My new Shadow+HN TC bullets+OAL+barrel slug

[Nordeste]

Hi gents:

Just picked up my new Shadow last week and I'm already loving her to bits. Couldn't be happier with it.

First thing I did was determining the maximum OAL with the bullets I'm currently using, which happen to be the HN HS TC 125 grains .356" copper plated. The maximum OAL turned out to be 28.45 mm or 1.124". I backed off the OAL to 27.9 mm or 1.09" and they worked fine. I used my barrel as a case gauge to make sure the rounds dropped in and out correctly and they did, but in some cases they did drop in OK, but were just a bit reluctant to drop out. The following day I had a match, and during one of the stages I had a FTF. Nothing too serious as I could sort it out dropping the mag and clearing the round out, then inserting a fresh mag in and carrying on. No other failures during the match, and I think that speaks well for the pistol, as it was brand new and had only a 100 rounds through her before the match.

I use a LCT press and Lee dies. A few months ago I removed the carbide ring insert out of my Carbide Factory Crimp die, and left it as a crimp only die. This change was very positive for my old and faithful Star 30M, and I noticed improved accuracy. The bad news is that, as said above, in the Shadow some rounds dropped in OK, but got a bit "stuck" in the chamber and wouldn't drop out freely. I can remove them by hand, no problem, but they just won't come out by their own weight.

What I've done is fitting the carbide insert again into the die. It wasn't a surprise to find out that now the rounds drop in and out easier. Sometimes I can feel some resistance (the carbide insert doing its job) when I run the rounds through the die, some others I don't.

I still haven't slugged my bore so as to find out its dimensions. And I won't be able to test the freshly made (carbide insert in) ammo for a few days. I am concerned that the use of the carbide insert will deplete my accuracy.

What I'd like to know is, provided that any of you have done so, what are the average dimensions of the CZs bores. I know it can vary from gun to gun, but your inputs would be useful. It would be bad news if I had a tight chamber that made the use of the carbide insert a good idea, but a bore that measured .356", because then the action of the carbide insert is unlikely to be beneficial.

Thanks in advance.

[CZ85Combat]

SP01 Shadow .356, Cz85 Combat .356

[Nordeste]

Thanks. I still gotta test this load for accuracy. Hope it works out.

SP01 Shadow .356, Cz85 Combat .356

[BeerBaron]

I think you'll be fine. I find the FCD insert doesn't touch my bullets (frontier RN CMJ, sized 356). they are the same size after FCD that they are before it. to me, it's action is happening below the case mouth.

for USPSA/IPSC type sport we need to strike a balance between accuracy and reliability. the most accurate bullets in the world are useless if they don't run 100%. My feeling is you'll be ok, but just shoot some groups with the new FCD'd rounds and see how they shoot.