Reloading .40S&W

[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.

[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.

[DsGrouse]

I think a lee fcd would cure that with out the trimming. Congrats on finding your load!

[Mags]

... and never check or worry about case length...

So wouldn't cases too short risk not firing? The auto rounds chamber on the case mouth. So with cases too short, hence sitting deeper in the chamber, I would think that the firing pin or striker might not reach the primer.

[Headhog]

... and never check or worry about case length...

So wouldn't cases too short risk not firing? The auto rounds chamber on the case mouth. So with cases too short, hence sitting deeper in the chamber, I would think that the firing pin or striker might not reach the primer.

The extractor will hold the round against the breech face, before the case mouth ever touches. I've accidentally mixed a 40 S&W round in with 45 ACP in a magazine. Loaded it into my 1911 and it fried just the same. Of course the case split, but it still fired, although it sounded kind of funny. The 40 S&W is 0.013" shorter than the 45 ACP. It certainly wasn't the case mouth supporting that round.

Paul