last call & SUCCESS w/ a dimple
This is it for Tales of the Tisas.
Yeah, to answer the barrel question, bamaboy bought me a barrel, I'd advised earlier but thought I'd repeat it. I was there, it was my reloaded ammo, but did not catch the fact that he'd had a squib. The gun was repairable and nobody got hurt and we both learned something. Tap, rack, evaluate is likely the better course than tap, rack, bang, or in this case, tap, rack...kaboom.
Regards the plunk test. A friend has loaned me a different crimp die, which will take my loads down to .468-9". The die I was using previously would only go down to .473", and then begin to roll crimp. This second die is a true taper crimp die. The 200/LSWC, crimped to .468-9, at a C.O.A.L of 1.250", does indeed plunk and can be manually unloaded easily. To date, LSWC cartridges loaded 1.250/.468-9" do feed and function.
The overal length and crimp change appears to have a positive result. I'd add here that the literature with the new Wilson mag recommends those very specs for best function. I even ran a quantity of 250 gr LRN/FP loads thru the taper die. These big slugs would not even go into battery previously. After passing through the taper crimp die, the extra heavy bullet loads feed and function too. Sorry can't advise on COAL on those.
Finally, the false locks.
My original diagnoses was that the nose of FMJ ball ammo was bumping the lug and that was correct. But I also was experiencing falselocks with LSWC occassionally as well, and there was no way that narrow nosed SWC was striking the lug. I was certain I was not bumping it with my hands while firing either. I'd shot the pistol enough at this point (500+ rds) to notice that "mild" ammo did not seem to have as many false locks as hotter loads. So I hypothesized that I may well have a "bounce" or inertial movement upon firing with the slide stop as well. Using a friends table top mill, I had a dimple cut in the face of the slide stop where the plunger bears. To date, two range sessions with full power, mixed LSWC and ball ammo and NO falselocks.