9mm load malfunctioning

["JJ"]

I am new to guns, shooting, reloading & competition shooting!

WAIT, don't leave yet!!

I have a mentor who took me under his wing.

He has 30+ yrs experience in firarms & reloading!

Now on to my problem.

I am loading a 115gr cast LRN 9mm bullet with 4.0 gr of 231!

In the three loading manuals he has, (both old & new) there was no data on 231 or bullseye load for 115gr.

We did an online search with no results.

With our thoughts & the suggestions of others in the reloading world, we went with the data for the 124gr LRN. This brought us to the 4.0/231 load.

We went with a 3.8 load to start with just to be safe!

We loaded 10 rds and tried them in my gun. Had 1 loading malfunction.

It ejected the cartridge but failded to put the next into the chamber.

We loaded 10 more with 4.0 & they functioned properly.

So I ran off several hundred rounds!

I put another 100rds through the gun the next day & had around a dozen mulfunctions.

FTE, FTL & some that didn't seat fully into the chamber.

I have since come across more info that leads me to believe these are "light" loads!

Which I feel jives with the problems that I described.

BUT, I fellow shooter brought up a length issue he had with his .40 S&W.

His problems resembled mine.

These were seated to an OAL of 1.1 per reference!

I am wanting to try a 4.3/231 load at the same length!

1 adjustment at a time!!

Thanks for any comments or suggestions!!

[gng4life]

Hi there,

Would you mind giving us more information:

Pistol Model:

Factory or Modified(what modifications):

Did you chrono your loads, if so, what speed:

Did it ever go to slide lock after last round(does it normally):

What bullets are you using:

Does factory ammo work without problems:

Was the FTE an ejection or extraction issue:

Did you drop gauge or chamber check your loads:

How does the load feel to you and your mentor:

I have use 231 (and HP38) a lot in the past but nothing in the last 10 years or so. However, that does seem like a light load and you really need to chrono it. Here is a link to some other 9mm load data some other gentlemen were using:

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=247472

Please give us more info so we can look at your issue...

[Jman]

Hi JJ!!

1. Need more data!!!!

2. Need new mentor!! !!

[Jman]

Forgot the most important one!

3. If you have not done so, please visit the Reloading FAQs thread in the General Reloading and Load Data sub-forum!!!

...thousands of prepackaged posts!! ready to help and your mentor!! Also, while there check out the fantastic "how to" videos

from Sinclair International!!! Excellent stuff for new and not so new handloaders!!

[HoMiE]

I load 4.7~4.8 of 231, in glock and cz's. Check Hodgon website...

http://data.hodgdon.com

Edited September 6, 2010 by HoMiE

[HoMiE]

Sorry

http://data.hodgdon.com

[blue]

115 GR. LRN Hodgdon HP-38 .356" 1.100" 4.3 1079 28,400 CUP 4.8 1135 32,000 CUP

From Hodgdon website they have data you need. Your load is probably too light.

[Sarge]

2. Need new mentor!! !!

Saw that coming!

But as has been said, even though you gave alot of info there is much more that needs to be known.

First, rounds not going into the chamber. Take the bbl out of the gun and clean it up. Drop all your rounds into the chamber and see of they plop in and plop out. When you drop one in spin it. It should spin freely and not feel like it is touching the rifling. If it is touching AT ALL it will cause failure to seat in the chamber completely. 1.1 oal sounds short for a roundnose bullet. But depending on the brand of bullet anything is possible. That's why brand is important to know.

The short oal(1.1) COULD be part of the problem of rounds not chambering out of the magazine. As a General rule, for reliability, I think it is preferred to load as long as the mags and chamber will allow.

Mark your magazines and see if you have the same problems with all your mags, or is it just one in particular. Loading issues can be mag related as well.

As mentioned, is it 100% with factory ammo? Also see if you can scrape up 100 or so jacketed bullets to load up. Could be the gun

does not like lead bullets.

Need any more thoughts or help feel free to PM.

[The_Vigilante]

You didn't mention it but do you own any reloading manuals? If not, buy some-read them thoroughly.

