Loaded up 25 test 9mm rounds last night and got this problem at the range...

[bhhacker]

I loaded up some bullets from MBC. the 9mm 124 RN variety and my specs are as follows...

Ruger Sr9c
4.7gr Unique, 124gr LRN, 1.125 OAL


I put 3 in the mag and fired off and they were accurate, and there was not signs of overpressure or anything but i had two Jams that were BRUTAL to clear.

The pistol almost came into full battery and then the slide was locked up. I dropped the mag, couldnt engage the safety as it was halfway inbetween or something, so just made sure to keep my finger out of the trigger box, and tried racking the slide back. It was a lot of cussing, cut hands, and some time later before i got one unstuck. Loaded up the next round and SAME ISSUE :banghead: I had to work it for about 30 minutes before i cleared it again.


The rest shot beautifully.


Any ideas? I have been looking into it and what im thinking what happened was maybe the OAL was too long and it caused the bullet to get stuck? Heres some pics of the Jam...

 

[Jesse Heywood]

What results did you get from the plunk test?

 

[rockhopper46038]

"what im thinking what happened was maybe the OAL was too long and it caused the bullet to get stuck?"

That's my first guess. Pull the barrel out of the Ruger and try a "plunk" test.

 

[jwrowland77]

I think your thinking in the right direction. Another vote for pulling the barrel and doing the plunk test.

Since OAL varies, you might want to seat them a tad shorter just to make sure you don't run into this again.

 

[ole farmerbuck]

Got any pics of some of your loaded rounds? Might help.

 

[rcmodel]

A. Too long OAL jammed the bullet into the rifling.

B. Or, you failed to taper crimp enough to return the case mouth to .376" or thereabouts?

C. Or, the bullets seated crooked and bulged the case sidewall too big to chamber.

First ID the exact problem:
1. Do the PLUNK TEST with the barrel out of the gun as suggested.

2. Color some tight rounds with a Magic Marker and try to force them in the chamber of the barrel out of the gun.

Where the marker ink rubs off is your problem.

rc

 

[bhhacker]

I did the plunk test last night and they fell into and out of the barrel easy enough. This afternoon, i did the plunk on one of the problem children and it popped in enough, but wouldnt come out unless i gave the barrel a little oomph.

This pic isnt the best as I had them in and not uniformly. Will load up some more tonight and try again. Maybe this time with an OAL of 1.20 or do you think i should go a little lower?


The accuracy of this load is RIGHT on the money. This is from shooting standing, not using a rest in 20 degree weather with no gloves at 7 yards. And i have a few targets like this...not just the luckiest grouping of the bunch haha.

 

[bhhacker]

Just made a dummy round to show you the plunk test. also including a pic of the bullet. I measured it out and its saying 1.123 OAL. It fits into the barrel but not as smoothly as factory ammo. It looks like its bulging a bit right at the end of the bullet but from what i read thats ok in 9mm and it does that because of the taper crimp. Is that correct?


I just measured right at the end of brass, before it meets the bullet, the diameter is .377-3.78

 

[1KPerDay]

Bulging is normal. the rear of the case looks high to me from your pics. After you "plunk" the round into the chamber, press on it a little bit, like on the back of the case, then see if it drops right back out when you invert the barrel.

Which bullets? If MBC smallball, you'll have to seat them deeper. I have to seat mine to 1.09".

Betcha a nickel that's your problem.

 

[rcmodel]

Photo #1:
It isn't fitting into the barrel.
It is sticking out.

The case head MUST be flush with the barrel hood when dropped in, without any help.

And apparently, 1.123" is way too long with the bullet you are using.

Photo #2:
I can see about 1/8" of full bore diameter bullet shank sticking out of the round in your photo!



PS, did you bother to do the Magic-Marker test I suggested in post #6?

I can't help you if you don't read the suggestions!


rc

 

[bhhacker]

They are the MBC Small Ball. When i plunk it in, and press on it like you asked and turn it upside down, they dont fall out like factory ammo. I have to move the barrel a bit to make them fall out

 

[Walkalong]

Drop in a sized case with no flare or bullet. Note where it goes to, then flare, seat, & crimp, and see where it goes to. Like so.

 

[bhhacker]

Sorry RC, I didnt ignore you! I was trying to hunt down a marker. Hopefully this helps.

 

[stavman11]

I have the same gun and same problem

But i have yet to be able to get the Round ejected.... Need ta take it to a gunsmith localy but his hours are limited ta say the least..

