Problems with reloading my first .45 ACP rounds - Page 2

polyphemus · March 11, 2016, 12:38 PM

Quote:

All I was trying to do is make the 45 ACP 1911 think

You can take a pistol to a gunsmithing class but you can't make it think.

k2man · March 11, 2016, 07:36 PM

Quote:

You can take a pistol to a gunsmithing class but you can't make it think.

ROFL

Ok, figured out photos finally so here's a photo of the scrape on the back of the brass. My big concern is that it is scraping the primer - not a worry if the scrape is after it's been fired. I think I answered that question after looking at the photo. The primer has been fired before the scrape happened - the indent of the firing pin does not appear to be scraped.
45ACP scrape on brass1.jpg

polyphemus · March 11, 2016, 10:20 PM

That looks like firing pin bounce or drag.Either way a stiffer firing pin spring usually resolves the issue,if factory ammo don't do it then you might consider
reducing your powder charges.

k2man · March 12, 2016, 10:07 AM

I took more photos of the scrape marks. They are all very consistently about 10 degrees off of perpendicular to the long side of the firing pin. The firing pin cannot be making these marks as they go from edge to edge across the whole base of the brass and the scrape is much wider than the firing pin. The scrapes definitely occurred after firing as the indent around the firing pin has no marks.

scraped 45ACP across primer 2.jpg

scrape on 45ACP brass across primer b&w.jpg

F. Guffey · March 12, 2016, 10:51 AM

Quote:

ROFL

If we are talking about a 1911 ACP type pistol it would help for you to understand the sequence of events that follow pulling the trigger. The case drives the slide back. Long before the slide reaches the ejector the hammer is cocked, I do not believe the hammer has time to bounce. Then there is that sudden stop at the rear.

Then there is another problem, I got a call from a smith/shooter/reloader; he put a hole through the roof when he loaded his champion shooting/Perry winning 45 ACP. He had a friend look at the pistol; after our friend put the pistol through its paces he had two holes in the roof.

I suggested closing a slide on a 45 ACP with a stuck firing pin can cause that.

Because we are older and more mature we find no humor in laughing at, we do find time to laugh with.

F. Guffey

I would suggest you mark your cases to index the position of the round in the chamber.

polyphemus · March 12, 2016, 01:39 PM

Looking again,the primer indent has to be caused by the pin,can't think what else might do it.
The scrape across the head is more puzzling,I would look for a burr on the breech face or even on the magazine,it goes clear across and that eliminates the firing pin because the round can't travel further up than the guide blocks allow and that's half way.You'l have to break out the old loupe and carefully
look and feel,good luck.

k2man · March 12, 2016, 02:49 PM

Thanks polyphemus, I'll have to examine the (Springfield 4.0" XDS). Was hoping someone else had seen this in an XDS or maybe other Springfield at least. I don't recall ever seeing it in any range pickup brass, so it really has me wondering.

I will also try loading some with a little less powder - but I'm only .3 gn. over the minimum book value - although this isn't the exact bullet. I'm using a Bayou powder coated bullet and the data for a Berry plated bullet - but pushing the bullet in further than Berry's recommended 1.250" (I'm using 1.240") Don't know what the length of the Berry's is compared to the Bayou though.

It seems like dropping below 7.1 gn. of AA#5 should not be a problem as I am getting higher velocities than expected at 7.4 grains. I will first load some to 7.1, shoot them, see if I still get the scrape marks, if so, drop down to a few tenths and see if that does it. I do want to shoot these at around 850 fps, so I'll have to figure out the scraping.

polyphemus · March 12, 2016, 05:19 PM

ok man,this is a striker fired pistol so my suggestions are not entirely accurate,
my understanding is that the double indent is not unusual for that type gun and
not that serious anyway,the scrape across the head is unusual but I'm sure with a little patience you can find the cause.

Metal god · March 12, 2016, 06:05 PM

The scrape looks odd to me as well . Is it on every case ?

k2man · March 13, 2016, 01:38 PM

Yes, every case of my reloads has the scrape. The gun is new, I ran a few hundred factory loads thru it, but don't remember ever seeing the scrape. I've only shot a handful of reloads thru it, and every one of those has the same scrape.

