.40 Reloaded feed problems, LWD Barrel

[Canon40]

Howdy, I am posting in this forum because I think it best fits the issue.

I got a LWD barrel for my G35 Gen4. It shoots accurate as heck, as accurate for me as stock or better, and runs factory loads fine. No failure to feed issues there. The issue comes when I use my reloads. All my loads run fine in the stock barrel but I get failure to feed issues 1 out of 4 shots, and half the times chambering a first round of a mag. This happened with fully loaded and 2 round mags.

I have a standard Lee 3 die set that made awesome loads for my stock barrel. After I got the LWD barrel I bought the Lee U sizing die to undersize the cases. That still had about the same stats for feed problems in the LWD as before. I bought an EGW chamber checker since I hear they have tighter tolerances than other chamber gauges out there. I gauged every round I shot today and eliminated a good 40 rounds out of a 200 round batch and still had similar feed problems in the LWD barrel. I brought some factory rounds too (PMC) and those ran fine, no FTF issues with them.

I use Berry's 180 FP, range brass mixed with starling, Lee U sizing die, CCI500, 4.4gr of Titegroup.

I also ran the factory barrel with my loads and no FTF today with that.

Long, I know, but I appreciate any help anybody might be able to give.

Canon40

[bowenbuilt]

Your problem stems from the super tight chamber that LWD uses in their aftermarket barrels. Your Berry bullets are slightly larger in diameter than most factory rounds and are most likely hanging up in the chamber of the Lone Wolf barrel. There is a simple fix for this. Make up 3 dummy rounds without powder or primer and send them along with your barrel back to LWD with a note that you want your chamber reamed to match your dummy rounds. In a couple of weeks you will get your barrel back and it will work just like Roscoe. Call LWD and speak with Dan and tell him you are sending it back with the dummy rounds, he will fix you right up.

There will be several people along shortly that will poo-poo on your LWD barrel but if you want to keep it and you want it to be 100% functional and reliable do this. I have several of them and after Dan did his thing I have not had a single issue since and the best part is no more Glocked brass.

Edited June 11, 2014 by bowenbuilt

[LoganbillJ]

What is you OAL on your reloads?

[jacob0]

I had almost the exact same scenario, running a 3 die Lee set, and loading for a G35 (LW & factory barrel) and a Tanfo Limited Elite. The factory barrel and Tanfo have no problems whatsoever with my handloads. The LW barrel completely chokes on anything longer than 1.135. Even when I load short (1.125),

I still get about 10% misfeeds in the LW barrel. The chamber is just too tight as Bowenbuilt said, and my rounds would go aboout 75% of the way into the chamber and hang. I should really follow his advice and send my barrel in... This makes me a bit hesitant about buying any more LW barrels.

[noylj]

The solution is always the same:

Take the barrel out of the gun. Drop rounds in until you find one that won't chamber. Take that round and "paint" the bullet and case black with Magic Marker or other marker. Drop round in barrel and rotate it back-and-forth. Remove and inspect the round:

1) scratches on bullet--COL is too long

2) scratches on case mouth--insufficient crimp

3) scratches on case at base of bullet--bullet seated crooked due to insufficient case expansion (not case mouth flare) or improper seating stem fit

4) scratches on case just above extractor--case bulge not removed during sizing. May need a bulge buster.

Do this and let us know.

[bowenbuilt]

The LWD comes with a "Minimum Match Chamber" which means than anything larger than a factory jacketed bullet is going to have problems chambering. We all used to have the same problem with Kart and Bar-Sto barrels in .45 ACP until we had them reamed ever so slightly. You can beat your brains out trying to make plated and coated bullets fit these chambers but the only real solution is opening them up a touch and have them throat it to match the OAL you want to run while you are at it. Personally I like the idea of having the chamber in my barrel matched to the ammunition I am shooting and it would not stop me from buying the product. If it did I would never own another Bar-Sto or Kart barrel again. Do yourself a favor and send it off and have it fixed. I promise you will sleep better after the surgery.

[Frank48]

I had a similar problem. I contacted JR at LWD. He said to send the barrel back requesting the "GT hole" named for another forum. I had my barrel back in a week, and no further problems. This was done at no charge.

[UFO]

I was having the same problems with my reload, ended up tightining the crimp up a little, runs like a Rolex......

[tires2burn]

I have noticed that Berry bullets are .001 larger that other plated bullets. Could this be the problem?

[MTpistolshooter]

I run an LWD in my G35 and you need to add more crimp. The LWD chambers are super tight. Take your barrel out of the slide and do the "drop" test with the bullets into the chamber.

The bullet should literally drop into the chamber with zero assistance outside of gravity and then fall out when you turn the barrel upside down. If the bullet does not easily "plop" into the chamber when you drop it in or drop immediately out of the chamber when you flip the barrel over, then you need to add more crimp.