I'd get it right if I were you. You probably just need to seat the bullet a little deeper or your sizing die isn't adjusted to size far enough down the case. Those are just a guess but I'd find out what the problem is and fix it. Good enough is a bad habit reloading. You don't want to load 200 rounds and then need to pull 200 bullets, ask me how I know.

 

Your not lieing on that one! Its why I have a Ruger Blackhawk 45Colt/45ACP. The mistakes that won't run in my 45ACP semi will always work in the Blackhawk and saves me pulling the bullets.

If you are having trouble getting this round to run then they might be a little long and require a different seating depth. I find that a little pressure to get them to chamber properly is not much of a problem but your plunk test should work with reloads just as well as using a factory round.
If it does not then it is a flag something is not quite right.

I'm glad you are using the plunk test as your chamber in your gun is the best test of whether you are doing it right or not.

 

As glider stated, shorten up just a bit. Have you tried to shoot say 10 of these rounds yet?

 

Doing a plunk test is cool and all, but if the assembled ammo won't fit in your mags it's pretty useless. I did a plunk test on my XDM40 and seated until I was right off the lands. I got a good plunk. But they would not fit in my magazines.

With magazine fed weapons, I load to where they'll fit the mags first and then do a feeding/chambering test.

 

Try doing the plunk test with just a sized case. If it works OK, that indicates your problem is with OAL or crimp. If it doesn't work, your sizing die needs to be adjusted down further, as glider suggested.

I'm guessing that the problem is not enough crimp. Have you measured yours?

 

OAL is well under max.

OAL is always Firearm and Bullet specific, Not manual specific. If your handloads do not fit, then you are most likely Not under max for YOUR pistol.

 

What do your rounds measure the crimp and the oal that would give a better indication of what is going on. if it dose not fit don't force it get it right

 

I'm guessing that the problem is not enough crimp. Have you measured yours?

I guess I'm not sure exactly how to measure the crimp. I'm guessing from an empty case ran into the crimping die?
Would seem difficult to measure with verniers on a loaded round.

 

Measuring the crimp is a common practice. Almost all reloaders do it, particularly 45acp 1911 reloaders.

The concept is to measure the diameter of the loaded round case at the juncture of the case mouth and bullet. It can be tricky to measure because it's difficult to get your dial caliper jaws exactly perpendicular to the case. An often suggested method is to set your caliber jaws at the dimension you want your crimp to be and see if the jaws will slide over the case mouth.

Typical crimp dimensions are 0.468" to 0.472", with the most common being about 0.470". A few thousandths of an inch can make a big difference in the ease of a round being chambered.

 

Yes, its not just the barrel to be considered and that is why I make up a set of dummy loads when working with a new bullet combination. I want it to pass the plunk test, but also cycle in my guns. I load the dummies to be sure they will fit the magazines and hand cycle through all the guns in which that particular bullet combination will be used.

 

The ogive is a consideration. I made up rounds for year for one gun
and did not have a problem. Bought a new gun, went out the night
before a match and checked the point of aim, " one mag worth of ammo",
no problem. Went to the pin match, shot and tried to unload and
show clear and could not get the slide to open. Embarrassing! COL was fine but
the ogive was enough that the bullet was stuck in the rifling.

 

As others will tell you, when it comes to reloading, details and specifics mater. A "slight" crimp, and OAL "well under max" does not give any information that will allow others to help you.

There is absolutely no reason to accept any feature (form or function) LESS than factory loads, simply because these are reloads. EVERY reload specification should meet or exceed that of factory rounds.

Spend some time reading through the reloading bench section of the forum, and you will quickly see that the more detailed information you can give us, the better we can help you work through any stumbling block you may hit.

Take it slow and enjoy the process, but do not accept anything that falls short of your checks and balances.

 

No, I do not expect my hand loads to fail the "plunk test". It is a very easy test to see if my ammo fits/chambers in my gun properly. Why do a test if you expect your ammo to fail?

 

A "slight" crimp, and OAL "well under max" does not give any information that will allow others to help you.

I was not trying to be non-precise, its just that my computer is in the house, and my reloading equipment is out in my shop. I will gather the specifics when I go out there.
While I do indeed appreciate the advice offered, and will certainly return for more when I do have "the numbers" at hand, my intention in making this specific post was to inquire as to folks opinion on the suitability of the fit as depicted in the third barrel in the diagram.
Put another way, if it is generally accepted, in general terms, that a reloaded rifle cartridge will not chamber as easily as easily as factory round(unless I suppose small base dies were used) than why should a handgun cartridge not be expected to fit a bit snugly a well? I'm assuming the handgun sizing dies resize to a greater extent than rifle dies?

 

buy a case gauge! seriously, don't mess around with plunk tests... use a case gauge manufactured to follow SAAMI spec.

 

REALLY????? So if it fits the case gage it will fit my gun?????? And that will mean everything is good???? But if it fits the gage and not my gun then is my gun bad???????

