G26 and unsupported chamber

[baune]

I'm thinking about picking up a Glock 26 for the wife to shoot and carry. I have also heard that Glock chambers are "un-supported" and puts a bulge in the brass by the head. I shoot Sigs and have never seen this happen and since i'll be reloading this brass, I don't want to have to deal with this gun's chamber ruining it. Anyone have any experience with this condition? I think they make a die to take the bulge out, but that's just one more step in the reloading process I really don't care to do.

I would like to get a Glock to try them out, this would be my first one and I like the 26...

 

[Naptown]

I've "heard" about it when shooting +p ammo, but I have never seen it.

 

[Dogman]

If this would be a concern for you there are several good aftermarket supported barrels.
I have a Storm Lake that I like. About $119.00 I think.

 

[kingnereli]

For me, the unsupported chamber is a big issue and one of several reasons I won't carry a glock. However, there is very little needed worry with the 9mm models. The case bulge you are referring to is seen mostly in the .40 models and even that is pretty rare.

 

[stmoore]

That's why naptown carries at gold AK to avoid that problem.

I've "heard" about it when shooting +p ammo, but I have never seen it.

 

[iamaclone45]

I took a couple pictures of a round in the barrel of my G26. Once my camera gets down uploading a batch of photos I will throw them up here. I have not seen any problems with the cases out of my G26.

Pictures:

 

[JohnP82]

i have a few Glocks and while i do not reload i have saved my brass in the past for other people that wanted it to reload and they never had a problem with it. Most of it was from my G23 (.40) you could always get a lonewolf barrel if you are too worried, they have a fully supported chamber. I say go for the G26, great gun.

 

[HICKMAN]

First of all "unsupported chamber" is a misleading term: all barrels must support the round in the chamber.

In order to make the Glock function reliably with the widest possible selection of ammunition it has a "less supported" chamber than other guns. This is why reloaded ammunition is not recommended in Glock pistols. If you choose to shoot reloads, please consider an after market barrel. I recommend the Storm Lake

My carry G23 stays with the factory barrel, my competition G34/35 will have a Storm Lake barrel in it.

 

[XtremeVel]

I have never had any issues with the unsupported chambers in the .40. But, I THOUGHT that the oversized chambers were causing issues of cases splitting from the mouth clear to the web. I was going to order a aftermarket barrel anyhow for shooting lead, so I didn't investigate enough. I checked the factory chamber and found it to be .434 in diameter. My KKM and Lone wolf barrels for a G22 and 35 both check .427. I was sure the splits ( about 4-5 in 100 ) were due to the extra clearance in the factory chambers. But I found I still had the same amount of cases spliting even when shooting in the aftermarket barrels and now had determined it is bad brass. ( once fired Rem UMC ) For what its worth, my factory .357 sig barrel checks .428 in dia. I'm just curious to if the 10mm is tight or oversized also.

 

[Cam]

If this would be a concern for you there are several good aftermarket supported barrels.
I have a Storm Lake that I like. About $119.00 I think.

This.


In addition, I have a 22, 23, and 27 that I reload for. I have reloaded many cases from the stock barrels before buying Storm Lakes for all of them. For those who have never seen the "bulge", look closer because it's there. I have found that it just isn't as bad as reading "BULGE" on an internet forum makes it sound. I don't know if the .40 is more pronounced or not, but every .40 round I've fired out of a stock Glock barrel exhibits this characteristic. Whether you are comfortable reloading those cases is entirely up to you, your comfort is more important than the cost of some brass. I will say that I feel better about reloading the cases out of the aftermarket barrels than I did the ones out of the stock barrels. Also, I don't recommend wasting your money on the die they are marketing to take this bulge out, my Lee sizing die removes it just fine.

After thinking about what I just wrote, I have never shot reloads out of the stock barrels, only that I've reloaded the brass fired from stock ones to shoot out of aftermarket barrels. I don't know that I'd shoot reloaded brass out of a stock barrel that was originally fired from a stock barrel. I hope that makes sense.

