JMPhotog Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 I am loading 180 gr 40's for my 2011 for USPSA loaded to 1.180 to 1.185. They chamber check just fine in the barrel and shoot 100%. I bought an EGW 7 round chamber checker as I use similar EGW checkers for 9 and 45 with no issues, however, the 40's won't completely chamber check in the EGW. Do I need to use a different checker for longer loads? If so can you guys offer suggestions? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Furrly Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 Hundo XL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMPhotog Posted January 1, 2019 Author Share Posted January 1, 2019 Thanks! Is it designed for longer loads? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Furrly Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 Yes sir.. I load your exact oal.. Works like a charm.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve RA Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 If your present length "plunks" in your barrel, just stick to that length. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMPhotog Posted January 1, 2019 Author Share Posted January 1, 2019 15 minutes ago, Steve RA said: If your present length "plunks" in your barrel, just stick to that length. It does, but I just like to use a chamber checker to rule out any odd rounds. My EGW checker has a groover 2/3 of the way down like lands on a barrel, and I believe that is what the longer round is hitting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MemphisMechanic Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 Second on the hundo. I load 9mm long (1.150+) and they don’t make an XL for this caliber. They all stand proud, but as soon as you pick it up all 100 rounds drop in completely flush, you look for defects, and then you add them to your Match Ammo supply. Buy a hundo. Now that I am used to gauging 1,000 rounds in under 15 minutes? I could never go back to a smaller unit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glassblower Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 Whether it's the Hondo, Shockbottle, or EGW, they have tighter tolerances in both length and diameter than your barrel. Take a read of this FAQ on the Shockbottle site. https://www.shockbottle.com/faqs-1 Also, are you loading .400 or .401? Coated or Jacketed? If you're loading .401 coated and NOT deforming the bullet, then some ammo may not gauge well depending on the brass manufacturer. In my 2011 in 40, .401's with "almost" no deformation of the bullet plunk just fine, but some will stick part way down the case gauge. I use those for practice. Often repeated words of reloading 40 is "it depends" . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMPhotog Posted January 1, 2019 Author Share Posted January 1, 2019 I’m loading Bayou 180 gr coated lead I believe they are .401 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muncie21 Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 2 hours ago, JMPhotog said: My EGW checker has a groover 2/3 of the way down like lands on a barrel, and I believe that is what the longer round is hitting. I don't ave an EGW case gauge, however if it's designed like most straight wall pistol gauges, that 'groove' you're seeing is used to headspace the round. The 'groove' catches the lip of the case (be it a case gauge or barrel) and prevents the cartridge from seating any deeper. When a round doesn't plunk/spin it's most likely because the projectile (bullet) is hitting the rifling of the barrel before the lip of the case hits the ridge in the barrel. Having said all of that, the reason it's recommended to perform the plunk/spin test using the barrel of the pistol in question, is because case gauges are not designed to tell the user if the round is too long for the pistol it's being shot in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 3 hours ago, JMPhotog said: I am loading 180 gr 40's for my 2011 for USPSA loaded to 1.180 to 1.185. They chamber check just fine in the barrel and shoot 100%. I bought an EGW 7 round chamber checker as I use similar EGW checkers for 9 and 45 with no issues, however, the 40's won't completely chamber check in the EGW. Do I need to use a different checker for longer loads? If so can you guys offer suggestions? Thanks! You just have to pick the gauge up so the rounds fall in. I never would have imagined using a case gauge could possibly be confusing. I drop 9MAJOR rounds in the Hundo and pick it up off the bench and rub the tops of the rounds looking for high primers or rounds that wouldn’t seat properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMPhotog Posted January 1, 2019 Author Share Posted January 1, 2019 15 minutes ago, Sarge said: You just have to pick the gauge up so the rounds fall in. I never would have imagined using a case gauge could possibly be confusing. I drop 9MAJOR rounds in the Hundo and pick it up off the bench and rub the tops of the rounds looking for high primers or rounds that wouldn’t seat properly. No, I am not stupid thank you. I get that they don't fit without picking it up. What I am saying is they don't even fit flush without pushing them in with a little force. Factory rounds chamber check just fine, but anything long won't go flush without a little force. Anything long, and I am talking Montana Gold JHP, Bayou coated, won't check. So I am thinking the chamber checker is not designed