Check Dimentions Please.

[BulletFactory]

As some of you know, I have been working on the .40 for a while now, and I thought I had it. Sorta. I tried to shoot with no lube, and got the expected result. Since I cleaned the barrel out, I figured I'd try LLA, because if that worked with no leading, then I would just adjust my lube concoction and solve it once and for all. Not so, after 21 shots with LLA, I still had leading, quite a bit really. So, I slugged the bore, I slugged the throat, and checked the dimention of a sized round, just to be sure of my numbers. Here they are. :

slugged ---> .4007
throat dia. ---> .4017
sized ---> .4001
pulled bullet, ---> .4009
BHN 16


Now I know that Im supposed to be a thousanth over groove dia., but when I use the sizer that measures .4017, the bullets shear off as they are chambered, leaving these little lead rings built up at the ledge where the case mouth sits in the chamber. A few shots, andthe gun wont go into battery.

:killingpc

[geargnasher]

From what I remember from your last thread, we established that your gun doesn't HAVE a throat, or one properly tapered for shooting cast. Until you find a way to fix that, there's really nothing I know you can do to solve the leading. I know it sucks, but once in a while a gun comes along that just can't be made to work without alteration.

Gear

[PacMan]

Sized to 4001 but when you pulled the bullet it came out .4009. That means it got .0008 larger when you seated the bullet.
Am i reading that right?

[BulletFactory]

I was a bit dumbfounded at that one as well.

[BulletFactory]

Maybe they esnt me a "match grade" barrel? I dont know, maybe the tolerances are too tight.

Mine is an XD, they now make XDM, which comes with a match barrel, I dont know if the XD and XDM barrels are interchangeable like that or not, it was just something that had crossed my mind.

[HammerMTB]

As some of you know, I have been working on the .40 for a while now, and I thought I had it. Sorta. I tried to shoot with no lube, and got the expected result. Since I cleaned the barrel out, I figured I'd try LLA, because if that worked with no leading, then I would just adjust my lube concoction and solve it once and for all. Not so, after 21 shots with LLA, I still had leading, quite a bit really. So, I slugged the bore, I slugged the throat, and checked the dimention of a sized round, just to be sure of my numbers. Here they are. :

slugged ---> .4007
throat dia. ---> .4017
sized ---> .4001
pulled bullet, ---> .4009
BHN 16


Now I know that Im supposed to be a thousanth over groove dia., but when I use the sizer that measures .4017, the bullets shear off as they are chambered, leaving these little lead rings built up at the ledge where the case mouth sits in the chamber. A few shots, andthe gun wont go into battery.

:killingpc

OK, sumpin's real wrong with the dimensions above. If a sized boolit is .4001", it doesn't become .4009" after it's pulled. They don't get bigger by seating, crimping, and pulling.
How familiar are you with using your micrometer? You ARE using a mike, not a caliper, aren't you?

Next, and I'm gathering this from Gear's post, is there no leade or throat to that barrel? If there is not, you will need to get someone to use a throating reamer to put one in it to get any kind of satisfactory results.
Then, whatever kind of expander die you are using, measure the expander WITH A GOOD micrometer. It should be .399 minimum. Might be nice to find .400. I bet it's .398 or less.
Last, you need to flare the case mouth. That's why you shave a ring of lead when you seat the boolit. That is also a contributor to leading. It takes me some time to adjust for a good flare. Just setting so it flares the next case in line is not enough. It has to be able to flare the shortest, thinnest wall case that can possibly be loaded. Until you get there, you're not done.
16 BHN is plenty hard for the .40. I shoot 11-12 BHN all the time with no leading.

[BulletFactory]

I do have a mic, although its possible I misread that time.

Deltaenterprises made me a custom expander at .400. Perfect part at a great price.

As far as flare goes, you're on the right track, but going the wrong direction. The case isnt doing the shearing, the barrel is. Im not shaving when seating the bullets, Ive been over that bridge lol. The shearing is when the rounds are chambered in the gun. I switched to a smaller sizer die, .400, and solved the problem.

[HammerMTB]

. Im not shaving when seating the bullets, Ive been over that bridge lol. The shearing is when the rounds are chambered in the gun. I switched to a smaller sizer die, .400, and solved the problem.

OK, I see what you're getting at by shaving now. you solved the problem of chambering the round, only to create the problem of too small a boolit for the gun. You'll have to throat the bbl, go back to the .401 ( or preferably more) sizer, and try all over again.

[BulletFactory]

Ok. Thats what I thought too.

$$$.:evil:

[geargnasher]

Yep, you'll have to have the barrel throated yourself since SA didn't see fit to. When you do, have it throated to match the boolit design you plan on using, and the overall length that you decide upon. Discuss this with your 'smith and give him/her a sample of your boolits, and a dummy round or two.

Gear

[Bwana]

Perhaps this has been covered in a prior thread about this; but, what about notifying Springfield arms and asking them if they would fix the problem for you. This should not require you to send the entire gun back, just the bbl and it can go by USPS. Even if the entire gun has to go back and you have to pay shipping it will be far less than having someone else correct the problem.

[BulletFactory]

Springfield will void the warranty if reloads are used.

If you do go with Springfield and there is a warranty issue, they will send you a free shipping label. You send them the gun, they fix it, and send it back. Fast turnaround, and shipping is covered both ways.

I had them replace a barrel once, thier service was outstanding. I didnt tell them I was reloading.:bigsmyl2:

[geargnasher]

The problem is the barrel will work fine with jacketed, which it is intended for, but not so well with cast, which needs a tapered leade. No warranty issue there, the gun is being used with ammo outside it's design parameters. Often that is the case with cast, and usually it can be made to work quite well, but the gun has to be "cast friendly" in the first place.

Gear

[BulletFactory]

How could I explain this to them without giving myself away? The only people that would know, or even care about this stuff are casters and gunsmiths. If I were a gunsmith, I could fix it myself, something that Im simply not qualified to do.