Reloads refusing to chamber.

[slammedsi]

Needing advice on my hand loads not chambering. Here is what I've got, I'm loading up 460 Rowland using new star line brass that's been sized, a slight bell of the case mouth, Bullet I'm using is hornady 250gr XTP of the .452 size with a case over all length of 1.255.

Problem I'm having is they wont set flush in the Wilson gauge, or the barrel. They will chamber but if you don't fire the gun and try to eject a round by hand, it is super tight and hard to get the slide back. Also, When shooting a round it will chamber the first round, Eject spent brass, But will not fully chamber the next round.

I tried several different things to alleviate my problem, first one was to change over all length, then I tried less of a crimp, I even made up a dummy round with no crimp at all. It still refused to fit into the Wilson gauge with out force. My next step was to order a Lee Factory Crimp die but haven't gotten that far.

My question I guess is, Does the fact that I'm using 45 colt bullets .(452) have anything to do with it? I haven't tried using a normal .451 bullet as I wanted to use the 250gr XTP but they don't make them in .451 diameter. I plan on picking up some 230Gr XTP's in 451 this evening after work just to test my theory.

Let me know what yall think..


gun in question is a Glock M21 with a lone wolf extended barrel.

 

[Brian Pfleuger]

Will the sized and otherwise untouched case fit?

 

[mikld]

Here's a hint that will work with a bunch of trouble shooting methods; measure! Measure the bullets and compare them with a bullet that works in your gun. Measure the finished round to see where the cartridge is too big. Measure the case/cartridge after each step to see when the round becomes too big. You need to identify what happens when before you can fix it. No offense intended, but a cartridge is a peg and a chamber is a hole. For the peg (cartridge) to fit in the hole (chamber) it must be smaller...

 

[andyjr11]

I would try an empty sized case in the barrel and see if it fits correctly. If it drops in and is easy to pull out you have a bullet problem, to big or loaded to long.

 

[andyjr11]

How's that for service, 3 replies at the same time.

 

[slammedsi]

Brian, A new sized piece of brass with drop in like butter.

Milked, There is no reasonably priced factory ammo to base my measurements off of. So I'm flying by the seat of my pants. I have based the measurements that I have taken off of the 45 acp since there so close.

 

[243winxb]

I would look at 3 things. COL, Taper Crimp, Bullet diameter to large.

 

[Brian Pfleuger]

Ok, if a sized and otherwise untouched case fits and the same case with a bullet seated does not fit, the cause must be related to the bullet.

You should be able to carefully seat a bullet without using any flare at all. Seat that to a minimum OAL. If it doesn't fit, the bullet is too big.

 

[slammedsi]

Thanks Brian, Will update how this turns out some time this evening.

 

[Wreck-n-Crew]

gun in question is a Glock M21 with a lone wolf extended barrel

. Is that a 460 Rowland conversion barrel? IOW did they or was the chamber reamed for the 460? Have you tried factory 460 ammo? I would make sure the barrel is not the issue first.

For after you work out the feeding issues:
Also Why no ports or compensator? Also what spring weight did you put in? Not using a compensator, the spring will likely need to be heavier than the same weight spring that comes in the Rowland kit.

 

[Wreck-n-Crew]

. Is that a 460 Rowland conversion barrel? IOW did they or was the chamber reamed for the 460? Have you tried factory 460 ammo? I would make sure the barrel is not the issue first.

I think you kind of answered that already with this:

Brian, A new sized piece of brass with drop in like butter.

 

[slammedsi]

Well gentlemen Ive managed to figure it out. From what Ive read today and the workup of different loads. Ive found out my problem was the use of .452 bullets. I tried out some XTP 230gr in .451 diameter leaving everything else the same. Problem is no longer. I kinda feel that the 460 Rowland's brass is thicker, Which in turn makes the total thickness to tight for the chamber using the .452 bullets. Either way the problem is gone for the moment. Bums me out because I was really wanting to use the 250 grain Hornady xtp's for this dedicated hog gun.

 

[bbqncigars]

Get yourself a push through bullet sizing die for your press. Problem solved.

 

[slammedsi]

I have ordered one for the lead bullets I plan on shooting, But didn't think that one could run a jacked bullet through a sizer die.

 

[mikld]

I have successfully sized jacketed bullets down .004"-.005" (8mm bullets sized down to .318") in a Lee die lubed with STP.

 

[Nordeste]

There is a good chance the the Lee FCD will solve your problem. The use of this die is highly controversial and in my case, reloading 9 mm for use in IPSC on a Production pistol, I have removed the carbide ring as it was swaging my plated bullets and reducing their diameter, hence depleting the gun's accuracy. But I can do this because my chamber accepts my slightly oversized rounds. This wouldn't be the case, though, if I had a tight match barrel, in which case I would use the FCD to make sure I stay within the tightest tolerances.

 

[Clark]

In 2002 I built a 1903 Turkish Mauser into a 45acp rifle, but not with a 45acp reamer. I used a .469" reamer, as brass came out of a .467" Lee Carbide sizer, springing back to .469".

One problem was that the ammo bulges a little after having a bullet seated, especially on 460 Rowland +P loads of compressed powder.

So I learned to run the loaded ammo through the sizer die again [sans decapping stem].

That was not the only problem I had, sizer dies do not size all the way to the web.

 

[slammedsi]

I noticed something today after setting down and doing some load development. I tried out some lead 200Gr SWC in a dummy round. They load and cycle great. I then noticed that there sized to .452

Im starting to think that the shape of the bullet has an effect on the chambering of the round. This is the only thing I can figure out, Seeing how a 250Gr Hornady XTP .452 will not chamber but the 230Gr XTP in .451 does.

I think im going to go back to the 250gr xtp's and try out the Lee FCD, Maybe this will cure my problems.

 

[243winxb]

45 Cal .452 250 gr HP XTP COL

The bullet has to be seated deep enough. When you measure on the bullet, right in front of the case mouth, diameter should be .451" or maybe every .450" This may let your round chamber with this bullet.