Rounds not chambering

My Newest batch of reloads seem to be giving me a little bit of a problem.  With the slide already to the rear loaded magazine inserted then drop the slide.  The round goes about half way in the chamber then gets hung up.  Happened a few times but it never happened while firing.  Only on the first round.  I tried some of the older reloads and didn't have the issue.  I have a feeling my seating depth might of ben too long.  I saved a round and it's OAL is 1.217  crimp is .469

These are Zero LswcHP 185 gr.

The only thing I can think of is I belled my cases a tad bit more because I thought I was getting lead shaved off a bit.  The ones that jammed had a pretty good gouge in the brass about a third of the way down..Not sure Gouge is the right word but where it look like it jammed up.

Any suggestions?  Load details are as follows

185 LWCHP Zero
Fede Brass
WSPP
4.0 Bullseye

Tried slingshotting the first shot?

james r chapman wrote:Tried slingshotting the first shot?

Ummm..Newb here

I have no idea what that is or means

Have loaded a few dummy rounds and tried it again...No go...didnt jam at all.  What I did notice is the HP nose got a bit out of round and deformed....!

he means holding the slide back all the way and letting it go, you have issues, you need to find the cause so it can load normal, id try different brass, seat to 1.210 although your oal should be fine, check crimp and go a little more to .467,  also try a different brand of magazine,  like a Wilson or metalform.

Take the barrel out and do the "plunk" test.  Just drop the round straight in and see if it falls all the way in to the chamber with the headstamped part flush with the barrel hood.

If the rounds pass that test, then I want to see a photo of your rounds.  I suspect that your OAL is too long.

If it's marking the brass a third of the way back you might want to take some of those rounds and roll them on a flat surface and watch to see if the bullet is seated concentric in the case or if it's bulged on one side slightly. If your bullet is not sitting vertical at the time the seater starts to push it in, your brass may be getting a little pressure on one side to stand the bullet back up. The shoulder seating plug really help stop this. Also make sure you are belling the brass enough to help locate the bullet in the mouth of the case.

OK, I've rolled them across the table and they are fine.  I've done the Plunk test and they Plunk great.  Something I've noticed as well.  When the slide is already back and I use the slide release to drop the slide on the first round, thats when it deforms the nose big time.  If I load a mag then rack the slide from the closed position it does not deform the bullet at all or very little.  The dummy rounds do not seem to be getting caught like the other were.  I just installed the seating stem to go of the bullet shoulder..

I'll try to find a way to host the pics I took

Forgot to mention

Using all Wilson Combat Mags

https://i.servimg.com/u/f18/19/29/63/09/img_3812.jpg

https://i.servimg.com/u/f18/19/29/63/09/img_3813.jpg

I don't see any sign of a crimp, your crimping die should produce a slight ring at the top of the case where it crimped it down. I would try a tighter crimp
.

When the slide is already back and I use the slide release to drop the slide on the first round, thats when it deforms the nose big time.  If I load a mag then rack the slide from the closed position it does not deform the bullet at all or very little.

It looks like you found your problem.  With your gun and your magazine combination, don't use the slide release to feed the first round.

"Slingshot" the slide for the first round and see if it doesn't deform the bullet.
To "slingshot", insert the magazine with only 5 rounds in it, pull the already open slide back, the plunger will get the slide stop out of your way, let the slide go.

I'll check the crimp

Not to get off track but, does the nose of the bullet always slam ingot he feed ramp?  When that happens it deforms the daylights out of those 185 LWCHP Zeros.  the 200gr SWC have a little dent on the bullet tip but the HP are deformed because of the hollow point.  I think I have 2 issues going on at once.  I reset my dies a bit and they don't seem to be catching but the deformed noses are concerning..Or should I svn worry about it?  Could someone drop slide on a Zero LSWCHP and see what it does to the nose.

Rob, that might work but it doesn't fix the problem. As to deforming the nose, no that should not happen, it will greatly effect accuracy at 50 yards, those are soft bullets but they work fine in a gun that is right. I would still try a different brand of magazine.

Tried the slingshot....No Joy!  Grrrrrrrr

Let me go try the mags that came with the Pistol.  I will say the Wilson Combat mags I have were given to me by my Son from Afganhistan.  Very nice mags but I noticed the tops of the followers are "Domed" and not scooped in like most I see.  Maybe they are designed for hardball?

Different magazines also have different angles of the lips.  I like flat followers in my mags.

Jeezzz..Gonna pull whatever hair I have left out of my head.

