Alright guys, I've almost got this girl running 100% but I'm still fighting one small issue, and I've tried a number of things. Brief overview of the pistol. It started out life as a rock island fs hc 10mm. Bar sto barrel and an egw HUGE comp. Barrel was a 9mm blank I had cut by a smith who had done a few back in the day. The shoulder is further forward than saami, I believe that was something he had done a while ago to get more powder volume.
Every now and then I get a round that won't go completely into battery. All it takes is a light bump on the back of the slide. I've tried more shoulder bump, settled on 10 thou. More than about 15 and I get case head separation rather often, much less than about 5 and I have more feeding and chambering issues.
Also, this might be a bit of a tall order, but is there somewhere or someone who could make me a go/no go block for my chamber, since it's custom?
I'm running out of ideas as to what the hang up might be. This last batch I only had maybe 2 in 50 that hung up, and that was after every round had been plunk tested.
nhyrum, my first question is, are you pass through sizing your brass? Most regular dies don't reach the area near the extractor cut where some loads can stretch or bulge the case.
by pass through sizing before regular sizing that can iron out that area.
The cases need to be sized so they are flush to the barrel hood and not less than 0.002" deeper. If too deep light primer strikes can occur depending on the firearm.
Quote from: The_Shadow on January 16 2021 08:04:00 PM MST
nhyrum, my first question is, are you pass through sizing your brass? Most regular dies don't reach the area near the extractor cut where some loads can stretch or bulge the case.
by pass through sizing before regular sizing that can iron out that area.
The cases need to be sized so they are flush to the barrel hood and not less than 0.002" deeper. If too deep light primer strikes can occur depending on the firearm.
You know, that very well could be it. With my shoulder being as far forward as it is, I've got my die screwed out further than normal.
That brings up a second issue. I've got two presses. An ancient herters, that takes special shell holders, and a 650. I might have to get one of the shell holder adapters for the herters...
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The Dillon sizing die can over size the case pushing the neck back too far and that will cause the headspace to be deeper than necessary. I work for flush with the barrel hood on mine.
(https://i.postimg.cc/qM7khs4y/IMG-0131-zpsd5dbw9b3.jpg)
Using the RCBS press and RCBS 10mm shell holder the Dillon die never touches the shellholder like when doing full length rifle case resizing.
I have added a RCBS lock ring so my Dillon Sizer never changes its setting...
Also as mentioned I run all cases through the LEE 10mm FCD with the guts removed as a pass through setup...ie "Bulge Buster". That step has been very helpful with 10mm, 9x25, 40S&W & 357Sig. I have also used a bulge buster set up for 380ACP, 45ACP and even 9mm Luger cases, Because the 9mm is a tapered case, I'm using the Lee Carbide Factory Crimp Die 9x18mm (9mm Makarov) for that process.
I do currently have it set up so the case head is flush with the hood. I do think I'll add pass through sizing to my prep, and hopefully that helps.
Any ideas on where I could get a custom go/no-go guage block?
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Maybe Dillon if anyone has them...
This may not be at all what you are looking for, but L.E. Wilson Inc makes some awesome go, no go / plunk gauges
Ken
Neither Dillon, nor Wilson make a 9x25 case gauge. Plus, with my chamber being non standard, they would be of no use to me. Whidden can customize gauges, but they need one to be supplied to them. I'm thinking this will be the type of endeavor where I'm either have to send them a few pieces of fired brass or the barrel in and have one made from scratch.
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Quote from: nhyrum on January 17 2021 05:30:58 PM MST
Neither Dillon, nor Wilson make a 9x25 case gauge. Plus, with my chamber being non standard, they would be of no use to me. Whidden can customize gauges, but they need one to be supplied to them. I'm thinking this will be the type of endeavor where I'm either have to send them a few pieces of fired brass or the barrel in and have one made from scratch.
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Wilson will make you a gauge based off fired and resized cases. I recently had the make me one for 10mm magnum.
Cost and turn around time seemed reasonable.
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Quote from: Mike D on January 18 2021 02:40:23 PM MST
Wilson will make you a gauge based off fired and resized cases. I recently had the make me one for 10mm magnum.
Cost and turn around time seemed reasonable.
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I'll give them a go. Did you have to contact them directly about it?
Quote from: The_Shadow on January 17 2021 10:16:47 AM MST
Also as mentioned I run all cases through the LEE 10mm FCD with the guts removed as a pass through setup...ie "Bulge Buster". That step has been very helpful with 10mm, 9x25, 40S&W & 357Sig.
Do you have to have the bulge buster kit? Or can I just have the fcd sans guts, and use, say, the stem and cup from a pass through bullet sizer?
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I would suppose you could send them a cerrosafe casting of the chamber . They would have the exact within time dimensions of your chamber. Brass can vary a bit due to hardening and springbuck. I believe Midway and Rotometal both sell Cerrosafe.
Why not just use your barrel for a gauge? I have always done that and it has never been a big problem.
Quote from: BEEMER! on January 20 2021 04:02:33 PM MST
Why not just use your barrel for a gauge? I have always done that and it has never been a big problem.
Because taking the barrel out of the gun isn't easy, it's not the kind that just a flick of a lever and the slide comes off, yank the spring out and the barrel just pulls out. The comp on the front means the barrel has to go out the front, non captive recoil spring, etc. Ideally, I'd have a 100 round block.
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Quote from: therognp on January 20 2021 02:20:52 PM MST
I would suppose you could send them a cerrosafe casting of the chamber . They would have the exact within time dimensions of your chamber. Brass can vary a bit due to hardening and springbuck. I believe Midway and Rotometal both sell Cerrosafe.
