.40 S&W bulged/smilie brass

[Encoreman]

Hi guys, do any of you reload .40 brass that has smilie or bulged brass by first running it thru a Lee, EGW or similar die? I just think that if this brass has been stretched to make the bulge that it isn't safe to reload. Any comments welcome. Thanks Mac

 

[Virginia Jim]

Yes.

 

[falmike]

I have done that and it works fine. When I load on my Dillon SDB, it takes care of them without issues.

 

[ImjinScout85]

Nope, There is enough 40S&W brass usually laying around at the ranges where I don't need to. Also have a lot of 40S&W brass in the personal stash,

 

[Lennyjoe]

Small bulge yes, severe glocksmile, no

 

[WeekendReloader]

Maybe….
If my chamber was fully supported, I would. (As long as the brass inspects good after resizing)
If my chamber was not fully supported, then I feel there is a chance for that area to line up and blow out.

I have no data for this opinion, just a personal preference.

 

[merlynski]

I bought a 1000 lot of range 40S&W, and scrapped every one that had a visible 'frown' line, after asking the same question about 2 months ago. I decided that it was not worth the risk for a few brass cases.
That was the majority opinion of the THR responders to my post.
The rest of that lot, after deprime and wet tumble, all went through a GR-X swage die.
Then they were sized and loaded through my regular loading processes.

EDIT: corrrection

 

[sevt_chevelle]

There's a difference between a bulge and a smiley or belly.
Bulge is fine a belly is junk.
rarely find a belly any more.
All my 40 brass goes through a Redding grx, to me it's worth the hassle.

 

[rg1]

I've bought once fired 40 S&W cases in 500 and 1000 case lots, all Winchester. They were obviously fired in multiple guns. Some guns must have large chambers as the brass was swelled down a little farther than my die would size. Bought a Redding carbide GR-X push through die and it completely sizes the case. Out of the 1500 once fired cases 5-10 cases had the "guppy belly" and they would be unsafe to load. Wouldn't load 40 S&W without my GR-X sizer. However my 40 Glocks and a carbine rifle with my reloads does not swell my fired cases yet I still run them through my GR-X die.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Hi guys, do any of you reload .40 brass that has smilie or bulged brass by first running it thru a Lee, EGW or similar die? I just think that if this brass has been stretched to make the bulge that it isn't safe to reload. Any comments welcome. Thanks Mac

I use the Hornady Pro TiNitride dies for .40S&W resize and seat; the Lee for expand/fill and factory crimp. If any cases still have flaws after resize, they go into scrap.