Unsupported chamber?

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Can someone set me straight on the issues involved with an unsupported chamber?

I just picked up a bunch of 9mm ammo out at Georgia Arms and in the fine print I read "These cartridges are not warranted for use in firearms with unsupported chambers....". I have a few guns that I can use it with but the majority of it was going to be going throughmy Glock 19, that is until I saw the warning. I was told at the range that the 19 has an unsupported chamber but I couldn't find reference to it here when I tried a search. It's not the end of the world because I could just use "store bought" ammo in my Glock and the Georgia Arms stuff in another gun but thatdefeats the purpose of buying this ammo in the first place.

Whatproblems might I have if I put it through my Glock? I also have a Sig P239, a S&W M&P 9, and a Kahr P9. Any issues with those?

Gracias!

Edit:I just did a short bit of research and I see more advisories against using reloaded/remanufactured ammo in a Glock. I'm showing my ignorance here with a dumb newbie question but is Georgia Arms remanufactured? I havea case of theCanned Heat FMJs as well as some 124gr Gold Dot Hollow Point +P.

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Can someone set me straight as to what an "unsupported chamber" even is? I'm not familiar with the term.

-ljp

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Georgia Arms sells factory reloads, i.e. they take spent brass, and use heavy machinery to clean, size, and reload ammo.

I've never had a problem with it in my XD-40, nor my RIA 1911. The ammo is a little hot, and Glocks have/had a reputation for needing a $200 tax stamp (destructive device), so I can see where they would want to go into CYA mode over ammo that has greater potential to be out of spec.

Then again, if you read ANY booklet that comes with ANY gun, they tell you reloads are the devil.

Now, if you WANT, you can send me your 9mm ammo, and I'll put it in my HiPoint Carbine all day long. :celebrate


As for unsupported cases.....


http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-4879.html

Usually they're talking about Glocks in .40 caliber when they talk about unsupported chambers. What it does is cause the bottom of the case near the case head to swell enough that it won't go into a case gauge or some chambers. The only fix for it is to have the brass roll-sized which is not something most reloaders have laying around. (pretty expensive device)

Click to expand...

http://www.hkpro.com/forum/showthread.php?s=e84ea44b306c0f4ccae2037a34ab5f68&t=88828&page=3

This page has pictures.

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AbNo wrote:

Now, if you WANT, you can send me your 9mm ammo, and I'll put it in my HiPoint Carbine all day long. :celebrate

Click to expand...

Nice try! As I said earlier, I do have a few other guns that just so happen to be chambered for the 9mm so I think I might be able to find a way to put it to use.

I do appreciate the kind offer though!

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The offer still stands. :lol:

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This is what can happen in a G21 with an unsupported chamber and a case rupture.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v321/esstac/100_0374.jpg

Disregard all the white epoxy crap, that came from the individual who relieved me of it temporarily, and Glock replaced everything but the slide and barrel.

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AbNo wrote:

Georgia Arms sells factory reloads, i.e. they take spent brass, and use heavy machinery to clean, size, and reload ammo.

Click to expand...

I'm going to check with them tomorrow to clarify the labeling on their products. The Canned Heat says "Factory Loaded" and the Gold Dot HPs say "New Ammunition" on the labels,I'm curious what each those mean.

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smash29 wrote:

I'm going to check with them tomorrow to clarify the labeling on their products. The Canned Heat says "Factory Loaded" and the Gold Dot HPs say "New Ammunition" on the labels,I'm curious what each those mean.

Click to expand...

AbNo wrote:

Georgia Arms sells factory reloads, i.e. they take spent brass, and use heavy machinery to clean, size, and reload ammo.

Click to expand...

:quirky

Basically, one or more fully automated reloading presses.


New ammo: Unspent casings and unfired bullets to make shiny new cartridges.

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esstac wrote:

This is what can happen in a G21 with an unsupported chamber and a case rupture.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v321/esstac/100_0374.jpg

Disregard all the white epoxy crap, that came from the individual who relieved me of it temporarily, and Glock replaced everything but the slide and barrel.

Click to expand...

That's a case rupture? Wow! Nasty looking.

Good story on the epoxy?:dude:

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AbNo wrote:

New ammo: Unspent casings and unfired bullets to make shiny new cartridges.

Click to expand...

And I was wanting to clarify that because if that's the case then it would be no different than using any other ammo in my Glock.

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They want to prevent as many kB!s as possible.

This is a fun link about the phenomenon known as a kB! (KaBOOM!)
http://www.thegunzone.com/glock/glock-kb-faq.html


[sub]ETA the smiley and to correct a spelling error[/sub]

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I find the bit about how semiauto ammo shouldn't be racked thru the weapon more than twice interesting. First time I've ever heard that. So much for leaving one in the chamber.

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redlegagent wrote:

I find the bit about how semiauto ammo shouldn't be racked thru the weapon more than twice interesting. First time I've ever heard that. So much for leaving one in the chamber.

Click to expand...

I just looked through that article again and didn't see that.....
Could they be referring to not reloading past 2nd generation? That would make more sense.... I do not see how simply 'racking ammo through' could have any serious negative affect on the ammo. However, every time a cartridge is fired it weakens therefore by the time it has been reloaded for the 2nd time its reliability could easily come into question. Most reloaders that I know won't take handgun ammo past 2nd gen and rifle/shotgun shells past 3rd gen.

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redlegagent wrote:

I find the bit about how semiauto ammo shouldn't be racked thru the weapon more than twice interesting. First time I've ever heard that. So much for leaving one in the chamber.

Click to expand...

Another note about that....
I was recently at the range with some new shooters...
When we ran outta clays, I still had a couple of shells in the shotgun so I proceeded to rack them out... One of the guys that was there made a comment to the affect that he hadn't ever considered the reality of 'UNloading a firearm. He thought that once the bullets were loaded, there was only one way to get them out...
{Disclaimer.... These non shooters are interns studying here from a country that doesn't allow firearms. They were invited and instructed by their 'boss' and my presence was incidental...}

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The 'reason' for not racking shells more than a few times is that everytime a cartridge feeds, there is pressure from the feed rampforcing the bullet back into the casing a little. After awhile, overpressure can develop.

This doesn't happen with every weapon nor every bullet.

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Well, it happens with enough of them.

Take a micrometer to a round, and chamber it about 10 times, then measure it again.

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TheMrMitch wrote:

The 'reason' for not racking shells more than a few times is that everytime a cartridge feeds, there is pressure from the feed rampforcing the bullet back into the casing a little. After awhile, overpressure can develop.

This doesn't happen with every weapon nor every bullet.

Click to expand...

Ok... THAT makes sense.... I still don't imagine that that is very likely after only 2 cycles... It seems to me that if the internals are that tight to have a significant impact such as that that the firearm would be more likely to malfunction or 'jam up' during cycling... But, I guess if it happens at all they have to warn against it or risk being sued!:banghead:

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AbNo wrote:

Well, it happens with enough of them.

Take a micrometer to a round, and chamber it about 10 times, then measure it again.

Click to expand...

I might just have to try that!

Not that I don't believe you guys, just some things I have to see for myself, and like mentioned earlier, not all ammo/all guns will do this, so I guess i need to figure out how many times it takes in my guns to make a significant enough difference to worry about....

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It would most likely vary from gun to gun, mag to mag, or even cartridge to cartridge.

Let me know how that micrometer checking went out.

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You know there is a really simple solution for this. As it is primarily a Glock problem....buy XD's. They don't have this issue. :celebrate