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Hundo XL failure help


MNshooter

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I’m a new .40 loader but have experience loading plenty of 9mm.

 

99% of loaded .40 rounds plunk and spin easily in new KKM barrel but when in the Hundo XL roughly 20% will pass the gauge. The 80% that fails needs to be firmly pushed into the Hundo and then, of course, won’t drop free.

 

If I drop the loaded rounds into the Hundo backwards, they easily drop free. So, this leads me to believe the brass isn’t the problem. I process all brass with the Redding GRx die and then size with a Lee U die.

 

I don’t think crimp and flare is the problem. Flare is about .10 - .20 per Dillon Precision’s recommendation. Crimp is simply bullet + 2x case thickness.

 

Bullet is .401 ACME 180 “new” profile.

 

For giggles I ran a few loaded rounds through the GRx. They gauge just fine. So, this is a bullet issue, right?

 

Obviously I can continue to case gauge with my barrel but I’d prefer not to. I’ve had very good success with coated bullets in 9mm and the respective Hundo. It is a huge time saver. Plus, the XL was made specifically for long loaded coated bullets and I spent $100 on it.

 

Plz halp

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This black 180 grn flat point bullet I had the same problem with loaded to the same length as a 180 grn Hornady Hap . Hard to see in the pick but the shoulder of the bullet before the flat point would hit the rifling in my Kkm barrel. The Hap I can load out to 1.12 + the black would have to be run at about 1.140 . Hopefully that helps. 87bb5fbeb8d83b413880effd20ca9de7.jpg

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11 hours ago, MNshooter said:

 

 

I’m a new .40 loader but have experience loading plenty of 9mm.

 

99% of loaded .40 rounds plunk and spin easily in new KKM barrel but when in the Hundo XL roughly 20% will pass the gauge. The 80% that fails needs to be firmly pushed into the Hundo and then, of course, won’t drop free.

 

If I drop the loaded rounds into the Hundo backwards, they easily drop free. So, this leads me to believe the brass isn’t the problem. I process all brass with the Redding GRx die and then size with a Lee U die.

 

I don’t think crimp and flare is the problem. Flare is about .10 - .20 per Dillon Precision’s recommendation. Crimp is simply bullet + 2x case thickness.

 

Bullet is .401 ACME 180 “new” profile.

 

For giggles I ran a few loaded rounds through the GRx. They gauge just fine. So, this is a bullet issue, right?

 

Obviously I can continue to case gauge with my barrel but I’d prefer not to. I’ve had very good success with coated bullets in 9mm and the respective Hundo. It is a huge time saver. Plus, the XL was made specifically for long loaded coated bullets and I spent $100 on it.

 

Plz halp

 

It's the. 401 profile bullet, to wide for your barrel chamber, try the.... 400 

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.401" bullets are sometimes problematic.  However, some fit fine in the Hondo.  The first thing you should check is the bell on the case mouth.  If it is too big or too deep the case may not he returned to normal in the bullet seating die, especially if seating and crimping is done in the same die.  You also don't have enough crimp.

 

Here is what I did to cure that problem with Dillon dies.  I bought a Mr. Bulletfeeder two stage expander plug and used it instead of the Dillon plug.  Set the depth so that the case mouth is barely flared at all.  You don't actually need flare, because the upper step of expansion is bullet diameter.  You want an iota of flare because you don't want to risk damaging the coating.  Then crimp so there is a small visible taper crimp on the case.

 

Here is how I solved the problem on my LnL press.  I used Hornady's PTE expander, which does the same thing as the Mr. Bulletfeeder expander.  I also use the seater/crimper as a seater only.  Then I taper crimp with a Lee Factory Carbide crimping die.  It also removes Glock bulges, so I have no need to use a push through die.

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To find out if it's the bullet or the case, drop a bullet (by itself) into the Hundo, it should drop all the way through and out the other side. The Hundo is a case gauge, not a bullet gauge. If the bullet won't fall all the way through, you need a different bullet.

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Thank you for all the responses. I figured it out - I changed the seating stem.

I knew additional crimp wasn’t needed. Any more and I would start indenting the bullet.

The Mr Bullet Feeder flare die might be worth looking into but I wanted to make it work with the Dillon die.

I didn’t think bullet diameter was an issue. Bullets all dropped through the Hundo (this was a good suggestion).

I didn’t think OAL or .401 size was an issue. After all, that’s what the Hundo XL was created for.

