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SA 1911 9mm - tight chamber?


Hooked

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Hi,

 

Just picked up a new SA Range Officer in 9mm. 

 

My standard match load is:  147 gr CamPro RNFP, 3.2 grs Titegroup, CCI primers, mixed brass @ 1.10" OAL.

 

This load has never given me any problems in my Shadow1, Shadow2, or my Sig 226, but virtually none of these rounds will chamber in the SA. Are these guns known to have tight chambers or did I get a "special" one?  The one box of factory 124gr Federals I shot through it functioned fine.

 

Thanks!

 

Brian

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13 minutes ago, fastluck13 said:

Is it the chamber or the extractor? Will they drop into the barrel out of the gun?

 

 

No... no plunk test love for the SA.  The rounds drop freely into the chambers of all the other guns.

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1 minute ago, Hooked said:

No... no plunk test love for the SA.  The rounds drop freely into the chambers of all the other guns.

Bummer. Extractor would be easier.

 

What OAL? What crimp? Can you mark up a round with Sharpie and see what dimension has the issue?

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I had a thread a few months ago with the exact same problem.  I load 147gr to 1.110" for every other 9mm.  I bought a finish reamer from Brownell's and after a couple times reaming the barrel slowly it is much better.

 

It still doesn't like ammo with the perf ring as the rounds tend to bulge just a little.  I have both the Hundo and Dillon gauges that I check my ammo on.  

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Marked up two rounds that wouldn't chamber and both hung-up approx 0.25" from the back edge of the case rim. 

 

I just went through and plunk tested 200 rounds from a recent loading session and I was surprised that about 80% passed. 

 

I ran some random cases through my sizing die and all chambered fine, but after I seated a bullet in the case, a bulge developed near the bottom. Not sure if that is normal or not.

 

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I think I figured it out.  I applied a bit more crimp and the rounds seem to chamber now.  I still think the SA chambers are tight!

 

Thanks for your help guys.

 

Brian 

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I have an SA range officer in 9mm and also an STI Trojan in 9mm. The chamber on the RO is WAY tighter than my STI. The STI will run any ghetto ammo I throw at it but the RO is very picky about being sized and crimped property. All my QA rejects get shot for practice thru the STI.


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Tight chambers, IMHO.  I've run into issues with the polymer coated bullets that are sized a thousandth larger than normal (.356, .401, etc).  They would plunk and shoot great in everything I own except the XDm's and RO.  I'm not a fan of heavy crimps, so I switched to Blue Bullets, which are not oversized and haven't had any more issues. 

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1 hour ago, aandabooks said:Where did you order the U-die from?

I ordered mine from Titan Reloading because they ship to Canada.

 

Midway USA has them cheaper - $18.

 

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/386755/lee-undersized-carbide-sizing-die-9mm-luger

 

EGW markets a U-die that is made by Lee to EGW's specs - it is apparently .001" undersized while the one Lee sell is .002"- .003". I chose the Lee cuz it was easier to get.

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Toss my input in there. Got a LNIB Range Officer w/ a NM serial number yesterday.  The barrel is tight but still fit my (.356) 125 SNS loads @ 1.138 without issue. The chamber is tighter on the circumference but seems to have a long throat.

 

I'm loading with Lee dies on a 650. Just a standard decap/sizer and taper crimp.

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I have a stainless Loaded 9mm that I had to finish ream just slightly but that was at least 5 yrs ago. Also switched from Dillon to Lee FCD and no more problems. That was a backup - my main Loaded never had an issue.

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I have a stainless Loaded 9mm that I had to finish ream just slightly but that was at least 5 yrs ago. Also switched from Dillon to Lee FCD and no more problems. That was a backup - my main Loaded never had an issue.

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I recently had the same problem with the .40 S&W in an Edge. The problem was the crimp.

Evidently even the tiniest bit of bell can stop a round from chambering either at all, or fully. Take one of those factory rounds and duplicate it's dimensions in your hand loads.

I have a Lee FCD coming myself.

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I have a Range Officer Compact in 9mm with a tighter chamber.  Rounds that will chamber easily in 9mm 1911s from STI, DW, and S&W sometimes don't plunk.  I use the SA barrel as my chamber gauge.  If it drops in and out of that chamber it will fit any gun I own. 

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I also have a Range Officer in 9mm.  I have some rounds loaded in Aguila cases that won't run in my RO, but works fine in my CZ 75. 

 

So, another point of data that indicates (at least SOME of) the RO's have tighter chambers than other brands. 

 

Question - would a tighter chamber equate to better accuracy, or just harder to please with your reloads?  Humm... 

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15 hours ago, Ken6PPC said:

I also have a Range Officer in 9mm.  I have some rounds loaded in Aguila cases that won't run in my RO, but works fine in my CZ 75. 

 

So, another point of data that indicates (at least SOME of) the RO's have tighter chambers than other brands. 

 

Question - would a tighter chamber equate to better accuracy, or just harder to please with your reloads?  Humm... 

 

I think a tighter chamber is good for accuracy but.... How much do you gain from a good in-spec chamber to a tight one that may give you reliability issues.

 

You would probably only be able to measure it in the same gun starting with the tight chamber and reaming it larger. So many variables it would be hard to isolate.

 

All that and the difference it makes in this game is so small I would take reliability over marginal accuracy. If a gun is so picky you can't use some brass it is probably too tight.

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Luckily, I caught that mismatch before I ever tried those Aguila cases in the RO. 


I always separate my cases by brand anyway, so I just use any Aguila cases in other pistols.  I have never had a single malfunction in my RO, so I will just continue to use those cases elsewhere. 

 

Before anyone asks, no I have to admit that I really can't prove separating cases by headstamp improves my shooting, but old habits die hard!  I have a tough time not doing all the case prep work I did to BR rifle cases... 

 

Oh yeah...  Yes I AM retired, so I have the time!  LOL! 

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I too have a 9mm RO and the plunk test was the drill to ensure consistent operation, until the ejector loosened up and i returned to SA. SA pinned the ejector replaced the grips and tuned the extractor. Not sure what was done with the barrel but it eats anything that passes thru my dillon case gauge. SA customer service is GREAT to work with. Very accurate pistol, favorite load 147 Ibeji fp 3.4 WST 1.130 oal   avg 919 fps. This has become my favorite pistol.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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