Where is the mistake?

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albog

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I am new to reloading. I've reloaded about 20 rounds of .40S&W on my Dillon RL 550B, using Dillon dies, and the rounds have a slightly noticeable "waiste" in the middle, right where the bullet's back end is. When I shot them, I could notice a higher pressure compared to factory rounds and they kept jamming the gun.

Which station did I set up wrong? Resizing and depriming or crimping? To me, feels like the first station - resizing and depriming, as the crimping station doesn not require an effort to push/pull the handle, the first station does.

Input will be appreciated.
 
How is your COL ? If you're seating too deep pressures will rise significantly. This might also account for the brass distortion and tendency to jamb.
 
Hard extraction is ussualy a sign of overpressure. What load are you using? I load .40 with dillon dies on my 550 as well. A slight buldge look at the base of the bullet is normal but if it is large then your bullets may be too large in diameter. They should measure about .401". Do the loaded rounds drop freely into the barrel when it is removed from the gun?? The round should drop in freely and go all the way in with just gravity. if it needs a little push then either the case is too big or the bullet is seated out too far and hitting the rifling.What type of gun are you firing from? Also as mentioned above too deep of a seating will raise pressures alot.
hope some of this helps

Andy
 
albog said:
I am new to reloading. I've reloaded about 20 rounds of .40S&W on my Dillon RL 550B, using Dillon dies, and the rounds have a slightly noticeable "waiste" in the middle, right where the bullet's back end is. When I shot them, I could notice a higher pressure compared to factory rounds and they kept jamming the gun.

Which station did I set up wrong? Resizing and depriming or crimping? To me, feels like the first station - resizing and depriming, as the crimping station doesn not require an effort to push/pull the handle, the first station does.

Input will be appreciated.
Click to expand...


Relax, all is well.

Dillon dies are designed to produce exactly the result you are seeing with regards to the wasp waist middle.

The bullet is retained by the case wall tension, and as an added measure of security against feed ramp setback, the wasp waist tends to reduce bullet set back.

Set your size die by running the shellplate up to the top, then screw the sizing die to make contact.

Crimping should be only enough to eliminate the belling from the powder die, plus maybe .001

As for your pressure and jamming issues, we'll need more information. What bullet, what powder, and what OAL.
 
OK, I'll try to answer all questions. I actually used two guns - Para Ordnance S1640 Limited 1911 and HK USP Expert. The jams occurred in both guns. I would understand if it would have happenned only with Para (it's very finicky with the type of ammo, doesn't cycle well anything but American Eagle Round Nose), but the HK usually eats everything you feed it.

The listed COL (Lyman 49th Edition) for that round is 1.143 in. I made the COL at around 1.15", partially due to the feeding problems with Para (a gunsmith told me that to feed this gun flawlessly, the rounds should be close to 1.2 in.). I used 160 gr. jacketed round nose bullets and Blue Dot powder.

I set up the sizing die exactly as you described - lifted the shell pate and screwed in the die to touch it. I also noticed that in 90% of the cases, when I load progressively, something is seizing, it takes quite a bit of an effort to bring the handle back up - I don't think it's normal, but I am not sure which station does that - 1st or 2nd.

I think the crimp die is set up OK, it requires a minimum effort to crimp the case.



albog said:
I am new to reloading. I've reloaded about 20 rounds of .40S&W on my Dillon RL 550B, using Dillon dies, and the rounds have a slightly noticeable "waiste" in the middle, right where the bullet's back end is. When I shot them, I could notice a higher pressure compared to factory rounds and they kept jamming the gun.

Which station did I set up wrong? Resizing and depriming or crimping? To me, feels like the first station - resizing and depriming, as the crimping station doesn not require an effort to push/pull the handle, the first station does.

Input will be appreciated.
Click to expand...
 
You don't mention your load, just the powder used. Blue Dot is a tad slow for .40. By the time you build up a working charge that doesn't stove pipe, velocitys should be pretty high.

Also, where did you get your brass? Glocks tend to phuck up cases, due to the unsupported chamber bulging brass.

Take the barrels out of your guns, and chamber check the ammo. If you find a portion of the ammo doesn't simply drop into the chamber, you have your answer.
 
My load was around 7.7 - 7.8 grain. Lyman lists a minimum load of 7.3 gr. and maximum of 8.2 for this powder/bullet combination. The brass is mixed, but it was collected at the range predominantly after shooting the Para and HK, and I was shooting only factory ammo from Para and HK. It may be that some Glock brass was mixed in there as well, but the "wasting" is consistent on all reloaded cases. I'll chamber/barrel test the cases,as you suggested, later today and will let you know. By the way, which powder would you recommend for 40S&W, 9 mm. and 45ACP for best results - mainly, for competition shooting?

