered. That solved the whole problem in 2 minutes.