Weird issue with 9mm reloads

erwos · Jun 16, 2015

So, I took my latest batches of 160gr and 147gr out to the range today. The 160gr shot great, but the 147gr had some real issues. I was shooting a SW9VE.

First, it wouldn't even chamber unless I slammed the locked back slide on it. It would not chamber the next round after firing, or if I sling-shotted the slide.

Second, when it didn't chamber, I couldn't extract - the action was basically locked together. I had to disassemble the gun, pull the barrel, and knock out the round with a cleaning rod.

I measured OAL on one of the rounds, and it was 1.163 - a touch long, but still within 9mm max OAL. Any ideas about what's going on here? I did a factory crimp using the Lee die. The bullets are .356 coated 147gr.

Sticky · Jun 16, 2015

What boolit are you loading? Sounds like it is loaded too long for your chamber/boolit combination

Sticky · Jun 16, 2015

When that happens (having to slam the slide/bolt to chamber), always extract that round and see if there are any rifling or chamber marks on the boolit. This will tell you the seating depth is too long for that boolit/cartridge and your weapon.

erwos · Jun 16, 2015

Thing is, I thought I had been loading those 160grs to 1.16, too... maybe I need to check my bullet seating die.

Reloader · Jun 16, 2015

Do the rounds drop in your barrel when its removed from the gun?

Sticky · Jun 16, 2015

Boolit profiles often vary from one to the other.. The max load length is merely a limit, not a rule of thumb to load to. You need to be sure those rounds will chamber before loading. I always load a dummy round, start at max length and see if they will drop in an autoloader. If not, start seating deeper until they do.. Every different boolit profile can vary in OAL cartridge length for a given chamber!

sgt23preston · Jun 16, 2015

According to my Lyman 49th Reloading Handbook, the OAL they list for a 147 Grain TMJ is 1.115...

Hope this is helpful...

Sticky · Jun 16, 2015

sgt23preston said:
According to my Lyman 49th Reloading Handbook, the OAL they list for a 147 Grain TMJ is 1.115...

Hope this is helpful...

That is quite a bit shorter than 1.163" and could explain the difficult chambering/extraction if that is the boolit being loaded..

erwos · Jun 16, 2015

Sticky said:
Every different boolit profile can vary in OAL cartridge length for a given chamber!

Hmm, this I did not know. Kinda assumed 147gr was just a shorter 160gr, but maybe that was a bad assumption. I'll see if I can't seat the bullets a little further and see if that fixes it. *ponder*

Sticky · Jun 16, 2015

erwos said:
Hmm, this I did not know. Kinda assumed 147gr was just a shorter 160gr, but maybe that was a bad assumption. I'll see if I can't seat the bullets a little further and see if that fixes it. *ponder*

Do as Reloader suggested earlier.. remove the bbl and see if the round drops into the bbl to the same depth as a typical factory round (or a reload that has no issues with chambering). This is a critical step in reloading a new boolit. OAL will often vary in a given caliber, depending on the boolit profile being loaded.

I have been reloading cast, coated boolits in my 308 AR and everything that can affect seating depth has a bearing on the final oal for each different combination. Boolit style, cast/sized dimensions, coating buildup, etc...

Kelson1066 · Jun 16, 2015

erwos said:
Hmm, this I did not know. Kinda assumed 147gr was just a shorter 160gr, but maybe that was a bad assumption. I'll see if I can't seat the bullets a little further and see if that fixes it. *ponder*

erwos I had the exact same problem in the same model gun. The round was too long and did not fit the chamber. You may want to shorten your COAL but be on the lookout for possible pressure spikes.

Side Note: I was using a XTreme 165gr up from my 147gr when working up a load that would meet USPSA 9mm major, hence the worry about the pressure spike.

erwos · Jun 16, 2015

I'm loading pretty conservatively, I have some room to play with in terms of OAL. Maybe I'll aim for 1.155.

BradMacc82 · Jun 16, 2015

Make a dummy round, do the 'plunk' test with the barrel out of the gun, adjust seated depth until it drops in and comes out with minimal effort.

When I load a new .45 projectile, I figure out my COL first, and then work up the ladder to get where I want to be charge-wise.

guthook · Jun 16, 2015

Never hurts to have a case gauge laying around. As was stated, using your removed barrel can work in a pinch as well, but a case gauge will give you a more defined go/no go, if you are within spec or not.

erwos · Jun 16, 2015

I have one of those max gauges for 9mm, and these rounds seem to pass. I think it's a specific bullet/OAL interaction problem. I'll screw around with a dummy round to see what I'm missing. It's just weird that the 160gr rounds didn't have this problem.*shrugs*

I should note that, thinking back, I also had difficulty chambering these rounds in my BUL Cherokee. Maybe I should make sure the bullets are in spec, too. *ponder*

guthook · Jun 16, 2015

erwos said:
I have one of those max gauges for 9mm, and these rounds seem to pass. I think it's a specific bullet/OAL interaction problem. I'll screw around with a dummy round to see what I'm missing. It's just weird that the 160gr rounds didn't have this problem.*shrugs*

I should note that, thinking back, I also had difficulty chambering these rounds in my BUL Cherokee. Maybe I should make sure the bullets are in spec, too. *ponder*

Have you re-measured any of the rounds after they would not chamber to see if there was any setback from hitting the lands? Any marks from the lands on the bullet itself?

You should be ok with your OAL, unless your pistols barrel has an unusually short leade. My seater is set to exactly that, 1.160" with 147gr plated RN.

Are these round nose, HP or flat?

Blacksmith101 · Jun 17, 2015

Also check the diameter of the finished round. Might be an oversize bullet.

Bikebreath · Jun 17, 2015

Kelson1066 said:
erwos I had the exact same problem in the same model gun. The round was too long and did not fit the chamber. You may want to shorten your COAL but be on the lookout for possible pressure spikes.

Side Note: I was using a XTreme 165gr up from my 147gr when working up a load that would meet USPSA 9mm major, hence the worry about the pressure spike.

To just move the bullet deeper, reducing the current space for the power in the case with the same load is my concern, too. I WOULD NOT " seat the bullets a little further and see if that fixes it."

9MM is a high pressure load and demands your respect.

erwos · Jun 17, 2015

guthook said:
Are these round nose, HP or flat?

Coated RN:
http://www.blackandbluebullets.com/147_RN_NLG_500ct_Shipping_Included/p1287789_6125608.aspx

I double-checked my invoice, and I did indeed order .356 diameter. I suppose I need to see if that's actually what I received!!!

Reloader · Jun 17, 2015

guthook said:
Never hurts to have a case gauge laying around. As was stated, using your removed barrel can work in a pinch as well, but a case gauge will give you a more defined go/no go, if you are within spec or not.

"Within spec" is not the end all. I own and have seen other firearms that will not allow a round to drop in the barrel that was within spec. There is entirely to much thought and time being put into a simple problem caused by OAL or bullet profile. Pull the barrel and do the "plunk" test.

Weird issue with 9mm reloads

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