Just starting out with 9mm - problem with chambering on 1 out of every 10 or 15

[alexcue]

how about some details? what powder? what powder measure. You mentioned an LCT, is it the Auto Disc? what scale you using?

Powders can be tricky sometimes with certain powder measures. Unique comes to mind. While others measure like water. Nearly always spot on.

to add: some powders are very forgiving, some like Titegroup have a small window. So yes, a .1 of a grain can vary the load.

 

[hwswhacker1256]

Yes, it is Titegroup. The bullets are 115 grain FMJ and the O.A.L. is between 1.142 and 1.150. The powder measurer and scales or at a different location so I'll have to get back to you with that. The powder measurer is stand-alone. Measuring the thickness at the mouth end after crimping is pretty close to what it was after resizing which is around 0.374-0.376.

 

[Don P]

Way over crimped, don't shoot anymore until the problem is resolved.

According to Lee, if you use their factory crimp die you CANNOT over crimp the round and I seriously doubt that he is over crimping only having 1 out of 10 that will not chamber.

Another thing I noticed is that when I'm running the crimp die, sometimes I can feel resistance and other times I don't feel a thing. Maybe I need to tighten the expanding die so the bullet seats in farther. I have it set just so it will accept a bullet and no more.

Not all cases are the same. I see the same with 9mm, 40S&W and 45ACP.
Over expanding you case(belling the case) will not fix your issue

 

[oldengineer]

Yes, it is Titegroup. The bullets are 115 grain FMJ and the O.A.L. is between 1.142 and 1.150. The powder measurer and scales or at a different location so I'll have to get back to you with that. The powder measurer is stand-alone. Measuring the thickness at the mouth end after crimping is pretty close to what it was after resizing which is around 0.374-0.376.

I reload 115 gr Xtreme plated with Titegroup on a Dillon 550b press. I run 4.3 gr and a nominal OAL of 1.130. I don't trim and do a light taper crimp. They shoot nicely from a Sig P229, Glock 22 with Lone Wolf 9mm barrel, XD9 subcompact, and PPS M2.

 

[mikld]

Jes my short experience reloding 9mm (all other semi-auto rounds use these same methods). Yep, you can over crimp with a Lee die, it will bulge the case making full chambering problematic. Case length has little to do with a taper crimp, and I do not "crimp" any semi-auto ammo I reload. I just use a taper crimp die to "deflare" the case mouth. I haven't found a need for a case gauge if I have the gun I'm reloading for handy as I use the "plunk test" for my semi-auto ammo.

If there is a fit problem, measure. Measure the case diameter of finished rounds. Measure the bullet diameters. As a troubleshooting method, measure the case diameter after each operation; after cleaning, after sizing, after flaring, after bullet seating, after "crimping". To determine when the case becomes too big. If you are getting push back during feeding, measure the case mouth after sizing, measure the bullet diameter to insure proper neck tension, making sure the bullet seats tightly. Also, try seating and crimping in separate steps.

I have been successfully reloading for 3, 9mm pistols for several years, and if there is a "problem" I can find it with the above methods and correct it...