45 ACP AR FTF with with full mag

[Ike Clanton]

With my CMMG Banshee I loaded some Berrys hybrid hollow points (230gr) to 1.195-1.200 OAL in order to pass the plunk test in a XD-S barrel. However occasionally I get a FTF where the nose gets shoved up into the chamber and doesn’t feed. It only happens when the magazine (SGM) is loaded to max capacity (26 Rounds). After the mag is down to 20 or so it runs flawless. Could the mag spring being to tight be the culprit or the short OAL?

 

[Shadow9mm]

The mag spring is too weak, and or of poor quality imho. Been down that road before. Will never buy pro-mag or smg mags again.

Your col seems fine. Berrys reccomeds 1.210. Imho a touch shorter should not hurt.

On a side note, while looking at berrys site. They state the reccomended velocity is 825 to 975 fps, and exceeding that velocity could creat bullet core separation and accuracy issues. Should not be a problem in the xd, but might be an issue in the banshee.

 

[44 AMP]

sounds more like a gun issue than a handloading issue. Moving to Skunkworks..the Smithy..

 

[Scorch]

The mag spring is too weak

Maybe, or it could be that the spring is too strong. Or the cartridges could be too loose in the magazine and move around when firing and not presenting properly to the feed lips. Or they could be too tight and not let the follower push them up properly. There is seldom a "one size fits all" answer for FTF. It's best to analyze these issues with the gun in hand.

Do you settle the rounds in the magazine by tapping the back of the mag against your hand before loading it?

Have you tried loading a few less rounds into the magazine to reduce the pressure holding the rounds against the feed lips?

Are there any dents in the magazine body? Specifically towards the bottom of the mag?

Have you tried disassembling the magazine and wiping out the interior with a solvent-soaked patch on a cleaning rod?

Have you tried hardball instead of hollow points? Hollow points are notorious for FTF.

Have you tried real jacketed bullets? Typically, plated bullets do not do well in semiauto rifles IME.

 

[Shadow9mm]

Maybe, or it could be that the spring is too strong. Or the cartridges could be too loose in the magazine and move around when firing and not presenting properly to the feed lips. Or they could be too tight and not let the follower push them up properly. There is seldom a "one size fits all" answer for FTF. It's best to analyze these issues with the gun in hand.

Do you settle the rounds in the magazine by tapping the back of the mag against your hand before loading it?

Have you tried loading a few less rounds into the magazine to reduce the pressure holding the rounds against the feed lips?

Are there any dents in the magazine body? Specifically towards the bottom of the mag?

Have you tried disassembling the magazine and wiping out the interior with a solvent-soaked patch on a cleaning rod?

Have you tried hardball instead of hollow points? Hollow points are notorious for FTF.

Have you tried real jacketed bullets? Typically, plated bullets do not do well in semiauto rifles IME.

If its failing to feed from 26 to 20 and then feeding fine to me that rules out ammo and points to a spring thats having trouble pushing the rounds up into a proper feeding position. The smg mags are glock mag copies. In my experience they have not been of the same quality as glock mags and have weaker springs. Granted 1 only have 1 smg 33rnd 9mm mag,. And there are other things it could be. But my money is on the mag, primarily a weak spring.

 

[Ike Clanton]

The gun has fed flawless with a full mag when shooting round ball so perhaps it’s a combination of feed angle with a full mag and hollow points. If Glock made high cap 45 mags I’d have those instead but they these are what’s available and the springs actually seem very stiff. I will try cleaning the problem mag.

 

[44 AMP]

While you have that mag disassembled, check the follower for smooth free travel in the mag body and check it for fit, meaning, can it tip???

Also consider use of a "dry lube" in the magazine body as well.

Alternately, consider you may just have to be satisfied with a mag that feeds flawlessly with fewer than its rated capacity.

I had a Ram Line 50rnd mag for my 10/22. Didn't matter what brand/style ammo you put in it, if you loaded 50 rnds, the first two would ALWAYS jam.

If you loaded 48 (or less) it was flawless. So, that's the way I used it.