I got out the sharpie and marked a few cases. It turns out the bullets were seated almost at angle, creating a bulge mid-case.

I changed the seating stem to the other profile and the bullets we’re much more concentric. Now they plunk in my Barrel AND the Hundo.

Many thanks.


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58 minutes ago, MNshooter said:

I got out the sharpie and marked a few cases. It turns out the bullets were seated almost at angle, creating a bulge mid-case.

I changed the seating stem to the other profile and the bullets we’re much more concentric. Now they plunk in my Barrel AND the Hundo.

 The Mr, Bulletfeeder expander will cure the rest of that, because the bullets always go it straight.

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I’m a new .40 loader but have experience loading plenty of 9mm.
 
99% of loaded .40 rounds plunk and spin easily in new KKM barrel but when in the Hundo XL roughly 20% will pass the gauge. The 80% that fails needs to be firmly pushed into the Hundo and then, of course, won’t drop free.
 
If I drop the loaded rounds into the Hundo backwards, they easily drop free. So, this leads me to believe the brass isn’t the problem. I process all brass with the Redding GRx die and then size with a Lee U die.
 
I don’t think crimp and flare is the problem. Flare is about .10 - .20 per Dillon Precision’s recommendation. Crimp is simply bullet + 2x case thickness.
 
Bullet is .401 ACME 180 “new” profile.
 
For giggles I ran a few loaded rounds through the GRx. They gauge just fine. So, this is a bullet issue, right?
 
Obviously I can continue to case gauge with my barrel but I’d prefer not to. I’ve had very good success with coated bullets in 9mm and the respective Hundo. It is a huge time saver. Plus, the XL was made specifically for long loaded coated bullets and I spent $100 on it.
 
Plz halp

Switch to a .400 diameter bullet. Www.bluebullets.com is my recommendation. I tried most of the others out there and the blues are the most consistent I've found at
400.

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What seating stem did you switch to? I’m having same issue.

The one that is more round. If you pull the stem 40/10mm is written on one end of the stem. Use the opposite end. The bullet has less room to wiggle when seating and goes in straight. The flat stem, on the side that reads 40/10, allows the bullet to be seated slightly crooked. f53b824cbd417cc3b39e785a25371bfe.jpg
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MNshooter, I have been having a very similar issue when case gaging loaded bullets.  An above normal number of bullets would not pass the case gage and thus not pass the barrel .  Your explanation and discovery sound perfectly logical.  Will be trying this in the next week or so to see if this maneuver solves my problem as well.  Thanks  

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
On 2/25/2018 at 4:08 PM, Dirtchevy841 said:

I had the same issue. They told me if your oal is long sometimes it’s to long for their gauge. Oal for me is 1.2 and longer and the Hondo was terrible with rds at this length. Shorter rds were fine. 

 

Are you using the Hondo XL gauge? The OP mentions he is using the XL gauge, which is the same one that I use, and I load at 1.180" and it works just fine.

 

BTW... I have used the Eggleston .401 coated bullets in the same gauge without issues.

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52 minutes ago, Doublehelix said:

 

Are you using the Hondo XL gauge? The OP mentions he is using the XL gauge, which is the same one that I use, and I load at 1.180" and it works just fine.

 

BTW... I have used the Eggleston .401 coated bullets in the same gauge without issues.

Had the xl and at 1.2 and longer for my Sv nothing would pass. 

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On 3/12/2018 at 6:00 PM, Dirtchevy841 said:

Had the xl and at 1.2 and longer for my Sv nothing would pass. 

 

As I mentioned, I load at 1.180", and when I drop my rounds in my Hondo XL Gauge, they do NOT sit flush with the top of the gauge, but that is OK. I actually test them on a cushioned rubber mat, and after they are all inserted into the gauge, I rub my finger along each round to check the primer seating and just to make sure I have close look at each completed round to check for upside down or sideways primers. On this rubber mat, it give it a little spring as I push on the rounds, which is also a good thing.

 

Once I have checked all the primers, I raise the gauge up into the air a little bit. Every round should now sit flush. If not, I give the gauge a little shake to see if any are just being stubborn.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 3/17/2018 at 2:36 PM, Doublehelix said:

Once I have checked all the primers, I raise the gauge up into the air a little bit. Every round should now sit flush. If not, I give the gauge a little shake to see if any are just being stubborn.

 

 

This ^^^^

 

What I have found is after figuring out OAL for the specific gun, if it checks in the Hondo it will work perfect in my gun. 

 

 

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