Failure to feed problem.

[OleEd]

I’ve been reloading since 88 (1988) (for My most favorite 1911s) 45acp, 9mm, 38&357, 45 colt, 380s. I load a lot of 9mm for Sigs, Spfld, Kimbers and Taraus semis myself and kids.

Problem. I saved up and bought the Kimber Rapide Black Ice - 1st high bucks pistol. All but my berry’s 124g rn rounds are Failure to Feeds. I did a plunk test (with the twist) with the Berry’s 124g FP w/ a 1.050 OAL and had to reduce to an OAL of 1.035. But, it will not drop out freely. I had taper crimped all my loads to .377 without a problem. Not so for the Black Ice.

Bottom line. I just Do Not Know how to correct this failure to feed. Please help.

 

[LiveLife]

I had the same problem with my railed Sig 1911 XO which has the tightest and shortest leade (Almost none) I have seen for a 45ACP barrel and it requires shortest OAL with tightest dimensions or the case neck will rub the chamber.

FP nose profile bullets have longer base (Material removed from nose added to base) and deeper seating depth (1.035" is pretty deep) is likely bulging the case neck more due to thicker case wall and rubbing the chamber wall. Berry's bullets being sized larger at .356" is likely adding to the case neck bulging.

Paint the case neck with marker and verify where it actually rubs. If it is indeed case neck around bullet base, you have several options:

• Use .378" taper crimp (Essentially none) so as to not bulge the case neck (.356" + .022" = .378")

• Use thinner case wall brass to see if finished rounds fall out freely (Measure deepers than .200" below case mouth where the bullet base is seated to) - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...nd-bullet-setback.830072/page-3#post-10713822

• If you have Lee FCD, you can use it to post-size the finished rounds but I would check to see if it causes significant bullet setback (Feed dummy rounds with no powder/no primer from magazine and release slide without riding it)

• If all above fails, then you can use smaller sized FP bullets or stick to Berry's RN.

• If you want to use larger selection of bullets, you can consider having your barrel reamed/enlarged.

 

[edwardware]

All but my berry’s 124g rn rounds are Failure to Feeds.

You said "Failure to Feed" but I think you might be referring to a failure to return all the way to battery. Is the pistol feeding all the way, but not closing the last 0.010-0.100"?

I did a plunk test (with the twist) with the Berry’s 124g FP w/ a 1.050 OAL and had to reduce to an OAL of 1.035. But, it will not drop out freely.

Then they didn't pass the plunk test! Either your COAL is too long, your flare is still there, or your sizing is insufficient.

Aren't "Match" chambers delightful? Chase the plunk test result, and I'll bet you find the problem. If shorter COAL doesn't get it, try a touch more crimp, and a magic marker to see where it's rubbing.

 

[Alex Clayton]

One of the first things I would try, if not already tried, is a Lee Factory Crimp die. First time I tried one of these I had just this problem. Rolled some .38's for a friend with a nice S&W she had, had for a LONG time and never shot. Reloads did NOT want to drop in. Checked the cylinder and it was a little tight, still in spec. Tried one of these which were a newer thing then. The ammo that would not easily drop in now would. So I bought another in .45. Had a buddy who still had one of my old Detonics. That pistol never had been able to work with home rolls. It was never 100% with factory which was why I gave up on it. Ran some of my rolls, which worked great in all my pistols, through the new die. Now they fed in that old pistol just as well as factory. From that time I started to buy one for every caliber I rolled. Changing dies at set up became far easier as no more setting up the proper crimp. So to me was well worth the added step.

 

[Project355]

Just for grins, try a sized case in the chamber. I've had lots of 9mm brass give fits in tight chambers. Maybe its not the bullet or COAL?

 

[film495]

I had something like this, and eventually it turned out I was deforming cases slightly during my reloading process. Not enough to see, but enough to prevent it from plunking in and out correctly. I though it was the crimp, or OAL - but, using sizing was on the expander ball, and flaring the case mouth a hair more cleared up the problem if I recall correctly, but I spent a lot of wasted time worrying about the crimp and OAL, which was not the root of the issue.

 

[Steve in Allentown]

I would explain to Kimber what's going on and ask them to finish ream the barrel to increase the chamber diameter and lengthen the leade appropriately. if they put up a stink and say the chamber dimensions are within spec, I'd contact Greg Derr and ask him to do it.