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Bulging Brass


vluc

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During a recent match, I had a round jam in the chamber of my G34. Thinking it was my gun (as I have had zero problems in 5 years of reloading with it), I tore it down, changed the springs (due for it anyway). The more I thought on it, the more I was certain something else was the problem. I started to check my reloaded ammo with a 9mm drop in gauge. AS I went, the ammo was going in fine, coming out fine. I stopped, dug out the round from the match and dropped it in. Darned if the round failed to go in the whole way. Fact is, it stuck out a fair bit. Pulled the barrel from the 34, dropped it in there, same thing. I continued with all 500 rounds of loaded ammo and found 6 more just like it.

For comparison, I also checked all of the latest batch of reloads. Not a single issue. Old stuff was about 6 months old, new stuff last week. Old stuff PMC cases, new stuff FC.

May just be the cases, could have been some pieces of 9major that got in there...not sure. I use a 550B, all Dillon dies for the 9mm. Would I be better served in replacing any of the dies with Lee or the EGW "U", or just go on as is, start a new routine of checking the rounds with a gauge, and not worry?

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During a recent match, I had a round jam in the chamber of my G34. Thinking it was my gun (as I have had zero problems in 5 years of reloading with it), I tore it down, changed the springs (due for it anyway). The more I thought on it, the more I was certain something else was the problem. I started to check my reloaded ammo with a 9mm drop in gauge. AS I went, the ammo was going in fine, coming out fine. I stopped, dug out the round from the match and dropped it in. Darned if the round failed to go in the whole way. Fact is, it stuck out a fair bit. Pulled the barrel from the 34, dropped it in there, same thing. I continued with all 500 rounds of loaded ammo and found 6 more just like it.

For comparison, I also checked all of the latest batch of reloads. Not a single issue. Old stuff was about 6 months old, new stuff last week. Old stuff PMC cases, new stuff FC.

May just be the cases, could have been some pieces of 9major that got in there...not sure. I use a 550B, all Dillon dies for the 9mm. Would I be better served in replacing any of the dies with Lee or the EGW "U", or just go on as is, start a new routine of checking the rounds with a gauge, and not worry?

Had the same thing happen to me with .40s. I first went to the Lee U die. Did that a while and ended up going back to the Dillon die. In my case the sizing die was up to far off the shellplate. I turned mine down until it actually makes a little contact with the shellplate and - Voilla' - no more problems... YMMV.. :)

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check the primers and see if they are consistent with the headstamp. this will allow you to tell if the stuff has been reloaded or not. Also some brass that has been fired through glock factory barrels will cause casses excess bulging, some barrels more than others, I have found. If I were you I would go with the Lee "U" die for the first station and a factory crimp die, for the last station, and that should get you going on the right track. But remember to always barrel gauge your rounds, especially the ones you are going to shoot at matches. Practice rounds, not so important. because it can be a pain to barrel gauge 1k rounds just for a practice session.

Hope this helps

PK

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Thanks. Odd thing is this is the first time in almost 5 years that I have had any issue with any round coming out of the Dillon. I used to occasionally gauge rounds, but after so many thousands of rounds with nary a problem, I stopped.

But you are right about major matches. I don't mind the problem at a local shoot. To go to a major and have it puke over such a little thing would be a disastter.

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Thanks. Odd thing is this is the first time in almost 5 years that I have had any issue with any round coming out of the Dillon. I used to occasionally gauge rounds, but after so many thousands of rounds with nary a problem, I stopped.

But you are right about major matches. I don't mind the problem at a local shoot. To go to a major and have it puke over such a little thing would be a disastter.

There's a U Die in every one of my toolheads. Cheap insurance, really.

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Guys, I have just recently been having problems with 45acp on my 550b

I chamber checked 200 rounds about 25% of them with bulged brass. I odered a lee factory crimp for the last station. But you are say to get The Lee U die for the first station also? I already have a lee factory crimp for my 40 tool head, should I aslo get a U die for that also?

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Guys, I have just recently been having problems with 45acp on my 550b

I chamber checked 200 rounds about 25% of them with bulged brass. I odered a lee factory crimp for the last station. But you are say to get The Lee U die for the first station also? I already have a lee factory crimp for my 40 tool head, should I aslo get a U die for that also?

John, you might want to do a search of the forum on both and do some reading. There are tons of posts over the last couple of years on this subject. Some, myself included, prefer to solve the problem of bulged brass BEFORE the bullet is seated using the U die, others choose to do it after using the FCD, and still others use both.

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Guys, I have just recently been having problems with 45acp on my 550b

I chamber checked 200 rounds about 25% of them with bulged brass. I odered a lee factory crimp for the last station. But you are say to get The Lee U die for the first station also? I already have a lee factory crimp for my 40 tool head, should I aslo get a U die for that also?

John, you might want to do a search of the forum on both and do some reading. There are tons of posts over the last couple of years on this subject. Some, myself included, prefer to solve the problem of bulged brass BEFORE the bullet is seated using the U die, others choose to do it after using the FCD, and still others use both.

I have read alot but they seem to pertain to 40 cal more than 45. I've loaded 45acp for last few years but just started noticing more bulging cases this week. Must be someone at my club shooting one of those unsupported chambered guns. My first thought is to go with FCD first and see how that works out.

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