Advice needed for dummy round

[Kuyong_Chuin]

Sized and deprimed 415 rounds while watching True Grit and decided to setup my other dies and make a dummy round and ran into a problem that I just can't figure out. It is not making since to me. It is a 40 S&W round with a 180 grain FMJ bullet, factory rounds OAL is 1.132 an fits the barrel perfectly. My dummy rounds OAL is 0.130. Now here is the problem when I drop the dummy round in the barrel it sits up above where it is supposed to sit by 0.065 inches. :banghead: Any ideas on what the problem might be?

 

[ole farmerbuck]

Take a dry erase marker and color the dummy round. Drop it in and wiggle it just a little. That should show you where it's hitting.

 

[Kuyong_Chuin]

Take a dry erase marker and color the dummy round. Drop it in and wiggle it just a little. That should show you where it's hitting.

Thanks, it was hitting the front edge of the bullet itself. I pulled the bullet and replaced it with another and it works fine. So I guess I had a bad one in the batch. Buggered it up some pulling it with pliers but oh well I might still be able to use it if I clean it up some.

 

[ole farmerbuck]

What brand of bullets are you using?

 

[Kuyong_Chuin]

What brand of bullets are you using?

Good question, but I don't have an answer right now. bds sent me some to get me started so all I know is they are 180 grain FMJ bullets in .40 S&W.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Buggered it up some pulling it with pliers but oh well I might still be able to use it if I clean it up some.

First off, there is no good reason to use a bullet you mangled with a pair of pliers! (unless it was the last bullet you had and a zombie was after you of course...) Secondly, every reloader should have a real bullet puller. Kinetic bullet pullers will only cost you right around $15 and a collet bullet puller can be found for as little as $20 plus a little more for the correct caliber collet. The correct tool make the job easier and you can reuse the bullets too...

 

[steve4102]

Different bullet, different profile = different OAL.

Forget the factory round dimensions , you are not using the same bullet.

Seat the bullet so it fits your barrel, if it doesn't fit, you can't fire it.

 

[Kuyong_Chuin]

First off, there is no good reason to use a bullet you mangled with a pair of pliers! (unless it was the last bullet you had and a zombie was after you of course...) Secondly, every reloader should have a real bullet puller. Kinetic bullet pullers will only cost you right around $15 and a collet bullet puller can be found for as little as $20 plus a little more for the correct caliber collet. The correct tool make the job easier and you can reuse the bullets too...

That is next on my list of things I need to get. Some I need and somethings I don't absolutely need but will get as I get the money saved up for. Bullet puller is a must. For me another tumbler is a must do to the last one didn't work and I sent it back. I know I don't really need it but I am going to get a chronograph when I can.

 

[gamestalker]

steve4102 nailed it. OAL is bullet and firearm specific.

I would rather doubt that a bad bullet caused your problem, something doesn't sound quite right. What doesn't sound quite right, is the OP mangled a bullet stated to be bad, by pulling it with pliers, and then intends to re-use it?

First, what is meant by "bad".

And second, if it was some deformed prior to loading it the first time, or bad as it were, I can't imagine how it could possibly be in any better condition after being pulled with pliers? Maybe I missed something?

And for heavens sake, buy a puller, there is no reason to destroy a bullet by trying to pull it with pliers.

Let us know if you need help learning how to determine what the correct OAL is for your firearm.

GS

 

[LiveLife]

bds sent me some to get me started so all I know is they are 180 grain FMJ bullets in .40 S&W.

I think I sent you 40S&W 180 gr Berry's plated RSFP (Round Shoulder Flat Point) and 9mm 115 gr Winchester FMJ.

factory rounds OAL is 1.132 an fits the barrel perfectly. My dummy rounds OAL is 1.130.

Different brand bullets may have different nose/base profiles even though they are the same bullet nose shape/weight and may require different OAL/COL to work depending on the barrel's leade length and start of rifling (BTW, same bullet and also Berry's 180 gr TCFP bullets seated to SAAMI max of 1.135" will pass the barrel drop test in Glock/M&P/Lone Wolf barrels using .421"-.422" taper crimp although I typically use 1.125"-1.130" with these bullets).

