Fairly new to reloading - help with jamming please

[Longleaf]

I would try that load in a different pistol other than an XD and see if you have the same issue.

 

[Kilimanj99]

Thanks, Yoder,

Yes, I watched a few videos on the factory resizing die.

"They shouldn't be bulged that bad after resizing." The images show before and after, before resizing it bulged but after it fits like a charm, and no more bulging. Measurements are close to factory rounds too.

"When I first started reloading I made up 1000 rounds of 9mm like a genius without testing them. When I got to the range my gun wouldn't cycle. It was a single shot." Funny, this is almost exactly the same thing I did except I tested the first 50, and all shot perfectly so I proceeded with the rest.

First I will test holding the gun properly when firing. I only thought of that after I cleaned everything up and didn't feel like setting it all back up to try again. Maybe tomorrow.

Yes, 5.3 is near max load, the one lower setting is close to the min load so I figured max was better than min. I do plan to try min a few times too.

K

 

[docdoc]

From your description of the second round firing when you pull the slide back and let it go forward again. It sounds like the second round is not letting the gun go into battery on feeding, but the second impact from pulling back puts it into battery. That means you have not done the sizing and or seating quite right. If you take the barrel off, it serves as a nice case gauge. Your loaded round should freely drop in and give a "plunk" sound. Try it, then if it hangs up measure to see what dimension is off.

 

[Vern400]

Hello,

I have a Springfield XDM9 9MM in which I am reloading the 9MM rounds. When I first started, I test-fired 50 reloads and they all worked without a jam. I continued to make about 1000 total. Went to the range today and every other round jammed.

Fire the first round - all good, the second round would not position correctly to be fired. The slide jammed hard shut to the point where even the range guy had difficulty unjamming it. This occurred with every second fire (about 5 attempts). The first bullet fired fine, second jammed. I tried factory loads and they worked fine, 100 rounds fired. I am 99% sure it’s the cycling that is jamming, not the firing, the second bullet jams before it's even fired.

My question is, what is my problem? Any tips on things to try?

At first, I was thinking it was not enough powder to cycle the chamber correctly. Although it does fire a little heavier than the factory rounds. So maybe it's too much powder. Since the die for powder is not adjustable and it worked fine with the first 50, I'm wondering if it's something else.

The next thing I was thinking of is the length. I did fool around with the dies to try to get a bullet feeder working, I wonder if I'm not crimping it down as far, I thought I measured but I'll have to go back over some and check.

The last thing, has anyone tried making a DIY clearing or bullet trap? As I try to fix these issues I want to test them without having to go to the range. Thinking of a 3-6" diameter few feet long metal conduit tube and filling it with water and/or sand to fire into. Or just buy one of these https://www.range-systems.com/product/guardian-compact-clearing-trap/ any thoughts?

Thanks in advance

Hello,

I have a Springfield XDM9 9MM in which I am reloading the 9MM rounds. When I first started, I test-fired 50 reloads and they all worked without a jam. I continued to make about 1000 total. Went to the range today and every other round jammed.

Fire the first round - all good, the second round would not position correctly to be fired. The slide jammed hard shut to the point where even the range guy had difficulty unjamming it. This occurred with every second fire (about 5 attempts). The first bullet fired fine, second jammed. I tried factory loads and they worked fine, 100 rounds fired. I am 99% sure it’s the cycling that is jamming, not the firing, the second bullet jams before it's even fired.

My question is, what is my problem? Any tips on things to try?

At first, I was thinking it was not enough powder to cycle the chamber correctly. Although it does fire a little heavier than the factory rounds. So maybe it's too much powder. Since the die for powder is not adjustable and it worked fine with the first 50, I'm wondering if it's something else.

The next thing I was thinking of is the length. I did fool around with the dies to try to get a bullet feeder working, I wonder if I'm not crimping it down as far, I thought I measured but I'll have to go back over some and check.

The last thing, has anyone tried making a DIY clearing or bullet trap? As I try to fix these issues I want to test them without having to go to the range. Thinking of a 3-6" diameter few feet long metal conduit tube and filling it with water and/or sand to fire into. Or just buy one of these https://www.range-systems.com/product/guardian-compact-clearing-trap/ any thoughts?

Thanks in advance

Make sure your overall length is in spec and very close to factory ball ammo or HP if that's what you're loading. If you suspect you're loading hotter than factory, back off to a mid-range load and try that. If you're that far off you're probably over pressure.

Get a max cartridge gage and a Lee factory crimp die. If you have a swell or burr on a bullet or case the die will straighten it out. And if it fits the gage it's going to fit your gun and feed 99.9 percent of the time. Don't run a factory without quality assurance tools. I had a similar problem when I first started loading 45 ACP because some dies allow the bullet to start crooked and bulge the case. Now I have check does for every caliber I load in pistol.

I probably should not do this because of liability, but I keep my own hand loads in my defensive weapons. Admittedly, they are special rounds with sealed bullets and primer pockets. I may go overboard on quality, and I can only load 100 or 150 rounds per hour. Any cartridge with the slightest defect that I can detect goes in a junk bucket for just going bang. The rest I bet my life on. If that's where you want to go, buy the die and gage. I have more misfires, FTF, FTE from factory loads. And I'm not willing to fun shoot with one load and carry something else I can't afford to use regularly.

 

[Kilimanj99]

New updates.

Part 1:
- With the crimping die set to no crimp just to shorten the round slightly and the factory die to fix the bulging, I believe I have achieved the factory dimensions. I still need to get to a range to properly test 50-100 of them. The clearing chamber has been a big help.

Part 2:
- Then after some more research I started second-guessing everything we'd done. Here's why:

I went to Hodgdons website and entered the data in their calculator for how many grains to target. I saw two sizes, .355" and .356" (see image). I then looked at what I had purchased and it was Hornady FMJ .355 (see image). When looking at Hodgdon's site again we see .355 is HP. Not what I have. The .356 is the FMJ. So I went to Hornady's web site and they don't even make a .356 FMJ. I doubt .005 of an inch makes much of a different in grain load but who knows. I'll find out soon. Just need to make 100 or so of these and get to the range.

Im my research I did find some good info I thought I'd share though.

Hodgdons reloading reference: https://www.hodgdonreloading.com/reloading-data-center

9mm Lugar Dimensions

Bullet diameter	9.01 mm (0.355 in)
Land diameter	8.82 mm (0.347 in)
Neck diameter	9.65 mm (0.380 in)
Base diameter	9.93 mm (0.391 in)
Rim diameter	9.96 mm (0.392 in)
Rim thickness	1.27 mm (0.050 in)
Case length	19.15 mm (0.754 in)
Overall length	29.69 mm (1.169 in)

 

[wayno945]

LRN = Lead Round Nose. Not FMJ. Cast bullets are always slightly oversized.

 

[Pickettpuncher]

LRN = Lead Round Nose. Not FMJ. Cast bullets are always slightly oversized.

Plated bullets are oversized as well.

 

[Kilimanj99]

LRN = Lead Round Nose. Not FMJ. Cast bullets are always slightly oversized.

Haha, yes, my mistake, like it says on the screen shot LRN. I was looking at FMJ while typing this and it must have just come out. You know how that happens sometimes.

 

[greyling]

my lead bullets are sized to .358 for my guns.

.355 vs .356 shouldn't matter.

however: "shouldn't" is not the same as "doesn't"

 

[Kilimanj99]

Good news all... went out to the range tonight and was 100% successful, no jams.

The trick was to resize, shrinking the length slightly, then run it through the factory die to get the neck and collar diameters right. All measurements within tolerances = great success!

Thanks again to everyone who helped and Happy Holidays!