Bottom line for me - buy an aftermarket barrel and reload and shoot to your heart's content!

 

[jdhaines]

First of all "unsupported chamber" is a misleading term: all barrels must support the round in the chamber.

In order to make the Glock function reliably with the widest possible selection of ammunition it has a "less supported" chamber than other guns. This is why reloaded ammunition is not recommended in Glock pistols. If you choose to shoot reloads, please consider an after market barrel. I recommend the Storm Lake

My carry G23 stays with the factory barrel, my competition G34/35 will have a Storm Lake barrel in it.

Wait a minute...isn't this misleading? I have never heard anything about reloaded ammunition not being recommended in Glock pistols, especially a 9mm like the OP is talking about. I know that firing lead ammunition (non-jacketed) is not recommended due to the type of rifling and that an aftermarket barrel should be used for firing reloaded and factory lead ammunition.

 

[Cam]

Wait a minute...isn't this misleading? I have never heard anything about reloaded ammunition not being recommended in Glock pistols, especially a 9mm like the OP is talking about. I know that firing lead ammunition (non-jacketed) is not recommended due to the type of rifling and that an aftermarket barrel should be used for firing reloaded and factory lead ammunition.

Like most all gun manufacturers do, the manual specifically recommends not using reloads.

 

[jdhaines]

I didn't realize they said that. Consider me schooled I guess. What a bunch of BS.

 

[XtremeVel]

Also, read the warning on the instructions for the Lee's die set for .40 telling you not to use reloads in Glocks or similiar guns with unsupported chambers. Probably not bad advice since they can't control how close someone inspects their brass and how many times they reload it. I shoot only reloads thru my Glocks in both the factory and aftermarket barrels and like I said earlier, the only time I ever had trouble was with split cases and come to find out it was due to one brand of bad brass.

Also, I have loaded on a single stage with a RCBS sizer and also on a turret with a Lee sizer. I have never had trouble with either die getting the bulge out and matter of fact, have never had trouble with cases shot a few times out of the factory barrel and then chambering in the much tighter KKM or lone wolf barrel. But saying that, I still do feel I only extend my case life a bit using the aftermarket barrels.

 

[furbymac]

I didn't realize they said that. Consider me schooled I guess. What a bunch of BS.

in my taurus pt145 it says not to use reloads or any re-manufactured ammo as it voids the warranty

 

[HICKMAN]

Wait a minute...isn't this misleading? I have never heard anything about reloaded ammunition not being recommended in Glock pistols, especially a 9mm like the OP is talking about. I know that firing lead ammunition (non-jacketed) is not recommended due to the type of rifling and that an aftermarket barrel should be used for firing reloaded and factory lead ammunition.

ok, so your statement sound better than mine.... just passing along what I'd read or had been told.

 

[ian2000gsxr]

my 23 which was made in 1998 has an obvious gap at the bottom of the chamber and i do get the bulge in my fired brass. my Dad however just bought a 23 and they have changed the feed ramp which appears to remove the gap. I would imagine this wouldn't be as much of an issue with 9mm as it isn't as high pressure as the .40

 

[fg12351]

my 23 which was made in 1998 has an obvious gap at the bottom of the chamber and i do get the bulge in my fired brass. my Dad however just bought a 23 and they have changed the feed ramp which appears to remove the gap. I would imagine this wouldn't be as much of an issue with 9mm as it isn't as high pressure as the .40

I have a 3rd generation 23 and I've read on the all knowing internet that in the 3rd generation they changed the chamber to offer full support (we sound like we are talking about bra's).

 

[ian2000gsxr]

I have a 3rd generation 23 and I've read on the all knowing internet that in the 3rd generation they changed the chamber to offer full support (we sound like we are talking about bra's).

my Dad's is also a 3rd gen. I believe you are correct though. the only thing I can think of is sometime throughout the years they made the change. there is an obvious difference in the feed ramps of the two pistols. give me just a minute and i'll take some pics of mine.

 

[Donnelly]

Having an unsupported boob won't cause a catastrophic detonation.