First time reloader

J

Jdbyers

Inactive
I reloaded for my first time a box of .40 s&w. I used 180 grain bullet with a charge of 5.4 and CCI primer #500. The powder used was HP-38. 90 bullets fired fairly decently but 10 got jammed in the barrel without ever firing. What did I do wrong? Did I not seat correctly? Do I need to debur? These first set of cases were store bought so I did not clean. Could my crimping be too tight or is my OAL off?

Thank you for your help

Jason
 
Jdbyers said:
I reloaded for my first time a box of .40 s&w. I used 180 grain bullet with a charge of 5.4 and CCI primer #500. The powder used was HP-38. 90 bullets fired fairly decently but 10 got jammed in the barrel without ever firing. What did I do wrong? Did I not seat correctly? Do I need to debur? These first set of cases were store bought so I did not clean. Could my crimping be too tight or is my OAL off?



Thank you for your help



Jason
Click to expand...



Can you post a picture of the ones that wouldn't fit?

I had a similar problem with 45 when I didn't crimp the cases enough to get rid of the flare.


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Welcome to TFL

I'd like to know what you mean by jammed in the "barrel" ? Feed jam where the "cartridge" never actually chambered or the bullet was released from the case and got stuck in the barrel ?

Or do you mean the whole cartridge would not extract ?

Can you give a little more details as to what specifically happened ?

Thanks
 
JD did you do the plunk test before you fired them? If not you should will save you a lot of troubles. What is your OAL?
 
Welcome to the wonderful, oft confusing/frustrating world of reloading...

I'd say your methods are at fault and perhaps you got some skewed info.? How did you find your reloading process info? I'd suggest a good read of The ABCs of reloading. K.I.S.S. Perhaps research/find info on OAL and "crimping" for semi-autos. Learn about the "Plunk Test" (how semi-auto rounds chamber).

"Jamming" can be caused by several things and from the info supplied so far, everything is a WAG...:(

Go slow, double check everything, and most important, have fun...
 
The powder used was HP-38. 90 bullets fired fairly decently but 10 got jammed in the barrel without ever firing.
Click to expand...

My best guess is a very light to no powder charge. Becomes very, very important to check the cases after charging and make sure the powder levels look correct. Don't trust that the press or powder throw worked. If you look at what happened was there any un burned powder to be seen? Look in the cases and see if the primers went bang as they should have it the bullets logged in the barrel.

Ron
 
"...but 10 got jammed in the barrel..." As in 10 rounds chambered but did not go bang vs bullets stuck in the barrel? Different things. 'Jammed' also means they didn't come out easily with just the extractor.
There are several causes for misfires. Usually about the primers not being seated right. But it could be OAL or not enough crimp. You need to post your OAL
.40 S&W Max OAL is 1.135". Measured from the pointy part to the flat part. No ogives.
5.4 grains is HP-38 is over max for a 185 grain bullet. Not enough to worry about though. It's only .4 over. Different manuals will account for that much. However, you should not be starting with the Max load anyway. Or just picking a load and hoping.
 
When you say that 10 rounds chambered but did not fire and were stuck;
Are you saying that the gun did not fire the rounds or that the gun fired but the bullets got stuck?

It is imperative to actually check to see that the rounds fit in the chamber after loading and will rotate freely. That means that the case is resting on its mouth and the bullet is not touching the rifling. (plunk test)
If a chambered round hits the rifling and holds the slide away from closing the gun will not fire. The bullet will be wedged in the rifling and it will hold the case in the chamber. The only way I have found to safely remove the round is to force the slide back removing the bullet from the case and then driving the bullet to the rear to free it from the rifling. I used a hardwood dowel to punch the bullet out and they come out easily.
The listed OAL in the loading manuals is often too long for my CZ as it has very little free bore. Switching from one bullet to another can cause this kind of problem and it seems that some of your bullets seated just enough deeper to work but a few were just a bit too long.
Having reloaded for revolvers most of my life I got used to having the OAL used in the book but when I started loading for the 9mm it opened my eyes to the differences in chambering in auto-loaders.
 
Re: post #7
5.4 grains of HP-38 is over max for a 185 grain bullet. 

The 40 S&W is a small case and just a small difference in powder charge or seating depth can make a big difference in pressure. With your 5.4 gr loads and 180 gr bullet, you are borderline high or over as pointed out above. Check your fired cases for possible primer flattening that could be a sign to reduce the load. Yesterday I fired some rounds with HP-38 and a 170 gr cast bullet that flattened primers and even expelled one. The HP load was close to max.
 
I'm relativley new, also. It does get better! :D The "PLONK TEST" mentioned above is an excellent way to check/verify your OAL.