Thanks for your help.

Canuck223 said:
You don't mention your load, just the powder used. Blue Dot is a tad slow for .40. By the time you build up a working charge that doesn't stove pipe, velocitys should be pretty high.

Also, where did you get your brass? Glocks tend to phuck up cases, due to the unsupported chamber bulging brass.

Take the barrels out of your guns, and chamber check the ammo. If you find a portion of the ammo doesn't simply drop into the chamber, you have your answer.
Click to expand...
 
I use VV N320 for 9mm. For a back up powder, I use Clays Universal. I don't currently load .40, but I used to use VV N330. For .45, I used to use Win 231 or AA#5, but that was a long time ago. I prefer the Viht powders as they are very clean burning and meter like water for very consistant loads.

You should be getting that coke bottle waist on your cases. It's not an exception, it's the norm.

What many guys will do to boost reliability is replace the Dillon crimp die with the Lee Factory Crimp die. It sizes the case a second time after seating the bullet, and gets more of the case sized just ahead of the extractor groove.
 
I 've loaded all those with WW231. Good mid range powder. for faster loads in 40 and 9mm I like power pistol for .40 and AA#7 for 9mm. I load a minor PF .40 load with a 180 gr lead TC bullet at 1.125 with 3.7 grains of WW231. Its a little smokey but very accurate and light recoiling. One guy who tried said it was like shooting a .22. Only makes about 135 PF so good for IDPA SSP/ESP or IPSC minor. The same 180 gr lead TC bullet with 5.9 grns of power pistol is clean and accurate and about a 175 PF. All from my S&W M&P40.
Hope this helps
Andy
 
Small bulge in the case is nornal. I also use W231 in my 40's. 5.2-5.3 gr.s pushing 160 gr RNFP Frontier's, OAL = 1.125. Nice snap and good accuracy. Blue Dot is a slow burning powder, a faster burning powder like Bullseye, Titegroup, 231, etc. may solve your problem.
 
Thanks everybody for your help and advice. Forgive me, but I have to ask a stupid question - are 10 mm/.40 and .40S&W same calibers? If not, I think the shop where I've got the dies gave me the wrong ones - I've asked for 40S&W and they sent me 10 mm/40.

That may explain the problem - the bulge is being done at the first (resizing and priming) station. If 10 mm/.40 is slightly smaller than 40S&W, the die rezizes the case too much for 40S&W, thus creating a bulge. That's why the round sticks in the die on the second (powder) station.

Let me know what you think.



Canuck223 said:
I use VV N320 for 9mm. For a back up powder, I use Clays Universal. I don't currently load .40, but I used to use VV N330. For .45, I used to use Win 231 or AA#5, but that was a long time ago. I prefer the Viht powders as they are very clean burning and meter like water for very consistant loads.

You should be getting that coke bottle waist on your cases. It's not an exception, it's the norm.

What many guys will do to boost reliability is replace the Dillon crimp die with the Lee Factory Crimp die. It sizes the case a second time after seating the bullet, and gets more of the case sized just ahead of the extractor groove.
Click to expand...
 
albog said:
Thanks everybody for your help and advice. Forgive me, but I have to ask a stupid question - are 10 mm/.40 and .40S&W same calibers? If not, I think the shop where I've got the dies gave me the wrong ones - I've asked for 40S&W and they sent me 10 mm/40.

That may explain the problem - the bulge is being done at the first (resizing and priming) station. If 10 mm/.40 is slightly smaller than 40S&W, the die rezizes the case too much for 40S&W, thus creating a bulge. That's why the round sticks in the die on the second (powder) station.

Let me know what you think.
Click to expand...

The same sizing die is used for both 10mm and .40. The die sets are the same.
 
That how my dillion dies are marked. One die for .40 S&W and 10mm auto just adjusted differently and different primers of course.
Andy
 
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I have a dillon 550 and I load 40s. After I seat and taper crimp the bullet have the same noticeable bulge (for lack of a better word) and they work just fine.


JonnyBender
 
I notice a couple of the guys here both load their .40's to COL = 1.125.

I think your next step is to make a dummy to 1.125". Use it to try the clunk test per ampegor's post above. If this round fits your mags ok and you get the clunk, load a few and try em.
 
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