I had shot a few hundreds through mine with no Issue... Then this happened..

wonder if it could be Gun specific issues as well as the rounds

 

[bhhacker]

Walkalong and 1kperday I lessened the crimp, adjusted the bullet seating depth and have a sized un flared case dropped in for the first pic and the second pic is the bullet seated and crimped. still having that issue though.

 

[stavman11]

So again.... i gotta thank THR for helping me out

Special thanks to bhhacker for having the same GUN and SAME Issue i had...

So after reading this Post... I started messing with my SR9C again... Guess I was a Bit apprehensive before since it is a Live round in the Gun

Kept racking the slide again and again and again.. and Like bhhacker... after more pain and Anguish.... I had an idea

So i grabbed a hammer and a Spike that fit in the barrell........... KIDDING

I use some Grippy gloves when I trim .223 brass with my WFT trimmer... makes it much easier on my hands and, well, I get a Better GRIP

So put my right glove on.... YUP.. Much better grip.. after just a couple REALLY hard racks ... the Slide opened..... the Round was Still stuck in the Barrel...

man was it tight.... after a few Light taps with a cleaning rod It popped out...

One heck of a Bulg in the case..... These are Frangible Bullets and quite long.. glad I have pretty much shot all those

Sorry ta Hijack the thread But wanted ta say thanks

 

[243winxb]

More taper crimp. Shorter COL needed.

 

[bhhacker]

I have taken off a bit of crimp and worked down to an OAL of 1.085 and it plunks in and out easily. Even if i drop it in, and push on it (it doesnt go any further down) and comes out nice and easy. It wouldnt do that with an OAL of 1.09.



Does it look ok or do i still need to make it shorter? Thats what factory ammo looks like dropped in too, it looks a littone on the high side to me still though

 

[1KPerDay]

Sounds good to me and pic looks good. If it plunks in and drops out after you press on it, it passes. You will likely have no further issues. This is a known issue with MBC smallball. The ogive is shaped a little differently from other LRNs and they need to be seated deeper.

You might also want to slug your bore and find the true diameter. My SIG and Beretta both have .357" bores and need .358" sized Smallball to prevent leading. MBC will size to your specs.

 

[Matt Dillon]

Have you run your rounds through a Wilson case gauge?

 

[pseudonymity]

Walkalong and 1kperday I lessened the crimp, adjusted the bullet seating depth and have a sized un flared case dropped in for the first pic and the second pic is the bullet seated and crimped. still having that issue though.

Those pics clearly illustrate your problem - the bullet is in the lands. Look at the first pic - the rear of the case sits below the lugs. Now in the second pic, the rear of the case sits above the lugs by a considerable amount.

Take a straight edge of some type and lay it across the lugs while you have an empty case with a .750 length in the chamber. The straight edge should contact both lugs and the case should sit just a few thou below that line.

Drop a loaded case into the chamber and set the straight edge across the lugs - if there is not the same clearance between the case and straight edge then the bullet is seated too long.

 

[bhhacker]

I intend on slugging my bore eventually, but i was going to see if i got crazy leading from shooting this smallball. so far so good!

I havent ever heard of a wilson case gauge to be honest so thats a no Matt. Does it make reloading easier? I will begin my google fu

 

[rcmodel]

Sorry RC, I didnt ignore you! I was trying to hunt down a marker. Hopefully this helps.

That doesn't help at all, because you didn't color the bullet too.

The bullet is hitting the rifling leade, I betcha!

Color the whole round, including the bullet shank, and try it again!

rc

 

[rondog]

Just a guess, but IMO the meplat on your bullets looks just a tad fatter than normal 9mm FMJ bullets, which are a little more "pointed", IMO. If that makes any sense.

So, seating them to the same OAL as regular FMJ's, I'd suspect that fatter meplat is running into the rifling. You said you shortened the OAL and they plunk better, so I'd suspect that supports my theory.

Just like RC is saying.

JMHO, but something you might look at.....

 

[16in50calNavalRifle]

I think rondog is right - the meplat on the MBC 125g 9mm RN/Smallball forces me to seat quite deep for my XD. For that reason I've switched over to their 125g conical nose, which allows a more "normal" seating depth and COL.

About to test some bullets from a manufacturer located 1 mile away (!!!) that I just sort of finally looked into/discovered. I'm afraid his 125g 9mm are just like the MBC Smallball, however, and I don't really like seating so deep on a high-pressure caliber. The COL is so short that loading mags can even be a bit more awkward. We'll see.