Cast bullets not cycling

[ttrujillo30]

I've been reloading for quite some time but recently started casting my own bullets. After doing some due diligence, I came up with my lead to tin to antimony formula. I'm also powder coating my bullets. I haven't had any issues with the 9mm cycling through two different firearms but for some reason, the 45acp bullets do not cycle well. I shoot them off a Springfield XD 45. I shoot around 5 bullets and the 6th one or so will get stuck in the gun. I try to rack the slide to get it out but it won't budge.

Can anybody with experience provide some advice as to what I'm doing wrong here? Greatly appreciated.

[superhondaz50]

You need to size your bullets. You prob have a mould that's .454 if I had to guess. I always sized to .451, otherwise they'd get stuck in the chamber or not chamber at all.

[RiskyBusiness]

size after pc and make sure you have a coal that plunks into the chamber after your crimp.

[koehn,jim]

You might also check the sizer to see if it is doing its job. When I load 45 I use a spare barrel to make sure they chamber correctly.

[elk hunter]

First thing I would look at is whether or not the bell/flair at the case mouth is being taken out when you seat the bullet.

[Sailormilan2]

One coat of powder coating will add about .001" to the bullet diameter. You need to size to .451".
What brand of mold are you using, and what is the bullet style?

[Pablo5959]

What mold are you using? Some will not work for some auto loaders.

[iMigraine]

When I owned a CZ 97B .45 Auto, it would not work with my Lee moulds (452-200-RF & 452-200-SWC). It had a very tight throat that need to be enlarged by a gunsmith. However, the range Glock G21SF ate all my Lee mould bullets without fail. I eventually sold my CZ 97B to my buddy and bought a G21SF. Also, I picked up a mould that mimic the standard round ball .45 ACP bullets - NOE HTC452-234-RN for powder coating or Hi-tek coating.

Definitely slug your bore for size, you can got up to .003 over your bore size (I opt for .002). Make a blank load for proper C.O.A.L. and plunk testing, you might need to reduce your COAL at bit too.

Good luck!

[bruce381]

I cast a 185 gr SWC sized to .452 and works perfect so yeah check size and crimp

[jsanch03]

[mwr]

As other have mentioned, check the size of the bullet, also look at your powder-coating process closely - double check the size after you bake them.

[oddjob]

Lot of good ideas here. I would first try some rounds without the coating just to see if that is the cause.

Do the "plunk" test on the barrel/chamber of the gun too.

[the86d]

I thought you size AFTER PC, but I don't cast...?

[ttrujillo30]

Thank you all for your advice and great comments. I am using a lee round nose mold with wax grooves and also use a lee bullet sizer. Looking at all my cast bullets they do look a little thick in the front and do not seat all the way into my barrel, thus, the getting stuck part. I will look into a smaller diameter bullet sizer and see if that does the trick, if not, I will get a different mold. Thanks guys!

[bruce381]

ght a set of calipers and meassure them