40 S&W for STI

[SWprotected]

I have a question for you guys running STI guns. What steps do you take to ensure reliable feeding? My process is tumble brass, run all cases through G-RX die and then load as usual. I have about 1k loaded and almost all of it will pass the plunk test. The few that do not will still fit in my EGW gauge but will not chamber freely. Is this common or is my chamber just a little tight? I would like to find a way to be sure it will fit without having to use the barrel to check it.

[Rob01]

I just run them through my sizing die and load. You can run them through a bulge die if you want for added piece of mind or if you know it came from older Glocks. I check them in an EGW chamber checker and even the ones that fail I use as practice ammo work reliably. Never had one not feed or fire. If they will fit in the EGW I wouldn't worry about them in the chamber.

[deerassassin22]

In my STI Eagle and USPSA Single Stack 40 I do the exact process that you do except the following.

1. I wet tumble.

I only barrel test for Level II and Level III. And when I'm working with new bullets but only the first 15 or 20 then I load and shoot'em..

[jman93]

Egw undersized sizing die and load them up. Never had an issue.

[Sandbagger123]

Lee dies and FCD. Never an issue with chambering. never needed a push through die.

[SWprotected]

Thanks for the information. I started using the GRX die because about 10% of my ammo would not chamber that is down to about 1% now. The one that don't still fit the EGW gauge. I am just now starting to shoot limited so I am just looking to make my setup as reliable as possible.

[RPatton]

EGW undersized die. Rounds may look like a coke bottle but all setback issues go away. OAL at 1.185. No crimp, just remove the "case mouth bell" with the crimp die and no feeding problems.

I still chamber drop ammo when it's going to matter.

[Croomrider]

Thanks for the information. I started using the GRX die because about 10% of my ammo would not chamber that is down to about 1% now. The one that don't still fit the EGW gauge. I am just now starting to shoot limited so I am just looking to make my setup as reliable as possible.

1% failure is unacceptable. If you have ammo that will go into the EGW gage and still not chamber, you may need to open up your chamber. I use an EGW u-die, but my gun has a Schuemann chambered barrel on it. I don't check anything, and never have a problem.

Mike

[not4you2know]

EGW U-die, crimp ONLY enough to allow ALL cases to barrel check (I use mixed brass). 0 issues. I also barrel check every round prior to a match. It's a bit tedious, but I have 0 failures and that alone puts me up a few spots in a match. Worth the time to me.

[Jaxshooter]

Lee U die, Redding Comp Seating Die and FCD. Never had a problem.

[pitvpr]

EGW undersized die. Rounds may look like a coke bottle but all setback issues go away. OAL at 1.185. No crimp, just remove the "case mouth bell" with the crimp die and no feeding problems.

I still chamber drop ammo when it's going to matter.

when you say no crimp, what is the spec on the diameter of the case right at the mouth? What is your typical diameter there?

I can get cases to chamber when trying this method.

[jcc7x7]

Redding RX all range pick up brass unless I know its mine (sharpie marker stripe on base) or any used brass I buy. then load it on my 550 and shoot it. Like others level III & IV matches every round gets hand cycled through the gun from the mags I will be using in the match.

Never had a feed issue that way at the match.

My Eagle ran anything from factory to 1.200 COL hand loads.

[SWprotected]

Okay I loaded another couple of hundred yesterday and still had 3 that will fit case gauge but dot not drop freely into barrel. If I reverse them and insert them rim first they fall in and out, so to me this means the brass is not the issue.

[Sandbagger123]

Okay I loaded another couple of hundred yesterday and still had 3 that will fit case gauge but dot not drop freely into barrel. If I reverse them and insert them rim first they fall in and out, so to me this means the brass is not the issue.

what type or bullet or brand? are all there that do not fit the same head stamp? what OAL are you using? what does your crimp measure?

[SWprotected]

The bullets are Blue bullets .401" 180gr., The cases have been different head stamps oal 1.185". I did not measure the crimp but when I pulled these bullets to check I had just a slight ring in the coating from the case mouth. I have also used Bayou bullets and had the same issue. I thought maybe I was over crimping and causing a bulge in the bullet just ahead of the case mouth but when I measured there I still measure .401"

[RPatton]

EGW undersized die. Rounds may look like a coke bottle but all setback issues go away. OAL at 1.185. No crimp, just remove the "case mouth bell" with the crimp die and no feeding problems.