An example is 9mm Winchester 115 gr FMJ vs Berry's 115 gr plated HBRN. Although they are the same weight and round nose shape, Winchester FMJ loaded to SAAMI max of 1.169" will pass the barrel drop test in both KKM/Lone Wolf barrels but Berry's plated HBRN will hit the start of rifling at 1.149" because the shape of bullet nose (ogive) is different.

Forget the factory round dimensions , you are not using the same bullet.

Seat the bullet so it fits your barrel

Ding Ding Ding.

 

[Kuyong_Chuin]

steve4102 nailed it. OAL is bullet and firearm specific.

I would rather doubt that a bad bullet caused your problem, something doesn't sound quite right. What doesn't sound quite right, is the OP mangled a bullet stated to be bad, by pulling it with pliers, and then intends to re-use it?

First, what is meant by "bad".

And second, if it was some deformed prior to loading it the first time, or bad as it were, I can't imagine how it could possibly be in any better condition after being pulled with pliers? Maybe I missed something?

And for heavens sake, buy a puller, there is no reason to destroy a bullet by trying to pull it with pliers.

Let us know if you need help learning how to determine what the correct OAL is for your firearm.

GS

There was something wrong with the bullet before I mangled it with pliers that I couldn't see with the naked eye. When I replaced the bullet seated to the same depth if fit fine. Yes I will get me a puller asap. I know I'll need it again. Until then any round that does not pass the test will be put aside till it can be examined by someone with more experience than I and pulled with a puller. I was using the factory round as a reference after it did not fit. Both bullets were 180 grain, flat nosed, and looked to have the same profile.

P.S. I did not try to reload the mangled bullet and after measuring it, it looks that the bullet was sized improperly from the factory and got passed QC. The bullet was size .4035 @ the base of the bullet where no pliers ever touched.

 

[Kuyong_Chuin]

I think I sent you 40S&W 180 gr Berry's plated RSFP (Round Shoulder Flat Point) and 9mm 115 gr Winchester FMJ.


Different brand bullets may have different nose/base profiles even though they are the same bullet nose shape/weight and may require different OAL/COL to work depending on the barrel's leade length and start of rifling (BTW, same bullet and also Berry's 180 gr TCFP bullets seated to SAAMI max of 1.135" will pass the barrel drop test in Glock/M&P/Lone Wolf barrels using .421"-.422" taper crimp although I typically use 1.125"-1.130" with these bullets).

An example is 9mm Winchester 115 gr FMJ vs Berry's 115 gr plated HBRN. Although they are the same weight and round nose shape, Winchester FMJ loaded to SAAMI max of 1.169" will pass the barrel drop test in both KKM/Lone Wolf barrels but Berry's plated HBRN will hit the start of rifling at 1.149" because the shape of bullet nose (ogive) is different.



Ding Ding Ding.

Does these Berry' s bullets use the same data for longshot powder as the XTP data? If not which data do I use?

I have the powder thrower set now for 6.5 grains of Longshot which is the starting load for 180 grain XTP. I weighed out each throw for a total of ten throws dumping the powder back into the thrower just to make sure that it was working right and throwing the correct weight.

Yes the 9mm bullets are Winchester 115 FMJ rounds. Only five have been loaded of those at the starting load to test.

 

[Potatohead]

First off, there is no good reason to use a bullet you mangled with a pair of pliers! (unless it was the last bullet you had and a zombie was after you of course...) Secondly, every reloader should have a real bullet puller. Kinetic bullet pullers will only cost you right around $15 and a collet bullet puller can be found for as little as $20 plus a little more for the correct caliber collet. The correct tool make the job easier and you can reuse the bullets too...

Amen brother.
Just toss that bullet.
And get a puller.

 

[Kuyong_Chuin]

Never mind I found the Berry data on the Hogdon website. Starting load of 6.3 min 7.5 max of Longshot min OAL 1.125 for the 180 grain bullet.