Metal god · March 13, 2016, 01:59 PM

Any chance there is some deep tooling marks on the bolt/breech face . Maybe they are less a scrape as they are a stamp .

k2man · March 13, 2016, 03:39 PM

Here's the culprit. From the amount of brass left on the ejector, looks like it is causing the scrapes. Lots of brass elsewhere.

ok, finally got photos to show up:

brass on boltface22.jpg

brass on ejector33.jpg

March 12, 2016, 10:07 AM	#29
k2man Member Join Date: June 23, 2015 Location: Key Largo, FL Posts: 54	more scrape photos I took more photos of the scrape marks. They are all very consistently about 10 degrees off of perpendicular to the long side of the firing pin. The firing pin cannot be making these marks as they go from edge to edge across the whole base of the brass and the scrape is much wider than the firing pin. The scrapes definitely occurred after firing as the indent around the firing pin has no marks. scraped 45ACP across primer 2.jpg scrape on 45ACP brass across primer b&w.jpg

March 12, 2016, 06:05 PM	#34
Metal god Senior Member Join Date: April 10, 2012 Location: San Diego CA Posts: 6,876	The scrape looks odd to me as well . Is it on every case ? __________________ If Jesus had a gun , he'd probably still be alive ! I almost always write my posts regardless of content in a jovial manor and intent . If that's not how you took it , please try again .

March 13, 2016, 01:59 PM	#36
Metal god Senior Member Join Date: April 10, 2012 Location: San Diego CA Posts: 6,876	Any chance there is some deep tooling marks on the bolt/breech face . Maybe they are less a scrape as they are a stamp . __________________ If Jesus had a gun , he'd probably still be alive ! I almost always write my posts regardless of content in a jovial manor and intent . If that's not how you took it , please try again . Last edited by Metal god; March 13, 2016 at 02:06 PM.

March 13, 2016, 03:39 PM	#37
k2man Member Join Date: June 23, 2015 Location: Key Largo, FL Posts: 54	Here's the culprit. From the amount of brass left on the ejector, looks like it is causing the scrapes. Lots of brass elsewhere. ok, finally got photos to show up: brass on boltface22.jpg brass on ejector33.jpg Last edited by k2man; March 13, 2016 at 03:46 PM. Reason: photos not showing up under text

March 11, 2016, 10:20 PM	#28
polyphemus Senior Member Join Date: June 24, 2012 Posts: 1,055	That looks like firing pin bounce or drag.Either way a stiffer firing pin spring usually resolves the issue,if factory ammo don't do it then you might consider reducing your powder charges.

March 12, 2016, 01:39 PM	#31
polyphemus Senior Member Join Date: June 24, 2012 Posts: 1,055	Looking again,the primer indent has to be caused by the pin,can't think what else might do it. The scrape across the head is more puzzling,I would look for a burr on the breech face or even on the magazine,it goes clear across and that eliminates the firing pin because the round can't travel further up than the guide blocks allow and that's half way.You'l have to break out the old loupe and carefully look and feel,good luck.

March 12, 2016, 02:49 PM	#32
k2man Member Join Date: June 23, 2015 Location: Key Largo, FL Posts: 54	Thanks polyphemus, I'll have to examine the (Springfield 4.0" XDS). Was hoping someone else had seen this in an XDS or maybe other Springfield at least. I don't recall ever seeing it in any range pickup brass, so it really has me wondering. I will also try loading some with a little less powder - but I'm only .3 gn. over the minimum book value - although this isn't the exact bullet. I'm using a Bayou powder coated bullet and the data for a Berry plated bullet - but pushing the bullet in further than Berry's recommended 1.250" (I'm using 1.240") Don't know what the length of the Berry's is compared to the Bayou though. It seems like dropping below 7.1 gn. of AA#5 should not be a problem as I am getting higher velocities than expected at 7.4 grains. I will first load some to 7.1, shoot them, see if I still get the scrape marks, if so, drop down to a few tenths and see if that does it. I do want to shoot these at around 850 fps, so I'll have to figure out the scraping.

March 12, 2016, 05:19 PM	#33
polyphemus Senior Member Join Date: June 24, 2012 Posts: 1,055	ok man,this is a striker fired pistol so my suggestions are not entirely accurate, my understanding is that the double indent is not unusual for that type gun and not that serious anyway,the scrape across the head is unusual but I'm sure with a little patience you can find the cause.

March 13, 2016, 01:38 PM	#35
k2man Member Join Date: June 23, 2015 Location: Key Largo, FL Posts: 54	Yes, every case of my reloads has the scrape. The gun is new, I ran a few hundred factory loads thru it, but don't remember ever seeing the scrape. I've only shot a handful of reloads thru it, and every one of those has the same scrape.