I kinda wonder if I could just send them the barrel and have them do it. That way, I can't screw anything up.
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Quote from: nhyrum on January 20 2021 07:17:49 PM MST
Quote from: BEEMER! on January 20 2021 04:02:33 PM MST
Why not just use your barrel for a gauge? I have always done that and it has never been a big problem.
Because taking the barrel out of the gun isn't easy, it's not the kind that just a flick of a lever and the slide comes off, yank the spring out and the barrel just pulls out. The comp on the front means the barrel has to go out the front, non captive recoil spring, etc. Ideally, I'd have a 100 round block.
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I apologize for not reading your post well enough to see you have a comp.
Have you tried talking to whoever chambered it to cut you one? He should have the reamer yet I would think.
Quote from: BEEMER! on January 21 2021 10:37:12 AM MST
Quote from: nhyrum on January 20 2021 07:17:49 PM MST
Quote from: BEEMER! on January 20 2021 04:02:33 PM MST
Why not just use your barrel for a gauge? I have always done that and it has never been a big problem.
Because taking the barrel out of the gun isn't easy, it's not the kind that just a flick of a lever and the slide comes off, yank the spring out and the barrel just pulls out. The comp on the front means the barrel has to go out the front, non captive recoil spring, etc. Ideally, I'd have a 100 round block.
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I apologize for not reading your post well enough to see you have a comp.
Have you tried talking to whoever chambered it to cut you one? He should have the reamer yet I would think.
Hey, no worries. I do currently use the barrel as a gauge, but I'd rather have a separate gauge. I'll see about contacting the smith, that's not a bad idea.
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Quote from: nhyrum on January 20 2021 12:25:14 PM MST
Quote from: Mike D on January 18 2021 02:40:23 PM MST
Wilson will make you a gauge based off fired and resized cases. I recently had the make me one for 10mm magnum.
Cost and turn around time seemed reasonable.
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I'll give them a go. Did you have to contact them directly about it?
Quote from: The_Shadow on January 17 2021 10:16:47 AM MST
Also as mentioned I run all cases through the LEE 10mm FCD with the guts removed as a pass through setup...ie "Bulge Buster". That step has been very helpful with 10mm, 9x25, 40S&W & 357Sig.
Do you have to have the bulge buster kit? Or can I just have the fcd sans guts, and use, say, the stem and cup from a pass through bullet sizer?
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Yes I called them and talked to them about it and they told me to send a check and 3 fired cases. About 4 weeks later it showed up.
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A quick update, I'm pretty sure pass through sizing fixed my issue. I had to switch bullets because I wasn't able to get my normal 115 gr jhp, so I went with a 115 jhp, so this run I made was mostly just a chrono check to make sure they still made major. I pass through sized all my cases, sized and deprimed, wet tumbled, let air dry a few days, then loaded up 10 with 17.3 grains h110 at an oal of 1.170. after loading, I had one case that didn't quite drop in, but with the tiniest amount of pressure, would fully seat, so I ran it back through the fcd sans guts again and it dropped in. But I don't really like the idea of pass through sizing live ammo, so I hope that was maybe just a case that got missed somehow .
A side question. This load averaged 1513 fps, which is a power factor of 173, but with an es of about 70 fps, the same load with the 115 jhp ran an average of 1550 ish with an es in the low teens. With major pf being 165, I'm tempted to try and get the load closer to 168-170 pf, but fear I'm already on the low side for h110, as I had to switch to magnum primers to get a clean burn, and I tried vv 3n37 and boy could I tell it wasn't working the comp NEAR as well as the h110. I also fear the reason the load with this new bullet is so erratic is because the h110 is on the low side, but the cases aren't sooty. Thoughts? Run it as is? Reduce the charge? Try another powder to get closer to major?
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Glad the pass through sizing helped, It help in mine.
Have you tried Hodgdon Longshot powder ? Accurate #9 ?
Just be sure the ogive of the bullet isn't radiused to be loose as seated and crimped
Quote from: The_Shadow on February 01 2021 12:34:39 PM MST
Glad the pass through sizing helped, It help in mine.
Have you tried Hodgdon Longshot powder ? Accurate #9 ?
Just be sure the ogive of the bullet isn't radiused to be loose as seated and crimped
I haven't. I know I have longshot on hand.
DT was loading LongShot 10.6 grains under the 115's they made 1635 fps from my 5" S&W1006 & 1745 fps from the 6" barrel.
Going with more powder showed very little increase in velocity.
I did test some CFEPistol and want to test Winchester AutoComp with various bullet weights'
Alright, I think I found probably the actual cause. The neck is buckling. I just loaded 158 rounds, and 33 are buckled, preventing them from plunking correctly. I ran these through the seat and crimp stations on the press and reran them through the 10mm bulge buster. The only two things I can think of are, I'm not flaring enough, or crimping too hard. I know I definitely could use more flare, since I pretty much have to hold the bullets as they go into the die. I remember Randy talking about buckling of the necks being an issue they had way back when. I might back my crimp off a tad and flare a bit more.
Would a 357 sig factory crimp die(if such die exists) iron out the buckles?
I'd like to keep my load in the 15 grain area, since I hear charge weight and gas volume are proportional and boy is she a sweet shooter with this current load. Just... Loud[emoji1787](https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210202/1c8dc66b3665cd45878dc07668d02daf.jpg)
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Likely a LEE FCD 380 sizer die might iron out the neck some, if it doesn't squeeze the bullet too small.
I will say that the RCBS 9mm expander plug is longer than some powder through expanders. It leaves the case neck straighter top to bottom, more concentric and sized slightly deeper down in the neck of the 9x25Dillon and also the 357SIG cases.