KA-BOOM whats up with that?

[gunsablazin]

I have a Glock 35, I'm told it is a third gen. gun. What is the story on the .40 KBing in Glocks with reloads? I am planning on using it in IDPA-SSP with precision bullets and clays powder to make 130+ PF. It does not seem reasonable to me that such a combination would run any risk of damaging the gun. I have been reloading for over 20 yrs. and never make "hot" loads, my ammo is for targets if I want performance I use factory ammo. Let me know if I am thinking right on this as I would not like to KB my gun based on a false assumption. I also would like to use the factory barrel, but if an aftermarket barrel eliminates this potential risk that would be good to know. Any body got any answers?

Robin

[Alan Meek]

Urban Legend.......

As long as you pay attention to best relaoding practices you will be fine.

Alan

[yoshidaex]

you might want to do a search regarding this topic. theres a ton of info regarding how some people KB their glock. but your loads sound reasonable.

[coltgov]

Only kabooms I've seen are double charges or firing a bullet behind a squib or

or too hot of a load or not enough crimp resulting in bullet setback.

So don't use reloads from anyone you don't trust.

Having said that you said you do trust your own reloads and have been doing it for 20 years.

Then you'll be fine!

Reloading for the .40s&w is no different than any other caliber.

[kevin c]

I have a Glock 35, I'm told it is a third gen. gun. What is the story on the .40 KBing in Glocks with reloads? I am planning on using it in IDPA-SSP with precision bullets and clays powder to make 130+ PF. It does not seem reasonable to me that such a combination would run any risk of damaging the gun. I have been reloading for over 20 yrs. and never make "hot" loads, my ammo is for targets if I want performance I use factory ammo. Let me know if I am thinking right on this as I would not like to KB my gun based on a false assumption. I also would like to use the factory barrel, but if an aftermarket barrel eliminates this potential risk that would be good to know. Any body got any answers?

Robin

You will get varying opinions if you search this forum.

In a nutshell, the factory barrel has a generously sized chamber which permits a little more expansion of the fired case (the Glock "bulge", or "guppy bellied brass"), and the polygonal rifling in the barrel is more prone to leading (Glock does not recommend the use of lead bullets in their barrels). These are pretty much undisputed facts. What is debated hotly is whether Glocks are more prone to blow ups than other guns, for these or other reasons.

The most authoritative information I have found comes out of Robin Taylor's book, "The Glock in Competition", which has a section addressing this issue, and has information from somebody with some knowledge of materials testing. He did some tests and did find rapid/heavy leading in OEM barrels leading to dangerously high pressures, using typical lead bullet loads. He managed to make a Glock blow up, IIRC.

This is not to say that all reloaded ammo is dangerous in Glock OEM barrels (though Glock doesn't advise using reloads and will void your warranty if you do). Jacketed bullets and reasonable loads as found in published manuals should be safe from this particular problem. Some say that coated lead bullets are also OK.

You need to be aware of the issue, make your own decisions, and, as always, load and shoot at your own risk.

[bountyhunter]

KBOOM requires some dumb action on the user's part, namely reloading much-used .40 brass very hot to blow out the case. I don't recall any KBOOMs using new ammo, but if there were it was defective ammo.

I tend to agree the Glock KBOOM is more myth than reality, or at least grossly exaggerrated.

[Carlos]

If you have been reloading for 20 years, you know that a 130 PF load should not tax the gun nor the brass much.

However, the collective experience here on be.com indicates you really will want to use an EGW brand "U" or undersize or "small base" resizing die.

Why?

Because: 40 is sensitive to OAL. A set-back, particularly on a powder like Clays, could cause issues. The EGW die prevents any chance of setback.

Use the case spray that Brian suggests in his Dillon reloading video: Hornady One Shot.

[DanM]

I ran roughly 25,000 reloads through my Glock 35 in 18 months. I had exactly 1 squib that I somehow made. Lucky for me, I caught it and all was fine. The prefered die set-up here for Glock .40 is EGW U-Size die, Redding Comp Seating die, and a Lee FCD die. I run mixed brass, Win SPP, Titegroup or 320 and 180 grn MG's. a BIG +1 on the One-Shot lube. I just put the cases in a big tub, give them a quick spray and then put them in the case feeder.

Edited November 2, 2007 by DanM

[dmedley]

I have seen two Glocks go ka-boom. Both were from double charged loads. Just reminds one to keep mind on what you are doing while reloading.

[Jasonub]

also seen a breechface on the glock come off due to dry firing. 3 of these i saw personally. it seems it kabooms more than the other guns for a reason or another.

the biggest reason is shooting lead through it without cleaning after 200 rounds.

[North]

also seen a breechface on the glock come off due to dry firing. 3 of these i saw personally.

