FTF in .40 reloads

Coot_Commander · January 20, 2011, 12:28 AM

I have a sig p229 that quite possibly is the sweetest, smoothest shooting handgun I have ever fired. I have never had a hickup with this gun even though it was used when I purchased it. I am fairly new to reloading handgun ammo and have been working up several concoctions to figure out what might be the most economical to punch paper targets.
Long story short I had my first issue today. I had issues with almost every magazine. The rounds that I had worked up jam in the chamber as they load, including the first round that I cycled by hand. I then had to drop the mag and finger the round into the chamber. I would have to do this about halfway through the mag and then the rest seemed to feed through fine. Sometimes it would jam just enough that all I would have to do is reach up with my thumb and push the slide the rest of the way Foreward others would jam enough that the mag had to be ejected.
Just to make sure it wasn't the magazine or the gun I loaded up a mag of Winchester White box ammo and every one fed right through. I loaded every one to the specified COAL but can't help but wonder maybe that particular gun likes one specific COAL. I also read in other threads that maybe the cartridge "ramp" needs to be cleaned and polished. Any ideas what the issue might be?

just in case you think the recipe might be the issue the rounds were Noslers, 150s and 180s, and the powder was both 800x and Blue Dot. 10 Gr of Blue dot and three recipes of 800x, 6.5gr, 7.5 gr, and 8.4 gr.

700cdl · January 20, 2011, 12:46 AM

Measure the area just below the mouth and up to the crimp. Also measure the bullet right above the crimp to see if it is buldged. Your crimp may be buldging the bullet or the mouth a little. Even if the round fits, it still might be too close tollerance to chamber smoothly. Over crimping can cause feeding problems on either the bullet, or the case mouth.

Don P · January 20, 2011, 10:44 AM

From what you have described I am willing to bet that when you decapped the brass which also resizes the brass you did not run the brass all the way up and bottom out the case in the die. I made the same mistake when first re-loading 40S&W. Luckly I caught it after only decapping 10 case's'
Sounds like the brass has a bulge roughly 1/8" from the rim of the case toward the case opening.
As far as over crimping, if you are using a factory crimp die you cannot overcrimp.

jepp2 · January 20, 2011, 06:59 PM

Both of the responses, can be checked by using a cartridge gauge (or you can just take your barrel from the slide) and drop your loaded rounds in.

I have the best luck resizing 40 S&W brass with a Lee carbide die. It comes further down the case than my Dillon die does.

I wouldn't bother with the feed ramp yet, since your factory ammo feeds without problems.

chris in va · January 20, 2011, 07:24 PM

Ditto, take your barrel out and drop the reloaded rounds in. They should sit the same level as factory rounds. If not, time to evaluate OAL for that particular bullet, case bulge issues, crimp problems and perhaps using a Lee Factory Crimp Die. My CZ will not run reliably without it, no matter what I do.

WESHOOT2 · January 20, 2011, 08:58 PM

Specifically:

-sized case, new or used;
-Rainier 180g TCJ-FP;
-CCI500 (can substitute WSP);
-OAL 1.130"+/-.005";
-4.0g Bullseye (if more power is needed for function can test 4.2g);
-finish crimp using the LEE Carbide Factory crimp Die.

January 20, 2011, 12:28 AM	#1
Coot_Commander Member Join Date: December 3, 2009 Location: Central Missouri Posts: 23	FTF in .40 reloads I have a sig p229 that quite possibly is the sweetest, smoothest shooting handgun I have ever fired. I have never had a hickup with this gun even though it was used when I purchased it. I am fairly new to reloading handgun ammo and have been working up several concoctions to figure out what might be the most economical to punch paper targets. Long story short I had my first issue today. I had issues with almost every magazine. The rounds that I had worked up jam in the chamber as they load, including the first round that I cycled by hand. I then had to drop the mag and finger the round into the chamber. I would have to do this about halfway through the mag and then the rest seemed to feed through fine. Sometimes it would jam just enough that all I would have to do is reach up with my thumb and push the slide the rest of the way Foreward others would jam enough that the mag had to be ejected. Just to make sure it wasn't the magazine or the gun I loaded up a mag of Winchester White box ammo and every one fed right through. I loaded every one to the specified COAL but can't help but wonder maybe that particular gun likes one specific COAL. I also read in other threads that maybe the cartridge "ramp" needs to be cleaned and polished. Any ideas what the issue might be? just in case you think the recipe might be the issue the rounds were Noslers, 150s and 180s, and the powder was both 800x and Blue Dot. 10 Gr of Blue dot and three recipes of 800x, 6.5gr, 7.5 gr, and 8.4 gr.

January 20, 2011, 10:44 AM	#3
Don P Senior Member Join Date: December 17, 2005 Location: Swamp dweller Posts: 6,187	From what you have described I am willing to bet that when you decapped the brass which also resizes the brass you did not run the brass all the way up and bottom out the case in the die. I made the same mistake when first re-loading 40S&W. Luckly I caught it after only decapping 10 case's' Sounds like the brass has a bulge roughly 1/8" from the rim of the case toward the case opening. As far as over crimping, if you are using a factory crimp die you cannot overcrimp. __________________ *NRA Life Member, NRA Chief Range Safety Officer, NRA Certified Pistol Instructor,, USPSA & Steel Challange NROI Range Officer, ICORE Range Officer, ,MAG 40 Graduate* *As you are, I once was, As I am, You will be.*

January 20, 2011, 08:58 PM	#6
WESHOOT2 Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 1999 Location: home on the range; Vermont (Caspian country) Posts: 14,324	economical, accurate, repeatable Specifically: -sized case, new or used; -Rainier 180g TCJ-FP; -CCI500 (can substitute WSP); -OAL 1.130"+/-.005"; -4.0g Bullseye (if more power is needed for function can test 4.2g); -finish crimp using the LEE Carbide Factory crimp Die. __________________ . "all my ammo is mostly retired factory ammo"

January 20, 2011, 12:46 AM	#2
700cdl Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2010 Posts: 216	Measure the area just below the mouth and up to the crimp. Also measure the bullet right above the crimp to see if it is buldged. Your crimp may be buldging the bullet or the mouth a little. Even if the round fits, it still might be too close tollerance to chamber smoothly. Over crimping can cause feeding problems on either the bullet, or the case mouth.

January 20, 2011, 06:59 PM	#4
jepp2 Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2008 Location: Loveland, CO Posts: 1,476	Both of the responses, can be checked by using a cartridge gauge (or you can just take your barrel from the slide) and drop your loaded rounds in. I have the best luck resizing 40 S&W brass with a Lee carbide die. It comes further down the case than my Dillon die does. I wouldn't bother with the feed ramp yet, since your factory ammo feeds without problems.

January 20, 2011, 07:24 PM	#5
chris in va Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2004 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 13,806	Ditto, take your barrel out and drop the reloaded rounds in. They should sit the same level as factory rounds. If not, time to evaluate OAL for that particular bullet, case bulge issues, crimp problems and perhaps using a Lee Factory Crimp Die. My CZ will not run reliably without it, no matter what I do.