I still chamber drop ammo when it's going to matter.

when you say no crimp, what is the spec on the diameter of the case right at the mouth? What is your typical diameter there?

I can get cases to chamber when trying this method.

My ammo runs .420 at the case mouth which is what a(one) factory Speer bullet measured. I don't know what "the spec" is but this works for me. I have never run any plated 40 bullets but in 9MM with plated I use the "no mark on the bullet" crimp method with excellent results.

The problem is that 9MM brass thickness is not consistent. I suspect 40 brass to be no better. Federal 9MM I have measured from .010 to .012. The point is, you can never get the "no mark on every bullet" unless you want to mic each case thickness and life is too short for that. I set up to crimp the average case thickness, .011, with my match brass crimp and load it all. If some bullets have a mark then so be it. It seems to work for me. There seems to be more discussion about bullet crimp than any other topic on the forum.

If it won't chamber then it doesn't really matter what the diameter is because you can't shoot it.

If it will chamber but keyholes downrange then too much crimp is a potential problem.

Maybe bullet "crimp" is recondite.

Edited June 11, 2014 by RPatton

[SWprotected]

I pretty much figure I will just take the time to chamber check my ammo before matches. I shot a match on Saturday went through about 200 rounds without any issue so I guess I will just keep checking, nothing worse than having a gun choke.

[bowenbuilt]

Just a touch of chamber reaming would go a long way in fixing your problem if you are wanting coated lead bullets to run at 100%.

[RPatton]

Just a touch of chamber reaming would go a long way in fixing your problem if you are wanting coated lead bullets to run at 100%.

That is very true, especially with cast bullets being .401. The deeper you seat them the more problems you will have as some brass starts to get thicker toward the base sooner than others. This will make for bullets that are oversized at the base of the bullet. The result is a bullet that will lock your gun up and make it extremely hard to clear.

Chamber drop them anyway. It will save you some aggravation as there is always that one sorry bullet that will be sure to ruin the best match you ever shot.

Edited June 12, 2014 by RPatton

[BBQDawg]

I also just started shooting Limited and .40 S&W. I use the EGW undersized die and at this time chamber check for all matches. I have a few each match that, though they pass the gauge check, do not chamber check freely. I set them aside in a bin for practice only. I've never had any of them that do not work fine in practice, but I will continue to set them aside as I have been doing and not use them in the matches.

[not4you2know]

Okay I loaded another couple of hundred yesterday and still had 3 that will fit case gauge but dot not drop freely into barrel. If I reverse them and insert them rim first they fall in and out, so to me this means the brass is not the issue.

I had the same issue when I first started loading BBIs. It turns out I was crimping a little too much and actually mushrooming the bullet. Once I adjusted my crimp back a little, the rounds worked perfect. Your crimp should be .420~.421 if correct.

[NinerRider]

EGW U-die, Lee factory crimp die, put them in all through the Shock Bottle gauge. Sounds like you have a tight chamber.

[SWprotected]

Thanks for the replies, I have shot a few matches with no issues. What I have found is that the not going into battery is bullet related not brass, or a more of a combo of the 2. The few that I find that don't chamber check also will not fit the chamber of my M&P 40 which will chamber long loaded 40 they just don't fit in the mags, bummer or I could use one load for both. When I take the rounds that do not chamber freely and feed them from the magazine the will chamber but when I pull the slide back to eject them it is really tight, and the coating has come off places on the bullet. I think this is due to me using mixed brass and some of the cases are more heavily constructed than others so when crimping it may be causing a slight bulge ahead of the case. If I back off on the crimp any more I run into rounds that will set back when chambered. I do not sort my brass by head stamp which would be the only solution I see so the crimp could be set properly for each kind of brass. In the end It is easier for me to just chamber check the rounds and put the tight ones in the practice ammo bin and not fiddle with the dies for each kind of brass.

[Browning40]

I had an EGW gauge and found it very tight.

Get the Alpha gauge from Saul.

[kamikaze1a]

I think your throat is tight not your chamber. I wish I could find cast bullets that would measure .401 consistently. Most are .402-3 though the specs says .401. I sometimes "re-size" commercial cast bullets to get them closer to .401 and have various custom lube/sizing dies to size my cast to get .401.

The fix, either switch to jacketed bullets, ream the throat or seat your cast bullets deeper.