 

If you only have one pistol chambered is a given caliber don't waste your money on a gage that you already have, which is the chamber of that pistol.
The only thing dropping ammo in a case gage proves is that the ammo fits that particular gage, better off making sure it fits your pistol.

 

Wow... well, I know I'm an FNG an all but I'm really going to need to adjust to the mentality around here...

I'll step away with my silliness and let this continue on... don't buy a case gauge, you are only reloading for one gun.

 

I've managed to reload for 40 years without a case gauge. I'm not saying a case gauge would not be useful, but there IS more than one way to skin a cat.

 

I have found that some reloads will not fit in a case gauge because the rim of the brass is dinged.

Now that is not to say said dinged rim round will not chamber and fire. I usually set those rounds aside to see if they will cycle in the firearm. This is usually only on range pick-up brass.

I run every round I make through a case gauge.

 

A case gauge is one of those items that are sometimes misunderstood. Some folks presume that a round must fit the case gauge in order to be of “proper” specification or to fit in the gun. Neither of those is true. A case gauge, if properly dimensioned, is a gauge of the SAAMI specifications – or something close to that (I presume). Folks can use it as a general guide of whether their ammunition will fit in a chamber of those dimensions – but that is the limit of the interpretation. Actual chamber dimensions can vary from case gauge dimensions for a host of reasons: not the least of which is whether the chamber reamer used for your specific chamber was new or worn.

A case gauge’s usefulness is limited for practical reasons. The most obvious is that it might not be the same dimensions as the barrel’s chamber. Thus it is possible for a loaded round to fit the case gauge but not fit in the barrel’s chamber. And vice versa. The chamber might be tight or loose. Same for the case gauge! If you hang around forums long enough you’ll see examples of both of these situations. People get mighty confused by this.

The best practical advise is: forget the case gauge and use your barrel’s chamber as the case gauge, after all, you will be shooting your ammo from your gun and not from the case gauge. It really doesn’t matter if the ammo fits the case gauge; it only matters if it fits the chamber.

 

RetiredRod gave good sound information, size just a case see if it will plunk.

One more thing you said that you had minimum bell on your case mouth, that is good. but sometimes if you do not have enough bell when loading cast lead bullets you can shave a little bit of lead and squeeze a little bit of lube, that can build up on the case mouth and not allowing it to plunk.

On the case gauge, after you have determine that your OAL and crimp will pass the plunk test, it is much easier and faster to check your rounds with a case gauge IMHO.

 

Well, truth be told, I've been messing with this for awhile now and it about had me nuts, but I think I've got it now.
My cases are sized to .467 and all plunk easily.
I flared to .470
My commercial cast 230 gr RN bullets measure .451
I have them seated to an OAL of 1.234
In my notes I have scribbled down .473, which I believe is the case mouth after the bullet was seated.
After crimping I am at .471. The plunk is fine, EXCEPT it takes the tiniest amount of "jiggle" to have it come free and drop out, even just a "thwack" with my index finger, like you were flicking off a bug will release it. I suspect learjet 56 is right about the bit of lube.
The "proof of the pudding" will of course when I load up 25 or so, and see how they run.

 

Here's part of your problem, the diameter of the round after you seat is larger than what you flare the case to before you seat.... I'd be VERY willing to bet that you're shaving the hell out of those slugs. Try belling a bit more (somewhere @ .480 would be my upper limit) and crimping at .471 SHOULD be fine, but you might have a tight chamber and .469-.470 might work better. Setting the OAL with differing ogives is relatively easy, just make a dummy round a little on the long side with the belling just removed, set it in your chamber, and adjust the die to re-seat the bullet a little deeper, repeat as necessary until you get flush or a hair below the hood as in your diagram. Then THAT is the correct OAL for that bullet in your gun.


Dan

 

Try cleaning a couple of rounds with a rag and see if that helps. The lube can appear translucent if it has been compressed by the crimp die.

Might want to make sure the chamber is clean if you already have not.

Stick with it you will get it figured out

 

Build 7 fire 7 that will tell you if your good.Make sure all your powder is right oal is within spec , its not like your gun will blow up, it will cycle or it wont.

 

Lead shavings on the case mouth/rim can cause some heartache at times. Just something else to check for.

 

Are shavings themselves sign of a problem, or are they to be somewhat expected when using cast bullets?

 

like the M die

M die?

 

http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/dies/pistolmdie.php

 

Plunking is a good way to see if it fits the gun-but I made some rounds that plunked but wouldn't feed. Load a batch and fire them, you still might have to adjust a little to run in your gun. No need for a case gauge ,you barrel will work just fine and you already bought it.

 

Lead shavings are usually caused by not having a big enough bell on the case. When the bullet is pushed into the case by the seating die it shaves a small amount of lead from the bullet and it makes a shelf on top of the case mouth. This is why sometimes a round fails the plunk test and could result in a firearms failure to return to battery