Seat your bullet according to your manual(s) and then 'plonk' the round. THIS is more important than using a number. What you use for OAL might be long, might be short. OAL for YOUR barrel is YOUR OAL. If it plonks, good to go.

Read this: http://www.shootingtimes.com/reloading/reloading-tips-the-plunk-test/ You'll be glad you did....

GOOD LUCK!!!
 
As others have said, we need more information...

A few initial thoughts;

1. If you are new to reloading, you might be better off starting with straight walled pistol cartridges, like the 38 Special. That's usually the better place to learn. Starting with auto pistol cartridges, like the 40 S&W, require more knowledge and experience, and can get you into trouble very quickly. If you don't want to heed that advice, then see Point #3 below and also be extremely careful with bullet seating depth. The 40 S&W has a small case and seating bullets too deep will cause an over pressure condition very quickly. Also, learn to apply the right amount of Taper Crimp, so you don't run into bullet setback...which is another problem you don't want to have...it's no fun losing a hand...

2. Hopefully, you are loading on a Single Stage or Turret Press and NOT a Progressive. If you are loading on a Progressive, and you are a beginner, you are usually asking for trouble.

3. The rounds that got jammed in the barrel and didn't fire...sounds like you need a Cartridge Case Gauge, like this one from LE Wilson... https://www.midwayusa.com/product/276502/le-wilson-max-cartridge-gauge-40-s-and-w

I believe the 40 S&W, like the 9mm headspaces on the case mouth, so the gauge is essential. These gauges are something you should have for every round you load anyway.

4. ALWAYS reference a few Loading Manuals and work your way up from the lowest charge to the highest and test each round for Over Pressure. When you notice over pressure STOP. Drop to the last load that didn't cause the over pressure situation and that is the highest charge your pistol will tolerate. If you don't know how to recognize over pressure, STOP RELOADING, and re-read your Loading Manual instructions in this area. Another good point when loading for semi autos...you want to end up with a load that works the action properly and does not batter the frame.

Point #3 might solve your problem, based on the limited info we have. Please note the warnings I've given you and stay safe.

Let us know how you make out...
 
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Plunk Test

I observe that no one has detailed the specifics of the "Plunk Test"

The plunk test is intended to ensure proper chambering of the cartridges.

1) Remove your barrel from the firearm
2) hold the barrel, muzzle down and chamber up
3) take each loaded cartridge and drop it into the chamber of the barrel
4) the cartridge should drop in by gravity alone and make a quiet, solid "plunk"
5) the cartreidge base should be even with the barrel hood and the mouth of the cartridge up against the headspacing shoulder of the chamber
6) upend the barrel and the cartridge should fall out by gravity alone.

That is the essence of the plunk test.

There are Cartridge Case Gauges (essentially a chamber with no barrel, they do not go into any gun), made to SAAMI specifications that let you do the same thing without having to disassemble your gun.

You can modify the process of the plunk test as you like. Press the cartridge with your finger into the chamber if the cartridge does not fall in place and use your judgement if the slide would have enough force to chamber the round.

LIkely causes of your specific problem will depend on exactly where the failure to chamber happens.

Failure to feed up the feed ramp might be caused by the rounds being too long or the nose of the bullet jamming on the feed ramp. Or a magazine problem.

Chambering partway (like almost all the way, and being difficult to pull back out) likely is caused by the cartridge case being too large in diameter for the chamber or out of rouhd.

A picture of a jammed cartridge or a more detailed description would be helpful to diagnose the cause with more certainty.

Lost Sheep
 
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Starting to think that the OP is going to be a one and done poster. He has not replied to any ones questions or comments.
 
What type bullet are you using, cast or jacketed? Round nose or SWCs? SWCs could be more finicky to start with until seating depth and crimp method for instance are sorted out. Check out your seating depth to begin with. Make sure any neck flaring is removed but do not crimp into the bullet. I assume that the rounds failed to chamber and lodged up at an angle rather than the rounds chambering but contacting the lands due to excessive length and the action failing to close. If you are using cast SWCs, the bullets should be seated so the shoulder of the bullet is just barely above the case neck.

Or, if the rounds chambered "and jammed in the barrel without firing", that probably means that the rounds are too long and are jammed against the lands and the action not fully closing. The problem should be fairly easy to diagnose.
 
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For an accurate answer, IMO, we need less vague info., a little more specific. "Jamming" can mean anything from a failure to feed to a stovepipe and mebbe 5 or 6 things in between. Specific, clearer questions can be given clearer, more precise answers, rather than "shotgun" WAGs...:(
 
90 bullets fired fairly decently but 10 got jammed in the barrel without ever firing.
Click to expand...

"without firing"; that leads me to believe the length of the round prevented the slide from closing and as Martha says; "and that is a good thing".

F. Guffey
 
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