Reloading .380 Auto for a G42

[micro]

I am at wit's end, and could use advice on figuring this one out. Bought a Glock42. It works flawlessly with purchased ammo. I am having an issue with my reloads. I've used the following recipes which work OK, except for one issue:

100 gr plated RN

3.1gr TiteGroup

mixed brass

COAL 0.975

100 gr plated RN

3,2 gr W231

mixed brass

COAL 0.980

OK, ready for this one? Today I loaded 100 rounds using the W231. Out of 100, about 15 rounds did not fire. Upon inspection, the firing pin did it's job, and it wasn't a light strike either (see photo. Just to clarify, the rounds shown in the photo were after the first attempt to fire). Just for kicks, I put those rounds back in the magazine, and tried to fire them again. They fired. WTF? I've tried CCI and Winchester SPP's, and it occurs with both primers, on both loads listed above. This is fresh powder as well. And to answer the most obvious question, yes, the primers are seated into the case as far as they can go. If it matters, I'm reloading on a Dillon XL650.

Anyone have any idea as to what the issue is here.

Thank You in advance for any suggestions.

micro

[micro]

I think I may have just figured out my own problem. Upon looking at the photo I posted, I noticed that the brass still had the primer crimp. I checked the over few rounds I brought home with me today, and they all had the crimp as well. That may be causing the primer not to seat fully, this causing the misfire.

Thoughts?

[Shadowrider]

I cant tell from the pics but are any .380 crimped? I've never loaded it, but have a batch of brass and bullets ready. The pics look like they are crimped and not crimped at the same time (one side looks radiused the other looks to have a crimp ledge). Did you feel normal resistance seating the primer? I know every time I run into a crimped pocket on my 650 regardless of caliber I know it, there's no doubt.

[RDA]

I know you say the primers are fully seated in your original post but I'd say they aren't fully seated if they are firing on the second strike.

[micro]

I'm new to loading .380, but every sample that I have that didn't fire, the brass has a crimped primer, or at least it surely looks like it is. I will have to do some more research on the 380 to see if crimping is common. I may have to pick up a swagger and pull the bullet and see if I can get the primer out with out killing myself…lol. So many things to do, so little time.

[micro]

Regarding feeling resistance on the 650…I don't recall, but loading other calibers on it, I know what it feels like to push a primer into a crimped primer pocket. I have to pay more attention when reloading the .380. I cranked out 100 before heading tot he range this morning.

[vixty]

Those primers don't look seated to me

[safeactionjackson]

OP,

Here is some .380 reloading data for "reference", I'd agree with what has already been said.... it doesn't look like your primers are seating deep enough. I've had similar problems on my 550b with .380, although primers not seated deep enough would general prevent me from manual indexing. Check your shell plate for play, as I'd think primer that aren't seated properly should allow the press to index, or would surely show some resistance. They don't appear to actually have a "military crimped primer pockets", but some of them can be tight.

Good luck and keep us posted on what you find.

~g

String: 2

Date: 1/14/15

Time: 9:51:57 PM

Grains: 100

Hi Vel: 872

Low Vel: 823

Ave Vel: 847

Ext Spread: 49

Std Dev: 14

Bullet: 100gr Berry

Powder: 2.9gr TG

OAL: 0.97

Primer: WSP

Firearm: Glock42

Notes:

Velocity Power Factor Ft/Lbs

854 85.4 161.926

863 86.3 165.357

854 85.4 161.926

846 84.6 158.907

858 85.8 163.447

858 85.8 163.447

872 87.2 168.824

849 84.9 160.036

827 82.7 151.849

833 83.3 154.061

823 82.3 150.384

832 83.2 153.691

844 84.4 158.156

Edited August 17, 2015 by safeactionjackson

[Bob DuBois]

I don't load .380 but load on a 650. The new style primer punch seats the primer with spring tension. I bought a Lee

Primer tool and cases that aren't seated to depth can easily be seated. Usually don't have problems with Winchester

Primers. I have seen stock Glocks choke using CCI Primers. CCI Primers take the hardest hit to set off. Not seated properly

and you'll have issues.

[RDA]

I don't load .380 but load on a 650. The new style primer punch seats the primer with spring tension. I bought a Lee

Primer tool and cases that aren't seated to depth can easily be seated. Usually don't have problems with Winchester

Primers. I have seen stock Glocks choke using CCI Primers. CCI Primers take the hardest hit to set off. Not seated properly

and you'll have issues.

On a 650, the primer is seated when you push the handle fully forward (the primer is not seated with spring tension). The spring helps to return the handle to neutral.

[micro]

Safeactionjackson,

no play in the shell plate, or should I say no more than my 9mm set up has (and I have no issues with 9mm). I contacted Dillon Support in regards to possible issues with the press that would cause this. I still think it's an issue with the brass. I will try to reload some this week and pay very close attention to the seating step. I will post any new developments I have as they happen.

Thanks to all for your input thus far…we have a great community here.

[safeactionjackson]

Usually when I start a reloading a new caliber I'll use brass that has been sorted by head stamp, that seems to work well for me, and surely give me better OAL consistency. It also creates a baseline for the caliber being reloading, when I run a different brand of brass I check to see what if anything changes... or if any gremlins rear there heads.

Worth a try, keep us posted.

~g

[igolfat8]

Try removing the old primers, then cleaning your brass until the primer pocket are Spic-n-Span clean. See if that makes any difference. Old burnt powder crud, in a shallow primer pocket, could keep the primer from seating or create a slight cushion when impacted by the striker.

[cnote]

Try federals and see if the problem goes away

[micro]

I wet tumble with stainless steel pins, then inspect each one to make sure there are no pins stuck in there. I can tell you with 100% confidence that those primer pockets were clean.

[Doc10mm]

Would an extended glock firing pin be more likely to fire a primer that was not seated fully? I load on a Dillon 1050 and I don't think that there is the same tactile feedback of a 650 when a primer isn't seated fully.

[safeactionjackson]

Although I don't reload .380 on my s1050, once calibrated correctly I've never really seen a high primer, unless something stopped me from completing a full stroke down, and I forgot to remove the round from the press. While I'd agree that you don't have the same feel, seating on the down stroke is a huge improvement in the process.

I don't think and extended firing pin will necessarily correct the problem, and I'm not even sure why someone would go in that direction, I'd instead look for the actual root cause of the issue and correct it.

~g

[bfalcon00]

I wet tumble with stainless steel pins, then inspect each one to make sure there are no pins stuck in there. I can tell you with 100% confidence that those primer pockets were clean.

Yeah one of the big reasons I wet ss tumble too. I seem to have a lot less primer problems than most folks. Those pockets almost looked crimped to me but it's hard to see in the picture. If they are that could be the problem.

Edited August 22, 2015 by bfalcon00

[micro]

I received some ideas to try from Dillon, which I will check tomorrow. Will post my findings:

Two things to check are:

1. Do sure the primer seating assembly is fully threaded up into the underside of the platform. Use a 9/16: open end wrench for this.

2. Push down on the edge of the shellplate at station 4. If it feels springy, then the shellplate bolt needs to be tighter.

[micro]

Finally had some time to reload and go to the range. I performed the test that Dillon suggested, and the problem was indeed, a small "springy" movement ( I'm talking very small) of the shell plate. I tightened the shell plate down tight enough to where it would not index. Then I gradually loosened it up until there was absolutely no play in the shell plate. I reloaded about 300 rounds, and manually inspected all to see if any primers were not flush with the case. They all looked good. Better still, I went through all 300 rounds at the range today, and had ZERO issues.

Thanks to all who helped out on this one. Lesson learned.