for longer loads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glassblower Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 1 hour ago, JMPhotog said: I’m loading Bayou 180 gr coated lead I believe they are .401 I load the same bullet and they are .401. And....... some will not gauge smoothly. If you want them all to fit nicely you will have to deform the bullet. But, doing that can compromise accuracy. I "crimp" till I just barely can see deformation and check a number of rounds to ensure that it averages out over different brass. Once I've done that I usually get 3-5 rounds out of 100 that don't quite fit the gauge. They go in the practice pile. BTW, I use the shock bottle gauge, both the L and the XL. I use the XL for the Bayous. L for everything else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyOne Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 It could be that the brass may be slightly bulged near the head stamp. What dies are you using to reload your rounds with? And, since you are using coated lead, that is the most likely culprit. I have a shock bottle 9mm hundo checker...my fmj loads all check perfectly, the coated lead ones do not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glassblower Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 For an experiment, add some extra crimp to some and see if they gauge. I'd bet they will. 1.185 OAL should be fine in most gauges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMPhotog Posted January 1, 2019 Author Share Posted January 1, 2019 Just now, GrumpyOne said: It could be that the brass may be slightly bulged near the head stamp. What does are you using to reload your rounds with? And, since you are using coated lead, that is the most likely culprit. I have a shock bottle 9mm hundo checker...my fmj loads all check perfectly, the coated lead ones do not. I am using an EGW U-die for sizing and it does the same thing with Montana Gold JHP and Hornady JHP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glassblower Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 Like Grumpy says, you might want to undersize your brass with a Lee or other undersize die. That also helped improve my pass ratio using .401 coated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 1 hour ago, JMPhotog said: No, I am not stupid thank you. I get that they don't fit without picking it up. What I am saying is they don't even fit flush without pushing them in with a little force. Factory rounds chamber check just fine, but anything long won't go flush without a little force. Anything long, and I am talking Montana Gold JHP, Bayou coated, won't check. So I am thinking the chamber checker is not designed for longer loads. Then you are not crimping enough or sizing low enough or something. The chamber checkers really only check case dimensions. I load 9mm to 1.18 with all manner of sbullet from Jacketed to plated to coated and they all fine.gauge I don’t think you’re stupid but you are not doing something right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyOne Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 With the shock bottle hundo I have, I narrowed it down to the bullet head by sizing a case, seating and crimping a bullet, then tried to gauge it. When it didn't gauge, I pulled the bullet and gauged the case, which went in flush. If those bullets are just the tiniest bit oversized, they will hang up on the lip inside the gauge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete627 Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 In my Para 5 inch ... loading .400 plated I have no problem past 1.18 but "one time" I bought some .401's ... (think they were Bayou's) and had to reseat them down to 1.16. Anything longer stuck in the rifling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muncie21 Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 So I'm confused (don't worry, wouldn't be the first time) is the issue OAL or diameter? I'm seeing comments related to both and not sure which is actually the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyOne Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 35 minutes ago, muncie21 said: So I'm confused (don't worry, wouldn't be the first time) is the issue OAL or diameter? I'm seeing comments related to both and not sure which is actually the problem. Diameter. The rounds are not gauging because they won't drop all the way into the gauge because of the oversized bullet diameter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muncie21 Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 Thanks Grumpy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 On 1/1/2019 at 8:40 PM, GrumpyOne said: With the shock bottle hundo I have, I narrowed it down to the bullet head by sizing a case, seating and crimping a bullet, then tried to gauge it. When it didn't gauge, I pulled the bullet and gauged the case, which went in flush. If those bullets are just the tiniest bit oversized, they will hang up on the lip inside the gauge. BBI .356 gauge fine in my Hundo . But it’s the standard 9mm Hundo and not the tighter version Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jakobi Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 I gave my .40 chamber checker to my gunsmith and had him ream it with his .40 long chamber reamer. Works great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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