So, I tried different mags..No luck.  I went as far as trying these in several different 1911's I have from carry to the RO and they ALL do it.  If I run the slide slow and watch the round, it clearly slams into the barrel ramp before popping up into the chamber.  The 200 SWC only has a tiny dent but the HP get out of round at the HP pretty good.  I even tried a Nosler 185 JHP and it dented the tip just a tiny bit.  All the guns did it too.  Whats going on here...Aghhhhhhhh

Did you tighten the crimp up on your test rounds??? Also You could try polishing the feed ramp, I would try a metalform mag with a rounded follower, we have found these to be very good with all types of bullets.

lablover wrote:My Newest batch of reloads seem to be giving me a little bit of a problem.  With the slide already to the rear loaded magazine inserted then drop the slide.  The round goes about half way in the chamber then gets hung up.  Happened a few times but it never happened while firing.  Only on the first round.  I tried some of the older reloads and didn't have the issue.  I have a feeling my seating depth might of ben too long.  I saved a round and it's OAL is 1.217  crimp is .469

These are Zero LswcHP 185 gr.

The only thing I can think of is I belled my cases a tad bit more because I thought I was getting lead shaved off a bit.  The ones that jammed had a pretty good gouge in the brass about a third of the way down..Not sure Gouge is the right word but where it look like it jammed up.

Any suggestions?  Load details are as follows

185 LWCHP Zero
Fede Brass
WSPP
4.0 Bullseye

What, specifically, is different about your old reloads that work, and your new reloads that don't.
Bullet Dia
OAL
Brass
Crimp Dia.
bullet nose configuration.

james r chapman wrote:

lablover wrote:My Newest batch of reloads seem to be giving me a little bit of a problem.  With the slide already to the rear loaded magazine inserted then drop the slide.  The round goes about half way in the chamber then gets hung up.  Happened a few times but it never happened while firing.  Only on the first round.  I tried some of the older reloads and didn't have the issue.  I have a feeling my seating depth might of ben too long.  I saved a round and it's OAL is 1.217  crimp is .469

These are Zero LswcHP 185 gr.

The only thing I can think of is I belled my cases a tad bit more because I thought I was getting lead shaved off a bit.  The ones that jammed had a pretty good gouge in the brass about a third of the way down..Not sure Gouge is the right word but where it look like it jammed up.

Any suggestions?  Load details are as follows

185 LWCHP Zero
Fede Brass
WSPP
4.0 Bullseye

What, specifically, is different about your old reloads that work, and your new reloads that don't.
Bullet Dia
OAL
Brass
Crimp Dia.
bullet nose configuration.

They are identical.

The only thing is with the first batch I never looked at what happened to a chambered round....after the fast.  The ones getting stuck I'm pretty sure was solved because of lack of crimp.  The deformed bullet nose is a loss on my part.  It does it with every mag I have and every handgun.  I mean, how many of us look at the bullet after it's been chambered???  Dumb luck I noticed it.  Does it make a diff?  Dunno.  I'll post a pic of what the round looks like chambering.  It hits that ramp on the barrel first thing.  Not the ramp on the frame

https://i.servimg.com/u/f18/19/29/63/09/img_3814.jpg

I will polish the feed ramp to see if that helps.  I will also polish the ramp on the barrel itself.without changing any angles.  Maybe I just stick to 200 gr SWC and call it good.  Shame because I like the 185's  The mags I have have a rounded follower..Like a domed top.  I'll have to compare.

Good thing is I'm going to see Doug from Accurail next week to see if he can add a rail to the slide for a Ultradot..I'll have him give his opinion as well.

I'd really be curious if ANYONE has a dent or deformed bullet tip on the 185 gr LSWCHP Zeros after chambering.

I have to say this is pretty frustrating.  For all I know its been doing it all along.  I could just go Nosler 185gr JHP and call it good but I'd like to save and shoot lead.

Well, my limited understanding on how a 1911 works, the bullet is supposed to impact the feed ramp which deflects it up to the top of the chamber and then the slide slams it all inline. With that thin HP I'm not sure how you wouldn't mash the bullet nose. I seem to remember somewhere it's been mentioned the perfect base, not nose, is the perfect bullet....

maybe try some lighter recoil springs to lessen the slamming of the bullet?

I have used Magnus swaged 185 grain SWCHP's which are basically the same as Zero and never had a problem with a dented/deformed nose on the bullet. I don't have the spec's at my disposal right now but from what I see in your pictures I loaded my Magnus SWHP's a bit longer OAL that what it appears on you pic's.


Virgil

I loaded a little longer and it helped.  I'm going to try lighter spring as well..It's too heavy anyway for those lite loads

I have a mark on mine but no deformity. I use the Zero 185gr HPSWC on the short line and their 185gr JHP on the long line.

Les Baer wadgun 13lb recoil spring, TRIPP Research mags - OAL is 1.25.

- Dave