Bimmer Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 Long story short: I've been shooting and reloading for decades. I like to think I know what I'm doing... Recently the stars aligned so that I'm loading 140gr flat points (FP) over 5.0gr. of Unique in .40S&W loaded 1.120" or so, and my new gun is a G24. Problem: I'm having intermittent failures to feed. (See photo). This happens once or twice per mag. It's not the mag doesn't matter: old, new, whatever, I get a misfeed or two per mag. It's not the reloads: The same cartridges run fine in my G22s. It's not the gun: The new G24 ate my older reloads (155gr and 170gr SWCs) just fine. I've tried an OEM RSA as well as 13lbs and 11lbs Jager springs: Same problem. If there's a pattern, then it seems to happen when the mags are full (and spring tension is high). I'm stuck. All that I can think to do is load them a bit longer... I can't go any shorter, because the bearing surface of the bullet is barely protruding from the case. I would've thought that 1.120" would be OK (not too short), because the factory FMJ ammo that I have is about the same length, and the bullet profile is similar. Other ideas?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHI Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 I load that bullet @ 1.135 over 4.3 gr of Bullseye. Works in my 24 with no issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bimmer Posted January 22, 2021 Author Share Posted January 22, 2021 Many thanks! I'll try that... I was thinking that shorter would be better, to have more of the bullet in the case and reduce powder capacity (which is huge with that short bullet), but that was obviously wrong-headed. I hope I can be an example for others: The only problems I've ever had loading for Glocks was when I started messing around with OAL. Many years ago I tried "loading long" for a brief period, and it was nothing but failures to feed... Now I seem to have made the same mistake in the other direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Braxton1 Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 Based on the pic, I think that your load is too light for this particular gun and your pistol is short-stroking to the point where the stripper rail is not actually getting behind the case. That can set up what is reminiscent of the "bolt over-ride" in an M16. Please see this thread: The Alliant manual only goes down to a 155 jacketed bullet. It lists a Unique load in the 8.0 grain range. You're using an even lighter coated bullet, so you're getting less recoil impulse to drive the gun. Doing a little Googling, I am finding folks reporting 1050 fps out of 6.0 gr of Unique behind a 140 lead bullet. That would be pretty soft. A full grain less may be just soft enough to cause occasional short-strokes, giving you an intermittent malfunction. Maybe give it a half-grain more? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpaw Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 I've never used Unique, but that sounds pretty light. What's the velocity on that load? I normally load to 1.135", but 1.12" should feed fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bfrisk72 Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 Agree with what has been said about OAL, I run a little heavier spring (15/14#) and that might picking up the first few rounds in those filled mags. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deerslayer Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 What kind of mags? I know you said old and new, but stock mags, extended basepads? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bimmer Posted January 28, 2021 Author Share Posted January 28, 2021 Thanks, guys... Deerslayer: They're all bone-stock OEM Glock mags. It IS a light load. It's about 900fps in a G22, and 940fps in a G24. It runs well in a G23 or G22, but I'm starting to think that the G24's heavier slide (6oz heavier, as best I can figure) isn't cycling as easily, even with a lighter-than-stock spring. I have another batch loaded to 1.135" to try tomorrow. If that doesn't work (or if they don't consistently lock back the slide on an empty mag), then I'll up the powder charge a half-grain and try again. FWIW, I went from 155s to 140s looking for a softer-shooting load, and now I wish I had just stuck with 155s, which never gave me any trouble... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty whiteboy Posted January 28, 2021 Share Posted January 28, 2021 short stroking,use lighter recoil spring or more powder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bimmer Posted January 29, 2021 Author Share Posted January 29, 2021 You guys were right! I tried again today, and it's still 100% in my G22s (both of them) with 11lbs springs, but it's not running in the G24. The heavier slide must be the issue... With a 13lbs spring in the G24, it ran 80% or so. With an OEM RSA, it didn't even cycle the action enough to eject a spent cartridge: It reset the striker, and then I'd get a click on a spent casing. FWIW, Nosler specs 6.2 grains of Unique under a 135gr JHP as a starting load (80% density), so I'm not thaaat light, but I'll bump it up a half grain and see how that does. Also, my ES was 100+ and my SD almost 50, so more powder in the case may get me more a efficient/consistent burn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bimmer Posted February 13, 2021 Author Share Posted February 13, 2021 An update... I upped the powder to 5.5gr of Unique (from 5.0), but I'm basically still having the same problem... These run 100% in my G22s, but I still have intermittent misfeeds in the G24. MV is 950+ fps, which seems like it ought to be enough oomph to run the action. So, now I'm torn between just deciding that 140gr FPs aren't going to play nicely with my G24 (or vice versa), or that I need to up the powder charge another half grain and see what that gets me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHI Posted February 13, 2021 Share Posted February 13, 2021 You could go up in powder charge or maybe drop recoil spring rate down. I don't use Unique in pistols .Just found that it didn't meater very well at smaller charges. You could try swapping the spring out of your 22 to the 24. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bimmer Posted February 14, 2021 Author Share Posted February 14, 2021 Yes, I'll try the 11lbs spring again... That's easy enough, though I'm not optimistic. It almost seems like there's something not-quite-right about the relationship of these FP bullets and the G24s' feed ramp geometry. Looking at it vs. a G22, it seems like the G22's barrel effectively tilts at a greater angle, which aims the chamber down towards the next round in the mag. The longer slide and barrel mean the G24's barrel doesn't/can't tip at as much of angle, which means the cartridge is going into the chamber at an angle... So, maybe I'll just set aside the 140s for my G22s and G23s and only use 155s and 170s in the G24. That would be irritating, because (1) the whole point of having everything be .40 was that everything would eat the same ammo, and (2) I have 2,500 or or so 140gr bullets, and (2) I don't have any other .401 projectiles right now, and buying more isn't going to be quick or easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Braxton1 Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 You're still at a 133 Power Factor, even bumping the load up as you have. The G24 is going to be a bit more-sensitive to light loads because the slide is a bit heavier than the G22 or 23. That extra weight will absorb a lot of the recoil impulse. The "tell all" for me would be if the stripper rail is fully-clearing the top cartridge in the magazine stack. I suspect that it is not, based on the pics that the OP has posted. It is true that the 24 barrel does not tip at as much of an angle, but it does drop the same amount of raw distance. Xtreme has 180s in-stock now, if that is an option for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aircooled6racer Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 Hello: I would keep the 13lb spring in it and up the power factor to 140-145 and see how that does. That is in the range of factory 9mm loads. It still should be pretty soft shooting in the G24. It also should be pretty nice in your G22. Thanks, Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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