Reloading .40S&W

[PJM]

Just tumbled 150 once fired cases, ordered RCBS dies and bullets and will start reloading once stuff arrives, Been reloading almost 60 years, this is 1st attempt at semi pistol rounds due to headspace and crimping specs. Lyman manual says don't trim below trim-to-length, but did note the cases are already below that. Hope they stretch out when resized.To the experts do you taper crimp or not?

[John E Davies]

The Lee factory crimp die is cheap and does a wonderful job, much better as a separate step.

https://www.amazon.com/LEE-PRECISION-9 ... B000N8JWE4

I never check or trim case length with 9 mm or .40 S&W, that is really only needed for hot magnum revolver and rifle cases. If you are trying for tight groups, for load development, segregate brass by head stamp, but if you are just blasting, you can mix it all up….

John Davies
Spokane WA

[Rifletom]

Yep, those Lee FCD's make life easier for handloading. Taper crimp.

[Headhog]

I've been reloading 9mm, 40 S&W and 45 ACP for 40+ years and never check or worry about case length. I never used the Lee FCD until I I found some 40's the were bulged by the old Glock loose chambers. They would not go into battery because of the bulge in the case. The Lee FCD fixed that. Thats the only rimless cases I use the FCD for. My 9mm and 45 ACP just get run through my regular RCBS taper crimp dies.

Paul

[DsGrouse]

Lee factory crimp here also. I will note, some what off topic, if you reload for 357 sig, resize the brass first in a 40sw sizing die. then run it through the 357 sig die.

It's an extra step, but it make the process go considerably faster.

[The Happy Kaboomer]

Never used a Lee FCD on ANY semi-auto cartridge. Or trim. Or sort by head stamp.......Don't see the need. Been reloading 9mm/40/10mm/45acp forever. For the last 20 years or so on Dillon progressive presses. What a lot of people don't realize is that in a lot of autos. The case head spaces OFF THE EXTRACtOR.......Not the case mouth.

[PJM]

Thanks for info. Hopefully RCBS taper crimp seat die works out.

[John E Davies]

Thanks for info. Hopefully RCBS taper crimp seat die works out.

It will work OK, but you will definitely get better results (more consistency, higher quality rounds) with the Lee. The Lee resizes the loaded round all the way from the head as you pull the ram back out. The crimp is controlled independently (pistol calibers) by adjusting the threaded rod in or out.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YWnw0sTBO8w

So you can make do with other dies, but once you actually try the Lee I don’t think you will want to use anything else.

John Davies
Spokane WA

[Pitchman1968]

I have reloaded .40 S&W for over 20 years. My Lee die set came with a factory crimp die which i continue to use. My S&W Model 410 in .40 S&W is quite sensitive to COAL. Make sure your COAL is 'right' on what the r/l manual calls for, otherwise you will experience countless "failure to feed" situations. Jams is most semi-auto pistols can be hard to clear.

[PJM]

Multiple tests have been performed. Appears case mouth is catching on barrel throat and tipping up. I reamed outside of case mouth prior to loading and loaded up 20 cases for latest test. The loaded cases approach factory loads as far as case mouth dimensions go and smoothness. The gun shoots factories flawlessly. Making me crazy.