.380Auto rounds not loading properly

C

cdoc42

New member
Where should I look to correct handloads that don't routinely load properly?

I traded a .380 Auto Beretta Model 84B for a new Browning 1911-380. I have never had any problem with handloads using Remington 88gr HP, 88gr cast, or 90gr Hornady XTP in the Beretta.

When I tried the Remington and Hornady reloads in the new Browning, about a dozen of both combined produced the following problems, all others functioned without issue:

1) did not chamber completely, requiring me to complete the cycle by putting a small amount of pressure on the back of the slide(most common problem)
2) 2 had primers that did not ignite and no sign of primer impact
3) 2-3 jammed trying to enter the chamber, keeping the bolt open with the cartridge out of position in the chamber

I reload 9mm Luger, .38 Auto, and 45 APC and I have NEVER encountered this situation. I'm thinking the problem is with the reloads since the large majority of the cartridges functioned. As such I don't think the bullets are the problem unless the seating depth was off on the non-functioning rounds.
Is case length something to look at? What am I missing?
 
I'm going to guess the problem is a bit with both. Could very well be a tight barrel with these new guns.

I would suggest starting with sizing a few different cases and then seeing if they will seat fully in the barrel. if so move on and make up a couple test rounds and then start again plunk testing.

My new S&W 380EZ had to be seated deeper in get them to seat. Also had the same problem with a Witness 45acp that I eventually had to go to a Lee FCD to get a reliable seat.
 
about a dozen of both combined produced the following problems, all others functioned without issue:
Click to expand...

New gun, some (but only a few) of your "old" reloads (made for a different gun) didn't work right. The rest did. PROPBABLY just a new gun break in issue, assuming the problem rounds are within spec.
 
1) did not chamber completely, requiring me to complete the cycle by putting a small amount of pressure on the back of the slide(most common problem)

Bullet seated a bit too far out. Reseat slightly deeper.

2) 2 had primers that did not ignite and no sign of primer impact.

Just a guess on this one. If you can remove the firing pin you might try cleaning the firing pin tunnel of excess grease or other debris.. Also it could be a firing pin spring that's a bit too stiff. Only other thing I can think of is the main spring that powers the hammer is weak. I can't any of those are the solution but that's what I'd look at.

3) 2-3 jammed trying to enter the chamber, keeping the bolt open with the cartridge out of position in the chamber.

Polish the feed ramp. I've done a few 1911s and it's not hard. Just go slow and make things smooth. It doesn't take much.
Paul B.
 
You've got a new gun. New guns are not shipped with what we consider an "operating" lubricant. The "oil" is a preservative, and while it may have some lubricating properties, it's usually not the recommended stuff for running the gun.

Strip the gun, remove all lube and any debris, then lube with proper lubricant, and THEN run a couple hundred rounds of factory ammo through it. THEN, if you're still having issues, you might look at modifying the gun, or best, dealing with the factory as covered warranty work.

DO not work on the gun or have non factory work done, YET. Double check your reload process and understand that some guns require a bit more "tuned" ammo to run well, especially when new.

IF the leade in the barrel of your new gun is shorter than expected, its not impossible that ammo that works fine in a different gun might be just a bit tooo long for the new one. Lots of things are possible, get the new gun broken in, then we'll work on eliminating issues if they still exist.
 
I would shoot the new Browning more before jumping to any conclusions regarding ammo. Make sure it is thoroughly cleaned and properly lubed, then get some rounds through it. After you got at least 300 to 500 (minimum), if you are still having difficulties with a certain load, then consider changes. Clean and lube should eliminate the light/no primer strikes. If it only took a slight push to get it the rest of the way into battery when that happened, it is unlikely ammo related and more likely clean, lube, break in related...in my opinion. I have seen similar issues in the past with mine and other folks new guns that went away by themselves with break-in. Initial cleaning and lube is important, more so with some guns.
 
Loading for a new gun is like loading for a new caliber. Not by the book, by trial and error. Usually not a problem, but as in your case, a little trial and error is necessary. Its been a while since I loaded .380 but I remember removing the barrel from my Browning BDA and plunk testing every round. OAL is usually the problem but I remember the cases would sometimes bulge a little so I reduced the depth of the sizing die. That worked. As I remember I was only sizing about 1/8 inch, that was all that was necessary.
 
When this has happened to me it was due to the crimp, or rather the lack thereof. I did a batch of 45 where my adjustments were off and my 1911 choked on a couple rounds with too much flare- like you say the symptom is the slide returning just slightly out of battery.

Note to self: plunk test that first round of each batch every time!
 
Thanks to all!! I made a list of things-to-do from the advice given here. Probably last on the list is to use factory rounds since the last time I bought any was 43 years ago. The plunk test and bullet seating depth makes sense and I already disassembled it, cleaned and lubed everything with Microil.

Another trip to the range will prove it.
 
I bought a new Rock Island Armory “Baby Rock” 1911-380 and had the same challenges. In my case, I had some factory loads...and they ran like a champ. My loads...a whole bunch of problems. Tried everything suggested here...seat deeper, Lee FCD, strip clean lube. In the end I figured out there were two of my 5 factory mags that produced all of the problems.

I avoid those mags now, and everything’s fine. She’ll eat round nose, JHP, flat nose, plated, haven’t had any challenges based on projectiles. One day I’ll figure out what’s wrong with those mags....or not!
 
It is hard for me to think that an absence of evidence of a primer impact is an ammo issue. The others could conceivably go either way, but that symptom would have me looking at the pistol, starting with cleaning and lube. Is the new pistol new in box, or just new to you?
 
The main reason we say "run factory ammo" through it is because factory ammo is made to work in all guns throughout the normal range of tolerances.

Mostly, it does. It's a "known standard" and while that is an assumption, its a fair one, most of the time. There are, and have been exceptions.

The other benefit is you get more brass for reloading! ;)

Is case length something to look at? What am I missing?
Click to expand...

Case length is always something to look at, but not something to obsess on as much as for bottle neck rifle rounds.

are you giving your .380s a bit of a crimp?? I've had some guns (in other calibers) that would run fine without any crimp, just straitened cases to remove the seating flare, and other guns that would choke unless some crimp (taper) was applied.

Had a bunch of .45ACP do that, ran fine in a couple guns, would choke a round or 3 in a hundred, until I ran the ammo through a taper crimp die, and just barely "kissed" it. Then it would run fine in the gun that had been choking.

Just something to consider..
 
Tailgator, the piece is brand new.

Update: I did the plunk test on 25 rounds of various boxes I had reloaded which contained Hornady 90gr XTP and 88gr Remington I purchased I think before I was born. I also bought a box of factory rounds of 90gr HP. Everything plunked right in, no problem.

I had isolated the troublesome rounds - 4 of them - and NONE plunked in. A closer look showed a bulge in the case from the seated bullet in all cases, resulting in an increased diameter in roughly the middle of the case. Reason I suspect was the bullet entered the seating die at an angle and maybe the mouth was not belled enough because the case might have been shorter than all others. Make sense? I gonna pull, resize and reseat.
Hopefully tomorrow I will test fire again.
 
Update: I test fired factory and handloads and I had failure to seat only in 88gr handloads that I feel are probably seated too deeply (OAL 0.929") compared to 90gr (OAL 0.980)that reveal no problems.

Thanks to all for your advice!
 
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