Reloading Problem

[rayra]

Are you consistent in the manner you operate the press? I mean are you working the op handle to the full entension? Is it possible you aren't getting a full-length sizing on some strokes, thus leaving the aforementioned bulge at the base of the case and thus cause the failure to chamber?



And you should spend $22 and get a case (chamber) gauge, instead of making a practice of chamber-checking in a firearm. Can't have an ND if there's no firing pin around.

[CSACANNONEER]

It sounds like he is chamber checking by using his barrel after he has removed it from his gun.

thebloodsonthewall,
Did you get my PM?

[buffybuster]

The brass is once or twice fired. I am using a Springfield XD with the factory barrel.

I don't think it is the crimp or anything else. Eventually I stopped loading the complete rounds and was just doing the first station and then dropping just the casing into the barrel. Sometimes I would adjust it and the casing would fit correctly in the barrel and then not even changing anything, the next casing wouldn't fit in the barrel. There was no pattern or anything, some of them just didn't fit. What could be causing this? I am using Dillon dies and they are only a few months old.

Thanks for everyone's input thus far.

Kind of sounds like what I described in my first post.

Has nothing to do with how new or old your dies are. It takes millions of reloaded rounds to wear out a carbide die. However, make sure you are running full strokes both up and down in a nice smooth rhythm.

[CSACANNONEER]

Has nothing to do with how new or old your dies are. ............... However, make sure you are running full strokes both up and down in a nice smooth rhythm.

Here's a sig line for someone.

[ar15barrels]

Here's a sig line for someone.

No, here is a sigline...

"Gentlemen, do you know what color your balls are?"
Spoken by Timberwolf today on a sniper golf stage where there are 5 different colored balls and each shooter takes a different color.

[buffybuster]

No, here is a sigline...

"Gentlemen, do you know what color your balls are?"
Spoken by Timberwolf today on a sniper golf stage where there are 5 different colored balls and each shooter takes a different color.

Randall,

Weren't yours blue or was that someone else?

[Turbinator]

The brass is once or twice fired. I am using a Springfield XD with the factory barrel.

I don't think it is the crimp or anything else. Eventually I stopped loading the complete rounds and was just doing the first station and then dropping just the casing into the barrel. Sometimes I would adjust it and the casing would fit correctly in the barrel and then not even changing anything, the next casing wouldn't fit in the barrel. There was no pattern or anything, some of them just didn't fit. What could be causing this? I am using Dillon dies and they are only a few months old.

Thanks for everyone's input thus far.

People have already pointed out why you are seeing what you are (the brass isn't getting fully resized due to the way the progressive press works).

I would suggest you pick up a set of case gauges, available from Midway or Dillon. I bought some and case gauge every single piece of brass I am about to load. If the brass doesn't pass the case gauge test, I pitch it into the trash. No sense in risking my health and safety on a piece of brass I probably picked up for free somewhere.

However, I personally find it hard to believe that once or twice fired brass would have the case bulge problem already - I normally see this phenomenon in brass that has been fired more times than that. It could be that the brass was run through a gun with a very generously sized chamber, originally..

Turby

[thebloodsonthewall]

It sounds like he is chamber checking by using his barrel after he has removed it from his gun.

thebloodsonthewall,
Did you get my PM?

I got your PM. I just haven't had a chance to give you a call yet. I'll call you sometime today. Thank you.

[ar15barrels]

Randall,

Weren't yours blue or was that someone else?

Mine was bright orange.

[eaglemike]

The brass is once or twice fired. I am using a Springfield XD with the factory barrel.

I don't think it is the crimp or anything else. Eventually I stopped loading the complete rounds and was just doing the first station and then dropping just the casing into the barrel. Sometimes I would adjust it and the casing would fit correctly in the barrel and then not even changing anything, the next casing wouldn't fit in the barrel. There was no pattern or anything, some of them just didn't fit. What could be causing this? I am using Dillon dies and they are only a few months old.

Thanks for everyone's input thus far.

In my experience, Dillon dies have a larger chamfer into the sizing ring than most other makes. Try a Lee sizing die, and see if the problem goes away. A lot of the 175 major .38 super shooters needed to do this in the bad old days. On the 550, you might need to put the adjustment lock nut on the bottom of the tool head instead of the top when using the Lee dies.

all the best,

Mike

[J-cat]

Maybe you should mark the round with a Sharpee to see where it's binding?

[ar15barrels]

Maybe you should mark the round with a Sharpee to see where it's binding?

9 times out of 10, it's the bullet diameter.
Cast 9mm bullets are usually 0.356" while condom bullets measure 0.355" and many chambers were designed for 0.355" bullets.

[J-cat]

In the case of the 9mm, most factory chambers have .358" on up freebore diameter.

It could be lead shaving build-up at the case mouth.