Reloading 9mm Luger problem

[alanwk]

I am having a problem reloading 9mm. It seems that my empty cartridges after resizing will fit the wilson case gauge correctly. After loading and crimping they also fit the gauge. BUT at this point the fall short of completely fittin in my barrel. I am stumped. Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks
Alan

 

[mehavey]

What OAL.... ? and does reducing The OAL have any effect on how far they then fit into the barrel?

 

[armoredman]

Some pistols have what's called "short chambers" - CZ is notorious for that. It sounds like you are running into over long rounds.
What gun, what bullet, and what COAL are you using?

 

[jetinteriorguy]

First, toss the gage in a drawer and forget about it. Second, use the barrels chamber and do the ‘plunk test’. A couple possibilities as to the problem. The bullet may be seated out too far and it’s making contact with the rifling preventing it from seating all the way in the chamber. Another possibility is you’ve over crimped it causing a slight bulge in the case causing it to hang up in the chamber as well.

 

[Shadow9mm]

I bet your bullets are seated too long. Bullet is hitting the rifling before the case mouth bottoms in the chamber.

Check your cartridge over all length against your manual.

Also try the plunk test in your barrel. Drop in some factory ammo, should get a nice plunk sound. If you switch to your handloads and get a dull thud instead of the plunk your bullet is loaded too long.

 

[74A95]

How to do the plunk test:

https://www.shootingtimes.com/editorial/reloading-tips-the-plunk-test/99389

 

[stagpanther]

How are you determining whether they fit or not (in your pistol chamber)?

 

[totaldla]

The two most difficult cartridges to reload when getting started - the 9mm and 45acp.

 

[alanwk]

Some pistols have what's called "short chambers" - CZ is notorious for that. It sounds like you are running into over long rounds.
What gun, what bullet, and what COAL are you using?

9mm, 24g HHP Glock 43x mos, Berrys bullets
OAL recommended by Berry 1.090
Actual OAL 1.082

 

[tangolima]

Keep decreasing coal in step of 0.005" till the round plunks in barrel's chamber. The gauge is for entertainment only.

Also watch out for asymmetrical bulge in the brass after seating the bullet. It can cause chambering issues. Bullet is not being seated straight. There are ways to corrected that.

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[Metal god]

I agree it’s likely cartridge overall length issue, but the OP has not explained what he means by does not fit in his chambers/barrel . I’d like to know those specifics before giving a complete answer .

 

[44 AMP]

It may be more of a bullet seating depth issue, rather than a cartridge overall length issue.

Remember that when the COLs were created, they were based on the standard bullets in use at the time.

For the 9mm Luger, it was a 124gr FMJ with a long tapering nose.

I don't know the Berry's bullet you are using, but its possible that it could be under listed max COL, and still be seated too far forward to allow proper chambering in a specific gun.

Also be aware that as you seat the bullet deeper, you are changing the volume of the powder space, so an adjustment in the powder charge might be in order, as the 9mm Luger is not very forgiving in that regard.

 

[stagpanther]

I just did a brief browse on your pistol--it looks like it comes with a "marksman" precision barrel that is not like their standard polygonal barrels. It's possible that it has tighter chamber dimensions (I've ordered a few custom glock barrels that had noticeably tighter tolerances than Glock's OEM barrels)--I would take a look at the chamber dimensions vs the loaded ammunition dimensions to see if that is a factor in the fit. As 44 alluded to, the 9mm case isn't very tolerant of pressures much past the recommended max load so care needs to be taken when changing things (I've blown a few case heads off while experimenting) I don't know if your barrel has full case head support--glocks used to be notorius for the "glock smile." Just some suggestions.

 

[mehavey]

Dumb suggestion:

With the (empty)pistol assembled...
- Drop a pencil down the barrel to stop.
- Mark the pencil at the muzzle.

Pull the barrel...
- Drop bullet into the chamber and hold it against the rifling (2nd pencil)
- Drop first pencil into barrel to stop at the bullet.
- Mark the pencil.

What's the distance between the marks?
(That's your max OAL for future reference)


Then we can argue about other stuff . . . .

 

[44 AMP]

(That's your max OAL for future reference)


Then we can argue about other stuff . . . .

MAYBE its your max OAL, other stuff matters, like fit in the magazine (unless you're willing to single load your semi auto.

This is some of the "other stuff" that matters. If your ammo doesn't fit and feed (all the way from the bottom of the mag into the chamber, it matters.

There are guns where it is possible to have a loaded round that will chamber, will fit and feed as the top few rounds in the mag, but too long to fit correctly in the bottom of the magazine, and give problems feeding. Shouldn't be, but it can happen in some guns when you're using very long rounds.

 

[mehavey]

That's why it's MAX overall length -- irrespective of other factors.
Those other factors are of course, the "other stuff" that you then also tick off one-by-one.

But physically not fitting in the gun itself?
Step-1.

 

[Metal god]

44 how is a COAL issue not a seating depth issue . Can the op seat the bullet deeper and not change the COAL ?

 

[mehavey]

- delete dupe -

 

[rc]

I've been loading 9 since about 94. I've seen a lot of hinky head scratchers loading for different guns. I must ask if you are shooting once fired brass from that gun or mixed range brass? Some guns have larger chambers than others and with the taper in 9mm sometimes a sizing die won't swage the brass back down to size all the way to the base. Then there is chamber tightness. Sometimes it helps feeding with autos to polish the chamber but that would usually be indicated by an intermittent feeding issue. I agree cartridge overall length can also be a factor that the plunk test can help identify. Some times the bullets hit the rifling before the case is fully seated. Some chambers have more freebore than others. Take the barrel out and make sure your reloads seat themselves as deeply as factory ammo. If not you have a sizing or overall length mismatch or barrel break in issue.

 

[44 AMP]

44 how is a COAL issue not a seating depth issue . Can the op seat the bullet deeper and not change the COAL ?

Seating depth is involved, but its not the precise issue.

COAL is from the base of the case to the bullet tip.
Generally when a round fails to fully chamber its not the bullet TIP, its the full caliber portion of the bullet hitting the rifling leade.

SO, while seating deeper so the bullet does not contact the rifling before full lockup does change the COAL, focus on the COAL alone can be misleading.