Plunk Test Failure????

[fxvr5]

In most cases where newer reloaders are having plunking problems, maybe 85%, the problem comes from crimping, and second by not understanding bullet shape vs chamber length.

Most of the members here with a lot of experience are not "self proclaimed" but given that status , "expert", by other members who have read past, very informative and correct information given by the person. Normally those that complain about "self proclaimed" members are more often than not "wanna be experts" and "keyboard experts"...

My experience has been just the opposite. The overwhelming majority of new reloaders (that I've seen) whose rounds fail the plunk test are because the bullets are seated too long. They don't realize that not all bullets have the same nose shape and that each might require their own specific OAL to fit their chamber.

Crimp is the problem on occasion. So are case bulges from not fully sizing the case or from crooked bullets. The beauty of using a magic marker is that it will tell you what the problem is, and that worked well in this case as can be seen in the OP's picture, so a lot of credit goes to Telum Pisces for using a good method to evaluate the problem.

 

[LiveLife]

not all bullets have the same nose shape and that each might require their own specific OAL to fit their chamber

This is true.

Decades back when factory and even aftermarket/match barrels had longer leade/cut free bore/reamed start of rifling, different nose profile FMJ and plated RN bullets chambered when loaded to SAAMI max of 1.169" or 1.150"-1.160".

But in recent years, gun manufacturers are increasingly using shorter and shorter leade barrels (Even Glock) and different nose profile/ogive bullets are expressing their differences by not fully chambering (bullet nose hitting the start of rifling as fxvr5 posted) and requiring shorter and shorter OAL to pass the "plunk" test.

I have many popular bullet brands/weights on hand and due to this reason, started the barrel vs max/working OAL thread as I have several barrels with short/very short leade - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...col-for-reference.848462/page-2#post-11465109

So while same FMJ/RN bullets "plunk" at 1.169" OAL, they may not in newer barrels so reloaders must adjust their working OAL to ensure the ogive/bearing surface of bullet clears the start of rifling and reliably feed/chamber from the magazine.

NOTE: And since resized case length can vary to allow different amount of bullet nose above case mouth, especially with mixed range brass, you can use shortest resized case to determine the OAL or I typically subtract .005" from my OAL to compensate for resized case length variation.

While most FMJ/RN profile bullets work at 1.160"-1.169", Winchester/Zero/RMR FMJ have different nose profile and require shorter 1.120"-1.130" OAL to "plunk" in my 9mm barrel with shortest leade. And MBC RN, even shorter at 1.040".

• Montana Gold 95 gr JHP: 1.030"
  
• RMR 95 gr FMJ: 1.050"

• X-Treme 100 gr RNFP: 1.075"

• Berry's 115 gr RN: 1.169"
• Berry's 115 gr HBRN-TP: 1.169"
• Hornady 115 gr HAP: 1.070"
• HSM 115 gr RN: 1.165"
• PowerBond 115 gr RN: 1.160"
• RMR 115 gr FMJ: 1.130"
• RMR 115 gr FP MW: 1.085"
• RMR 115 gr JHP Mini MPR: 1.060"
• Speer 115 gr TMJ: 1.169"
• Winchester 115 gr FMJ: 1.130"
• Zero 115 gr FMJ: 1.125"

• Berry's 124 gr RN: 1.169"
• Berry's 124 gr HBRN-TP: 1.169"
• Hornady 125 gr HAP: 1.045"
• HSM 124 gr RN: 1.155"
• MBC 124 gr RN Hi-Tek (SmallBall): 1.040"
• MBC 124 gr CN Hi-Tek (Cone 9): 1.105"
  
• PowerBond 124 gr RN: 1.160"
• Precision Delta 124 gr JHP: 1.080"
  
• Remington 124 gr FMJ: 1.169"
  
• RMR 124 gr FMJ: 1.120"
• RMR 124 gr FP MW: 1.085"
• RMR 124 gr JHP MPR: 1.040"
• Speer 124 gr Gold Dot HP: 1.130"
  
• Speer 124 gr TMJ: 1.155"

• RMR 135 gr FP MW: 1.055"

• RMR 147 gr FMJ: 1.108"
• RMR 147 gr FP MW: 1.065"