Had a squib and didn't know it

[kreativecid]

At the range with reloads of 4.5 grains WST beneath a 125 moly round nose. Dillon 550b. The fourth die is a Lee crimper which is basically on auto pilot all these years.

Then my 9mm fails to feed. Again. And again over and over. Thought it was a mag issue but all 4 mags doing it? Maybe the new pistol is broken. Head home to test out dummy rounds in 4 mags with no change.

Strip firearm. May as well clean while I decide what to tell firearm mfg. Wait, what is that?? There is a 125 grain moly round nose stuck about where the grooves start. Unbelievable! Now I realize why there was powder all over.

Wonder why a squib occurred after so many rounds had been successful put on paper.

[blue]

Are you sure you had a squib or did you load to long and pull the bullet from the case leaving a bullet in the barrel. I would think you would notice a squib.

[assaulter]

I had that happen once too. "Why the hell won't this round chamber????" The look on my face I'm just glad it wasn't far enough in to let that round chamber.

Edited February 12, 2011 by assaulter

[kreativecid]

Now that might be!!!! I had a few too long OAL and ejected forcefully which....good post by you! I bet that's what happened and the bullet stayed in and the powder went all over.

Learn something new everyday. Thank you.

Are you sure you had a squib or did you load to long and pull the bullet from the case leaving a bullet in the barrel. I would think you would notice a squib.

[RH45]

Are you sure you had a squib or did you load to long and pull the bullet from the case leaving a bullet in the barrel. I would think you would notice a squib.

That's what it sounds like to me.

Been there/done that!

[GrumpyOne]

Now that might be!!!! I had a few too long OAL and ejected forcefully which....good post by you! I bet that's what happened and the bullet stayed in and the powder went all over.

Learn something new everyday. Thank you.

Are you sure you had a squib or did you load to long and pull the bullet from the case leaving a bullet in the barrel. I would think you would notice a squib.

If that is the case, you might need some more neck tension on your cases.

[blue]

Only reason I know is because it happened to me

[CocoBolo]

If you are using the Lee FCD this could be part of the problem. The Lee FCD die undersizes the bullet, see the Precision FAQ page. The 4.5 gr of WST looks about right for 130pf, I use 4.7 with a Jackted 125. The OGive on the Precison bullets requires that they be a little shorter than Jacketed bullets in most guns, a little trial fitting will find the right length. I'll have to agree you pulled the bullet out of the case since there is powder everywhere. Been there and done that more than once.

The failure to feed, you did not describe but more than likley it is a failure to go into battery, if that is the case you just need to shorten it up a bit and you might just be in business. Did you drop check the rounds in a SAMMI Gauge? One way to be sure about your loads is to deprime and size the cases then drop check them both before and after loading, when you do this you avoid any jams due to buldge cases and in the process you find out where the problem occurred before or after loading.

I test mag feeding with dummy rounds as well when setting up a new load OAL. I do this both fast and slow, one the slow I put my feelers on and feel for resistance and watch for how smooth it is. But it soudls like you could be within .010 of being on with the oal when its close it don't take much. Have you measured a group of bullets or ones that failed to feed to see if you OAL is consistent?

[kreativecid]

Thanks for taking the time to educate me! The Bear Creek moly do not like to be over 1.124 in this particular 1911. If I make damn sure they are under 1.124 there are no issues. It's when I get a .124 or .125 that things like this happen sometimes.

I will err on the cautious side and make sure it's 1.120 at the 4.5gr WST.

I need to go read the Precious FAQ, thanks!

If you are using the Lee FCD this could be part of the problem. The Lee FCD die undersizes the bullet, see the Precision FAQ page. The 4.5 gr of WST looks about right for 130pf, I use 4.7 with a Jackted 125. The OGive on the Precison bullets requires that they be a little shorter than Jacketed bullets in most guns, a little trial fitting will find the right length. I'll have to agree you pulled the bullet out of the case since there is powder everywhere. Been there and done that more than once.

The failure to feed, you did not describe but more than likley it is a failure to go into battery, if that is the case you just need to shorten it up a bit and you might just be in business. Did you drop check the rounds in a SAMMI Gauge? One way to be sure about your loads is to deprime and size the cases then drop check them both before and after loading, when you do this you avoid any jams due to buldge cases and in the process you find out where the problem occurred before or after loading.

I test mag feeding with dummy rounds as well when setting up a new load OAL. I do this both fast and slow, one the slow I put my feelers on and feel for resistance and watch for how smooth it is. But it soudls like you could be within .010 of being on with the oal when its close it don't take much. Have you measured a group of bullets or ones that failed to feed to see if you OAL is consistent?