10mm case bulges

[300magnum]

Hi everone, just signed up to this forum, Hello from New Zealand.

Can anyone help, I have a Colt Delta Elite 10mm that bulges just about every case I put through it, I have been using factory Hornady 180gr XTP loads and it just wrecks the cases, I cant even run them through a resizing die to reload them.
The case heads are badly bulged all the way around, just in front of the extractor groove.

The pistol is brand new, 10mm is'nt very popular here and the pistol had been sitting in a gunshop here for several years when I bought it.

I havent changed anything on or in the pistol, all the springs etc are original.
It also ejects the cases a long long way, like thirtry or so feet away from the gun.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Cheers.

 

[Bob R]

First off, welcome to the forum.

Is there any way you can post a picture of the bulged case?

It may help in diagnosing the problem.

bob

 

[300magnum]

10mm cases

Will take a photo when I get home next week

Thanks

 

[Lone_Gunman]

Your chamber is not fully supported. Either it left the factory that way, or someone has done work on the ramp.

 

[Glock_10mm]

Yeah there is the same issue on the glocks, but what I did is just bought an aftermarket barrel. I compared both by putting a round in each, the aftermarket barrel swallowed the whole round where as the factory left a 1mm or so gap, before the extractor groove, where it would bulge when shooting hot ammo. I havnt had a problem since. I suggest getting an aftermarket barrel, and hopefully it will work. Dont know specifically for your gun, but it worked on mine! Good luck

 

[SouthpawShootr]

It's a common practice to throat 1911 barrels for reliability. Sounds like this one was taken a bit too far. I'd have a gunsmith examine the gun and the fired cases before going any further. Tell him what your problem is and see if he finds it safe to shoot. By what you're saying, he's going to tell you it's not (in its current condition). Then you can call Colt and see if they are willing to do something about it. That model has been so long out of production and Colt's recent history of (relatively) lackluster customer service leads me to believe that they're going to tell you that you're on your own. That's when I'd get a new barrel. Probably be cheaper just to get a new barrel rather than mess with Colt (unless they're going to pay shipping both ways, which they won't). Get a nice bar-sto barrel or something of that sort. Don't know if Storm Lake makes 1911 barrels, but that might be something to check out as well.

 

[GunNut]

I can pretty much guarantee that they are not going to pay shipping both ways from New Zealand.

You will probably have to purchase an after market barrel and have it fitted.

Steve

 

[lunde]

As others have stated, the factory barrel is not supported very well, which is the likely culprit. My Delta Elite now wears a fitted and ramped Bar-Sto barrel. The frame was permanently altered for the ramped barrel. This is what it looks like:

The pistol has been "touched" by John Jardine, Terry Tussey, Tooltech, and Bar-Sto.

 

[SouthpawShootr]

Oh man......and bobtailed too. A gorgeous DE Dr. Lunde. I'm still kicking myself for not buying a Delta Gold Cup a dealer friend of mine took in trade and wanted to sell to me for $800. By the next time I saw him, he had sold it. Ended up with a Kimber Eclipse 10. Not bad, but still wish I'd moved on that Delta.

I can pretty much guarantee that they are not going to pay shipping both ways from New Zealand.

You will probably have to purchase an after market barrel and have it fitted.

Oops. Egg on my face. I failed to look at the OP location. So many times it's not given anyway, I just didn't bother to look. Forget about Colt, just buy a Bar-sto replacement. Less wait, less aggravation, less grief.

the factory barrel is not supported very well, which is the likely culprit.

Still, it shouldn't have been that bad from the factory.

 

[GunNut]

Pull the barrel and see if the round goes completely into the chamber. Maybe there is something causing the round to not full seat? Maybe the gun is firing out of battery?

Definitely post pics of the fired brass and a loaded round sitting in the chamber with the barrel removed from the gun.

Steve

 

[Majic]

A non fully supported barrel will only allow the brass to bulge at that point not all the way around the case. I have to agree with GunNut that the case is not fully seated in the chamber or the chamber is out of spec.

 

[atblis]

In factory trim

I haven't found mine to have any problems supporting the case and it is box stock. Perhaps somebody did some "reliability work" on it. That could be bad. That is not normal for a Delta Elite. Something is wrong with that gun.

 

[Grayrider]

Ditto. I have had three Deltas, all back in the day when they were still in production (he dates himself). Still have one. None did what you describe, and factory ammo was hotter back then.

John Howard

 

[the naked prophet]

Since the bulge is all the way around, it's not a throating or unsupported case issue. If the round wasn't fully seated in the chamber, my guess is that it wouldn't fire (out of battery) unless there was another problem as well.

My guess is a weak recoil spring. That could allow the breech to open and the case to move out of the chamber a little while the pressure is still high, and it would also account for the very energetic case ejection. Also very easy to replace and if it works, then no need to buy a new barrel or send it in for repair.