[atari frank]

Hi there,

Would you mind giving us more information:

Pistol Model:

Factory or Modified(what modifications):

Did you chrono your loads, if so, what speed:

Did it ever go to slide lock after last round(does it normally):

What bullets are you using:

Does factory ammo work without problems:

Was the FTE an ejection or extraction issue:

Did you drop gauge or chamber check your loads:

How does the load feel to you and your mentor:

I have use 231 (and HP38) a lot in the past but nothing in the last 10 years or so. However, that does seem like a light load and you really need to chrono it. Here is a link to some other 9mm load data some other gentlemen were using:

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=247472

Please give us more info so we can look at your issue...

I/m also new to reloading but must say I had some problems,The first thing i learned was to drop gauge every round before I put it into box to goto range,The round has to slide on and out easy,My first load were 9mm 115gr fmj and bullseye 4.2g with col 1.100

[GrumpyOne]

Usually, with a lighter bullet, you need more powder to maintain the same pressure as with a heavier bullet. So dropping your charge from 4.0 for a 124 down to 3.8 for a 115 is actually going the wrong way. You should have bumped up the charge to around 4.2 or so. Check your OAL as well, most here on the forum will measure the OAL out to a thousandths of an inch (example: an OAL of 1.125). With just stating that the OAL is 1.1 is not enough. It could be 1.199, which would be way long. Drop check them in the barrel, and load as long as you can. As far as load data goes, if you can't find data for a LRN, use plated data. Lead and plated run the same data.

Edited September 6, 2010 by GrumpyOne

["JJ"]

Thanks for the help.

The bullet is a cast LRN from Bullet Works!

Sorry, I left off the zeroes. OAL = 1.100

This IS NOT a competition gun!!

It is a factory SW9VE! No mods!

No chrono available!

Factory functions problem free!

FTE was an ejection problem!

Slide did fail to lock back on a couple of mags!

Normally does!

In the three loading manuals he has, (both old & new)

Chamber check ok!

I have since come across more info that leads me to believe these are "light" loads!

Which I feel jives with the problems that I described.

Another 100 rds & Im leaning further to this being a light load problem!

Working up a heavier load now!

Thanks again for the help!

Edited September 7, 2010 by "JJ"

["JJ"]

As far as going down to 3.8 from 4.0, I think that was more of a lesson on dealing with no load data. We tested the 3.8 loads & had problems so we step up to 4.0. These functioned fine for the 10 rds. I guess I should have tested more!

[RiggerJJ]

the load is too light to function the gun...espcially with factory springs, etc... JMHO

do NOT do load developement without a crono! spend the 100 bucks and get a Crony, then go back to the range.

jj

[Pat Miles]

the load is too light to function the gun...espcially with factory springs, etc... JMHO

do NOT do load developement without a crono! spend the 100 bucks and get a Crony, then go back to the range.

jj

+1 regarding the need to have a chrono available for load development.

Pat

[gng4life]

I definitely agree with the chrono, if you reload, it's a necessary part.

Yes, this is a light load for sure. Work your way up slowly and take your time. The Sierra manual shows a max of 5.1 but I am guessing a load of about 4.2 to 4.5 would do you good. Seriously think about the chrono, it's important.

Good luck!

[superdude]

it sounds like your loads are too light. part of this is depends on the strength of the recoil spring in your gun. i've seen some factory ammo that won't cycle some 9mm guns because of the recoil spring/powder choice. fast burning powders (like 231) produce less recoil than slow burning powders because recoil is partly a function of powder charge weight (http://www.38super.net/Pages/Recoil.html). 231 is a great powder, and i use tons of it, but i've noted that in the 9mm charge weights have to be near max to reliably cycle most of my guns. 231 is somewhat forgiving with respect to pressure, so increase the charge weight and watch for pressure signs (and avoid Remington 1 and 1/5 primers since they are not recommended for higher pressure handgun loads, such as the 40 S&W which runs the same pressures as 9mm and may show pressure signs prematurely).

[rjennings10]

I use a 124gr LRN with 4.2 or 4.3 grains seated at 1.06. Yes I know that sounds short, but if it is loaded any longer the circumference of the bullet will get stuck in the barrel. these loads have worked great so far for uspsa. I have no had any feeding issues. If you continue to have feeding issues replace your spring with a lighter one. But mine cycle perfect.

I would seat it a little bit lower and do a chamber check. Drop the rounds in your barrel and make sure they just plop right in and do not get stuck! Every gun is different, just keep trying different lengths and loads.