How does this happen? I just can't wrap my head aound this. I don't have a glock, but this just don't make since to me. Thanks

[et45]

Careful with that Glock Rob,You'll blow your self up with it

[yoshidaex]

also seen a breechface on the glock come off due to dry firing. 3 of these i saw personally. it seems it kabooms more than the other guns for a reason or another.

[Jman]

...just minutes after my alien abduction i came to several miles from camp. while scrambling through the brush i'm frozen by a terrifying roar....HOGZILLA!!!....i reach for my heater, thank God the extra terrestrials had not confiscated my trusted G22.

he charged, i fired...and the damn thing just blowd' up.

...that's what up with Ka-Booms

Jim M

[Micah]

also seen a breech face on the glock come off due to dry firing. 3 of these i saw personally. it seems it kabooms more than the other guns for a reason or another.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that I dryfire my Glock more than anyone on the planet (averaging 95 minutes a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year =right around 578 hours yearly).

Same gun that I started with 3 years ago, and broken trigger springs have been my only caveat. Keep the barrel clean and your loads appropriately powered and primed, and shoot that damn Glock until your trigger finger falls off.

[Greg Bell]

Not common but I have seen a few threads and pics over on GT of broken breech faces

Here is a pic I just found from there

[Jasonub]

problem is its not uncommon here the broken breechface thing

[TDean]

I have a Glock 35, I'm told it is a third gen. gun. What is the story on the .40 KBing in Glocks with reloads? I am planning on using it in IDPA-SSP with precision bullets and clays powder to make 130+ PF. It does not seem reasonable to me that such a combination would run any risk of damaging the gun. I have been reloading for over 20 yrs. and never make "hot" loads, my ammo is for targets if I want performance I use factory ammo. Let me know if I am thinking right on this as I would not like to KB my gun based on a false assumption. I also would like to use the factory barrel, but if an aftermarket barrel eliminates this potential risk that would be good to know. Any body got any answers?

Robin

I will never shoot "coated" bullets thru a stock Glock bbl again. Two months ago, I had 2 KB's with two different guns in 2 weeks.

The first was a Glock 20 10mm using 4.6gr of vv320 under a 180gr Masterblaster (poly coated) bullet. I fiqured it must have been a double charge and moved on. The following week, I used the same powder charge of 4.6gr under a MasterBlaster 145gr bullet (OAL 1.140) for minor 40SW loads in a G22. These chrono'd around 150pf. On my 3rd stage of the match...KB. What the hell? What was I doing wrong? Is it possible the I double-charged twice in 2 weeks?

Since I've shot 10's of thousands of reloads in 1911's (and Glocks with aftermarket bbls) without incident, I didn't think "reloading error" was to blame. Why is this only happening with Glocks and what is the common denominator? The most logical culprit was using non-jacketed bullets in the stock barrel.

I have since switched back to my STI and, as expected, haven't had a KB. I'm sure that although many people (including me) have successfully fired coated bullets in stock Glock bbls, the combination prooved ugly for me. I won't do it again and I'd recommend against it.

Be safe.

T

[sfinney]

If you are going to reload for a Glock with stock barrel, use jacketed, or very hard cast lead. Its the cheap soft lead bullets that seems to cause problems, builds up lead, and yes, they can go kaboom if they are not cleaned routinely. Hard cast lead like from KEAD bullets seems to work very well in Glock barrels.

I don't have any experience with moly lead in Glocks...... but I think MBs are a softer lead before they are coated in moly, and the coating seems more fragile, compared to a Precision bullet , from observation of the 2 different bullets (I've shot thousands of rounds of each through my S_Is the last couple years).

In any case MB is no more is seems, so Precision will be it for me going forward.

Edited November 4, 2007 by sfinney

[midvalleyshooter]

I will never shoot "coated" bullets thru a stock Glock bbl again. Two months ago, I had 2 KB's with two different guns in 2 weeks.

The first was a Glock 20 10mm using 4.6gr of vv320 under a 180gr Masterblaster (poly coated) bullet. I fiqured it must have been a double charge and moved on. The following week, I used the same powder charge of 4.6gr under a MasterBlaster 145gr bullet (OAL 1.140) for minor 40SW loads in a G22. These chrono'd around 150pf. On my 3rd stage of the match...KB. What the hell? What was I doing wrong? Is it possible the I double-charged twice in 2 weeks?

Be safe.

T

Here is my experience with Glock kabooms. I have added a couple suggestions and ideas, but YMMV:)

I have had two Glock kabooms. They were in the mid-90's and we have learned a lot since then. I do not think either was a double charge. The first was caused by poor brass management and the second by a questionable load.

