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Old October 11, 2011, 05:18 PM   #1
tmorone
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Weird problem after loading...

So I just started loading for a new cartridge- 40 S&W.

I'm running these loads out of a Glock 35 with a lone wolf barrel, and now that I got all my dies set up there's a problem I've never had before.

If I don't put a ton of crimp on the bullets they wont completely enter the chamber of the barrel (stock or Lone Wolf) which then causes the pistol to get locked up with the slide forward.

Question is, can you see any problem with using a little extra crimp to make them run fine or would you think there's some other problem? They are cast bullets, and the gun eats factory FMJ ammo just fine. These should make major as it is, so the fear is the extra crimp could cause a tad too much pressure and damage the gun or worse.

Any help/advice is much appreciated
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Old October 11, 2011, 05:53 PM   #2
mehavey
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Q1: What is the starting base diameter of your (lead) bullets before loading? (How does that compare to the diameter of jacketed rounds?)

Q2: What is the resulting diameter of your cases at the mouth of your loaded (lead) rounds?
It should nominally be 0.420-0.423", or whatever minimum drops the cartridge into the
barrel with a satisfying "plunk" when it stops.

Use the taper crimp until it will seat all the way against the chamber stop by gravity alone.

Last edited by mehavey; October 11, 2011 at 06:10 PM.
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Old October 11, 2011, 06:05 PM   #3
tmorone
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Q1: What is the starting base diameter of your (lead) bullets before loading? How does that diameter compare to jacketed rounds?


They are .401 straight out of the box



Q2: What is the resulting diameter of your cases at the mouth of your loaded (lead) rounds?
It should nominally be 0.375-0.380", or whatever minimum drops the cartridge into the
barrel with a satisfying "plunk" when it stops.


My loaded lead rounds are .401 at the neck of the case, and the jacketed ones are .419 1/2. At that diameter they'll cycle, any larger and it's a locked up gun. However, at .401 I get the 'plunk'.
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Old October 11, 2011, 06:13 PM   #4
mehavey
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Sorry, I was running diameters for the 9mm (and have corrected same).

But did you say that your lead-loaded cartridges need to be crimped to a 0.401" mouth diameter before they will chamber?
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Old October 11, 2011, 06:14 PM   #5
tmorone
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That is correct (.401)
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Old October 11, 2011, 06:15 PM   #6
tmorone
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Jacketed ones are even a little smaller than .401 so it seems right as a diameter- just feels like im putting so much crimp on it, compared to what I'd normally use for a 9mm or 45acp
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Old October 11, 2011, 06:17 PM   #7
tmorone
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Corretion- just pressed out two more at .420 and .421, they seem to run ok. Thanks VERY much for your help.
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Old October 11, 2011, 06:17 PM   #8
mehavey
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That's a straight-walled case.

Is the case swelling on you beyond 0.420"-ish as you move away from the mouth?
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Old October 11, 2011, 06:20 PM   #9
tmorone
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Largest I can find is .423
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Old October 11, 2011, 06:42 PM   #10
serf 'rett
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I just remove the mouth expansion on my 40S&W and it's good to go.

Is the crimping pressure causing the case to expand or belly out below the bullet?

Since it's 40S&W, have you carefully checked that the brass does not have a "belly" found in brass fired in pistols which have unsupported areas on the ramp. There’s a reason die makers sale “de-Glocking” fixer dies.
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Old October 11, 2011, 07:22 PM   #11
mehavey
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Quote:
"Largest (diameter) I can find is .423...."
If you've (already) found the magic "plunk" crimp setting, you're good-to-go.
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