Trouble loading cast bullets in my XD .45 ACP

[Lumberjack0864]

I have been having trouble getting my lead cast .45 ACP rounds to chamber in my XD. My friend gave me some of his lead cast .45 rounds. He used one of the Lee molds. Is this common for lead cast bullets? Or is it my XD? I have talked to some people that say never use lead in an XD and others that say the XD is really picky about the ammo. Or is it because I am not putting enough crimp on it? I have a lee 4 hole classic turret press with the 4 cast dies. I was just wondering cause a buddy of mine has been loading for awhile now and was having trouble with his .40 XD with lead cast bullets. Did not know if it was me or the lead. Thanks!

 

[ljnowell]

Depends what kind of bullet, IME. I have a XD45 4" model. It will feed any lead bullet that is a RN, TC, or other profile, but will absolutely not, under any circumstances work with a SWC. I have tried three different bullets, loaded at all different OALs, etc., to no avail. My gun will not work with SWCs. With some searching on the net I found that this is a common issue. Some will feed them, many, if not most, will not.

Other than that, my gun loves lead bullets. I have shot a ton of Missouri Bullets 230gr LRN out of it.

 

[Lumberjack0864]

Well, I am using TC. Any idea as to why the SWC would not feed?

 

[rcmodel]

Unlike a round nose bullet, the Lee TC bullet is full diameter all the way to where the TC ogive breaks over to the taper.

You will have to seat them deep enough they don't run into the rifling leade before they fully chamber.

Take the barrel out of the gun to use as a guage, and keep seating deeper until they will drop in the chamber of their own weight.

At that point, you can see if they will feed or not.

rc

 

[ljnowell]

Well, I am using TC. Any idea as to why the SWC would not feed?

Interference in the fit of the magazine and the angle of feeding. It will strip the first one off and feed, but while ejecting the empty will catch the hard shoulder of the swc in the mag, and lock up tight as can be.

 

[James2]

I am using a 225 LRN in my XD. It works flawlessly. (Lyman Mold) I have not found the XD to be picky. I have tried a variety of bullets and all have been fine once the right load was found that cycled the gun reliably. I have not tried any SWC.

 

[ReloaderFred]

The XD is designed as a "Service" pistol, and as such, it's designed to feed and shoot "Service" ammunition. This simply means that it's designed to shoot round nose and hollowpoint bullets, but not semi-wadcutter bullets. Mine shoots all shape of bullets, except semi-wadcutter, so I don't load them for the XD, which makes both me and the pistol much happier.

As rc and others pointed out, you're probably having issues with the short leade of the XD barrel and chamber. Seat the bullets deeper until the ogive of the bullet doesn't contact the rifling and you'll be fine.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[Hagen442]

Springfield XD 45ACP Reload Feeding

I have had a couple of XD45s , still have a BiColor Service .
All of mine would an will run Rocks.
My Guess on your Problem:
Too Long ? Shorten up OAL
Not enough Crimp ? (Unusual for a XD Feeding Issue but ,since not able to see anything ) Tighten it Down (I prefer Factory Crimp since
I do shoot some 1911 Action Guns.and the FC works)
Is this a new Gun with a Factory Recoil Spring ?
If the Spring has been changed , this may be the Problem.
Take Spring back to Factory Weight.

Hope our info helps with your problem

 

[altitude_19]

My uncle set me up with 500 rounds of SWC cartridges once. All they turned out to be was a GREAT way to practice remedial action during stoppages. Definitely didn't work well in that pistol. At least every other round was a tap/rack.

 

[Roccobro]

Lets start at the basics. What is the diameter and profile of the projectile your loading? What is the diameter at the case mouth of the loaded round? OAL of round?

I'm thinking it's something simple like the profile others have explained. Or maybe just a tight chamber for your finished product (more likely oversized ammo than small chamber).

Justin

 

[GooseGestapo]

I had been using the same mould and had been loading it for several M1911 form pistols for years (15+). Along came my XD and it too wouldn't feed (incomplete locking closed) with some of the loads.

A little time at the loading bench with the barrel removed and seating a bullet into an unsized case and then pushing it into the barrel revealed that it did indeed have a short chamber (but still within SAMMI specs).

What I ended up doing was seating the bullets about .003-.005" deeper and applying a tad more crimp.

Problem solved and ammo still works wonderfully through the other .45acp's.

Besides that, the XD is amazingly accurate with those bullets over 4.3gr of Clays (not Universal or International)

 

[LiveLife]

SWC not ejecting properly is a known issue for XD45 and already discussed at xdtalk (they have some solutions too).

Here's repost diagram from xdtalk showing SWC and straight slide rib

"Rough" picture of most semi-auto (especially compact/subcompact) with angled rib near chamber end for case lip to clear next round in the magazine.

 

[LiveLife]

If you have difficulty feeding/extracting SWC in XD45, Missouri Bullets makes 200gr RN. I have shot both 200gr bullets with great results, but SWC makes larger cut holes in the cardboard - http://www.missouribullet.com/details.php?prodId=78&category=5&secondary=13&keywords=

Webpage comment states, "FEEDS LIKE BUTTER IN SPRINGFIELD XD"

 

[EMC45]

I loaded up some 200gr. SWCs for my brother's XD 45 ACP and they did not function at all. It was a fine pump action pistol, but no way was it a semi-auto. It shot the rounds accurate as can be, but one at a time. Now I loaded the Lee 230gr. TC bullet and that thing shot like crazy! 4.5gr. Bullseye, mixed headstamp, WLP primers and she was good to go! Shot like a champ! My SA Mil Spec will shoot anything I put in it.

 

[MissouriBullet]

bds, if you don't mind I am going to appropriate the diagram for our Facebook page under discussions. It tells the tale graphically in a much simpler way than trying to explain it!

 

[LiveLife]

Brad, the picture was originally posted on xdtalk forum by "straightshooter" on their "45 SWC Jamming" thread - http://www.xdtalk.com/forums/xd-45acp-discussion-room/58545-45-swc-jamming-6.html#post1075507

I did a "rough" correction to reflect how the slide rib is on most other semi-auto (especially compacts/subcompacts).

 

[RhinoDefense]

Set the OAL on the TC bullet to 1.225". It will feed.

 

[MissouriBullet]

Brad, the picture was originally posted on xdtalk forum by "straightshooter" on their "45 SWC Jamming" thread - http://www.xdtalk.com/forums/xd-45acp-discussion-room/58545-45-swc-jamming-6.html#post1075507

I did a "rough" correction to reflect how the slide rib is on most other semi-auto (especially compacts/subcompacts).

Thank you very much!

 

[ljnowell]

That is the exact scenario that I described above, a good graphic representation that happened to me. I just left the SWC design behind, as I didnt have any real attachment to it anyway, I dont shoot for points anymore.

I will give a second to the Missouri Bullet 200gr bullet mentioned above, and also the 230gr Softball. I like both and so does my XD.

 

[Jim Watson]

Thanks for the diagram, bds, that was also the failure mode of my first Sig-Sauer P220 with SWCs. (I don't ask the second to try so as to not hurt my confidence.)
When the barrel drops to unlock it brings the rim of the empty below the breechface to snag the shoulder of the top SWC coming up in the magazine.

With a setup like that, I have trouble seeing how any of these European autos marginally adapted from 9mm work with .45 SWCs, but some do.