The first was with a G20 with loads to the old major pf of 175. I was using range pick up brass (big mistake) and the case let go in the area of the case exposed in the feed ramp area. This blew out the mag but other wise gun and shooter were OK.

My second kaboom was very similiar to the first. I was using a G24 and my brass was former LE once fired in good shape. BUT I was using a load that was new then. Yes it was a 200 grain led bullet over Clays at 175 pf. Same result as above. Blew the mag out, shooter OK, gun OK except for a broken slide stop lever.

Over the last 20 years I have owned a few 1911's, a couple Para's, a P9 in 9x21, Witness in 9x21, a 38 super or two, a bunch of Glocks and a few more Handguns. I have loaded on a single stage, a Lee 100, Square Deal, 550 and a 1050. IMO the big bore Glocks (.40 and up) require a tad more vigilance due to the amount of brass exposed at the feed ramp. Use good brass and moderate loads up to 165 PF. I use lead bullets in my 9mm Glocks but I would stick with jacketed in .40 and larger.

Now some folks will disagree with me and thats OK. I offer up my experiences for reference.

Best regards and Be Safe,

Keith

[Jasonub]

in our country, most shooters here use coated and lead bullets(much much cheaper) in their glocks and all of our pistols for that matter.

Tdean,

ill pass out the info you gave re shooting coated and lead rounds in their glocks here so that the common kaboom here would be a thing of the past, hopefully.

shooting jacketed is not an option here due to the costs of jacketed

[chp5]

Not common but I have seen a few threads and pics over on GT of broken breech faces

Here is a pic I just found from there

I've had this happen to me personally. I was dry firing and noticed the striker "click" sounded different.

Glock replaced the slide for free (and I was not the original owner) and told me to use snap caps.

[coltgov]

Not common but I have seen a few threads and pics over on GT of broken breech faces

Here is a pic I just found from there

I've had this happen to me personally. I was dry firing and noticed the striker "click" sounded different.

Glock replaced the slide for free (and I was not the original owner) and told me to use snap caps.

Did you have a stock striker spring or reduced striker spring?

[coltgov]

I have a Glock 35, I'm told it is a third gen. gun. What is the story on the .40 KBing in Glocks with reloads? I am planning on using it in IDPA-SSP with precision bullets and clays powder to make 130+ PF. It does not seem reasonable to me that such a combination would run any risk of damaging the gun. I have been reloading for over 20 yrs. and never make "hot" loads, my ammo is for targets if I want performance I use factory ammo. Let me know if I am thinking right on this as I would not like to KB my gun based on a false assumption. I also would like to use the factory barrel, but if an aftermarket barrel eliminates this potential risk that would be good to know. Any body got any answers?

Robin

I will never shoot "coated" bullets thru a stock Glock bbl again. Two months ago, I had 2 KB's with two different guns in 2 weeks.

The first was a Glock 20 10mm using 4.6gr of vv320 under a 180gr Masterblaster (poly coated) bullet. I fiqured it must have been a double charge and moved on. The following week, I used the same powder charge of 4.6gr under a MasterBlaster 145gr bullet (OAL 1.140) for minor 40SW loads in a G22. These chrono'd around 150pf. On my 3rd stage of the match...KB. What the hell? What was I doing wrong? Is it possible the I double-charged twice in 2 weeks?

Since I've shot 10's of thousands of reloads in 1911's (and Glocks with aftermarket bbls) without incident, I didn't think "reloading error" was to blame. Why is this only happening with Glocks and what is the common denominator? The most logical culprit was using non-jacketed bullets in the stock barrel.

I have since switched back to my STI and, as expected, haven't had a KB. I'm sure that although many people (including me) have successfully fired coated bullets in stock Glock bbls, the combination prooved ugly for me. I won't do it again and I'd recommend against it.

Be safe.

T

What I noticed with the poly bullets and stock barrel, the recoil is much heavier with lots of smoke and muzzle blast.

I think the bullet is not spinning with the rifling in the bore by not catching in the rifling since the glock rifling

is round and not square. This is grating the poly coating off the bullet and smearing it

all over the bore. The more you shoot, the more pressure gets built up. You feel it in the recoil and lots of smoke

and more muzzle blast. Also keyholing.

When I changed over to the KKM barrel, the barrel still collects the polly but doesn't build up. Recoil is

normal just like a jacketed bullet. Just a little more smoke and no keyholing.

Edited November 5, 2007 by coltgov

[gunsablazin]

Careful with that Glock Rob,You'll blow your self up with it

et45, you are a smarta**. I have read over all this info and talked to some local Glock shooters,this is the conclusion I have reached. I plan to reload ploycoated bullets and use the brass many times, so I am going to install a KKM barrel, size with the small base resizer, load minor @130,000+ and shoot the hell out of the gun and not worry about it. Anyone see a problem with that?

Robin