Feeding Problem

[AGYoung]

I hope this is a good place to get an answer.

Reloading 200 gr SWC FMC. I'm having a real issue getting them to feed in my Edge. It's not the gun as 230 FMC feeds reliably and it's been worked over by Gun Doc in Miami.

I've loaded / measured the OAL to 1.25 and as much as 1.45. Won't feed / chamber. I've chamber checked the rounds & they fit fine.

Do I go longer or shorter?

The kicker is my old load, 200 gr SWC lead seems to work reasonably well. I loaded the jacketed bullets to the same OAL but *#&$#$. I had a real neat single shot semi auto. If I hadn't had a box of back up ammo, I would not have been able to shoot the match.

Nothing else has changed in my load. I have used 6.1 gr 231 over WW primers since forever.

[wide45]

I've never run jacketed swc's, but I'd guess you may want to try shorter.

My old Hornady book says 1.245" OAL for thier 200 gr. swc. Thats real close to what you have.

I know with lead swc's you want just a leetle bit of the shoulder outside the brass.

[LPatterson]

First it is not a good idea to take a new batch of ammo to a match that you have not throughly tested through the gun.

Second, you didn't say if the feeding problem is hitting on the ramp or jamming on the top of the barrel hood. Ramp problems are usually loaded too long & barrel hood is usually too short. The magazine also has an affect based on how the feed lips are configured.

The Rainier 200gr SWC's that I tried had to be loaded shorter in order to feed in my gun so maybe that is what you need to try with whichever bullet you have. Try some loaded so the shoulder of the bullet is just outside the case mouth

[AGYoung]

First it is not a good idea to take a new batch of ammo to a match that you have not throughly tested through the gun.

Second, you didn't say if the feeding problem is hitting on the ramp or jamming on the top of the barrel hood. Ramp problems are usually loaded too long & barrel hood is usually too short. The magazine also has an affect based on how the feed lips are configured.

The Rainier 200gr SWC's that I tried had to be loaded shorter in order to feed in my gun so maybe that is what you need to try with whichever bullet you have. Try some loaded so the shoulder of the bullet is just outside the case mouth

You are perfectly right on your first point. I loaded the new bullet to the same specs I used with the lead and thought it would work.

Mags are ruled out as they work with the lead SWC and jacketed 230's but good thought.

I tried shorter and they hit the ramp, longer would feed but stopped before chambering.

I am at the frustration level that I'm about to trash 700 loaded rounds and start over with 230 FMJ and say OH @#$%^&*.

[wide45]

FMC's? Are they plated? I remember trying Ranier plated SWC's, and big trouble getting them to run. They wanted to dig into the feed ramp, and stop. The ramp was plenty slick for any other bullet, but some additional polishing helped. Check for Brian's trick on feed ramp polishing. Always polish with the same direction you want the bullet to go. Never crossways. The big thing I found was that the rounds were shortening when they hit the ramp. That would take the energy out of the closing slide, and stall it. Easy to check for. Rack a mag full of rounds through the gun without shooting them. Mike for change in OAL. I believe I had them running fine after I fixed that issue, but they were no better than lead, so I never got more.

[Canuck-IL]

As I posted earlier tonight in the 200 vs 230 thread, lead's slicker than the Rainier coating...one 45 I have jams a RN Rainier at the top of the ramp about 1 in 30...large smiley...shoots lead just fine, even SWC.

To get it to that point (1/30) took a lot of ramp polishing and rounding the bottom edge of the barrel throat, being careful to maintain case support. Montana Golds are a harder coating (rougher on the barrel) and have a slightly fatter ogive...less pointy nose than the Rainier's RN...so they feed fine.

As suggested, go a little shorter (1/16th or a thumbnail out of the case), polish the ramp using a motion toward the chamber, not a rotary tip on a Dremel. Another pound of recoil spring might help as well as removing a shok-buff if you have one in there.

/Bryan

[AGYoung]

Ya know what happens when you buy a new 650 and forget to set he crimp station properly. THEY DON'T FEED. I feel that a public confession of my stupidy will prevent other from this DUMB MISTAKE.