[shu]

First time I had this problem was with my first ever run at 45 ACP, also with Hornaday 230 gr HP-XTP.

(Not a long time reloader, but have done several runs of 357sig and 9mm pistol, plus some revolver and rifle. I usually use the most economical ball I can find for pistol, but for the first batch I took whatever the store had, which was the Hornaday 230gr HP-XTP.)

Although I do a barrel drop-in check on the first several rounds when positioning the crimp die, when I got to the range I found several rounds failed to go into battery (SA 1911-A1) because of bulged cases.

Subsequent runs, with Rainier 230gr plated round nose and less agressive crimp diminished but did not entirely eliminate the problem.

I tend to use a very light flare with the second die (to keep working of the metal to a minimum) and a rather agressive crimp with the third die (for firm bullet seating). However the light flare increases difficulty of seating the bullet straight in the case. Since I do not check and trim case length for pistol, there will be some longer cases which the more agressive crimp setting will cause to bulge.

Therefore I am increasing the bell and lightening up on the crimp.

The Lee factory crimp die would (reportedly) push all these bad guys back into shape. However I use a single stage rock chucker and just do not want to send those things through for a fourth pass.

A 100% drop-in/fall-out check using (disassembled) pistol barrel does not add much time when done as a batch at the end of the run. The misfits I set aside for non-match use. (I am by no stretch a serious IPSC contender, but those fail-to-feeds are sure a bummer and embarrasement.)