Locked up my slide

[bigalf]

Hey guys-
Was working up some 9mm loads this week. 105gr sized to .357 with 3.9gr WSJ powder OAL is 1.3". I was getting great groups. Fired 10 rounds and they were all in 2" out of my XD sub compact at 25'. Then I had a failure to fire, and my slide was LOCKED up. I was at a public range, so I couldnt really get into it there but I did try to bring the slide back, and I could not. Had to take it home and use 550 cord looped in front of the slide between the barrel and guide rod to force the slide back. The round finally came out, seemed like all the other ones I had loaded, no defects. No indent on the primer. And ideas why or how this round was able to get so stuck in the chamber?

[CJR]

Bigalf,

A suggestion. If you are not using a loaded round gage to check your loaded rounds, get one. Dillon and Wilson sell them. Then you can check each round for defects BEFORE you shoot it. When you reload brass many times, the rims will grow ovally and not enter the gage. Likewise, some bad brass will not resize concentrically and the gage will pick that up as well. These gages run about $10 and are worth their weight in gold. Finally, many barrel chambers are machined then heat-treated. After much shooting, and barrel heat-up, the barrels stress-relieve slightly and become slightly oval/warped. Chamber reamers will true up these slightly oval chambers. Some 'smiths will ream your chamber for a small fee. Once a chamber is reamed, the barrel chamber stays round.

Best regards,

CJR

[ShooterAZ]

You can also use your pistols chamber to do a plunk test (before you get to the range). I have seen this happen many times at IPSC matches, and ruin a good run.

[Bonz]

I'm seeing this often at the range now. Also happened to me the last week. My buddy gave me some "Blue Bullets" which are commercial powder coated 9mm bullets sized to .357 They were obviously too long and wedged in my chamber and I could not get the slide back easily. I kept trying with my hand and finally the slide pulled back and ejected the round. I could see the markings from the chamber where it got stuck. The range reloads some of their own and also had the same issues with the Blue Bullets on some of the customers guns, not all. The manager said that they are dropping the Blue Bullets because their reloads must work in all guns.

[runfiverun]

it seemed to be like the others.
measure it and find out..

also look in your chamber.
you may have lube or a piece of grit in there.
or even a ring of lead built up right where the chamber ends and the cheap-o company's start the rifling rather than cutting a throat.

[Beerd]

is that the 105gr Lee SWC bullet?
if so 1.3" overall length sounds a little long to me.

[Idz]

If the round is too big I would suspect the case didn't get re-sized since all your others in the same batch worked fine. You don't really need a case gauge since your barrel is the sizing gauge you're concerned with.

[lwknight]

You can also use your pistols chamber to do a plunk test (before you get to the range). I have seen this happen many times at IPSC matches, and ruin a good run.
This is the only real way since there are so many variables in chambers by different makers.
A case gauge will set you for standard but you may not get the fullest potential from your custom handloads. Eg: My P-95 is happy with anything that fits the mag but not so with my Barettas.
I load long for extra powder capacity when possible so my ammo will not just fit any and all pistols.

[MrWolf]

I also had an issue with a commercial reloader. No issues since reloading my own. Agree with using case guages as I check every round.

[Geezer in NH]

Bad reloads cause problems. Check and double check unable to take the time, please buy factory ammo and stop complaining of reloads.

Excuses do not count IMHO. I have cast and reloaded for over 40 years and had 2 problems both my own fault not the die makers or the bullet mold but MINE. I learned from the 2 mistakes 30 years ago.

[bigalf]

Well Geezers, looks like I may have made and used one of my two mistakes.

[5Shot]

Well Geezers, looks like I may have made and used one of my two mistakes.

If you didn't blow up the gun or injure yourself, learn and move on.

[dubber123]

Crud in the chamber, a short case that didn't get the flare removed, fat boolit, etc. It didn't go all the way forward, and wedged in the chamber. It happens. If you can do it safely at the range, hook the front part of the slide against a wooden post, (finger off the trigger), and give the frame a bump from behind. This will usually free a round stuck in the chamber.

[runfiverun]

some of you guy's are being pretty rough on him just for having one tight round.

I'd think we would rather help him figure it out so he [or someone else reading this] can learn from the experience rather than berate a small mistake.

ALF. this isn't how we do things around here, I apologize for those posts.
I'm leaving them up, so others can see how NOT to post on a thread.

[Handloader109]

Crud in the chamber, a short case that didn't get the flare removed, fat boolit, etc. It didn't go all the way forward, and wedged in the chamber. It happens. If you can do it safely at the range, hook the front part of the slide against a wooden post, (finger off the trigger), and give the frame a bump from behind. This will usually free a round stuck in the chamber.
Works,I've had a couple of these and have gone to checking each round by plunk to insure two doesn't happen again. My glock shoots some my ppq wont, but I am trying to load where they all fit both guns...but I'm not perfect like some around here:-)

[leeggen]

I get a round once in a while that is just a tadd to fat and the PX4 doesn't close all the way.
When I check it is my fault cause the round is alittle too fat. Sense I now size all boolits it has went away.
Thanks R5R I felt the same way. OH and MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!!
CD

[dubber123]

I ran an action pistol shoot for quite a few years, and got to see a good bit of malfunctions, ranging from parts exiting guns, to squib loads. I learned a few ways to clear a jammed pistol, and learned to bring a dowel and hammer for those guys who like to build rounds with no powder. It's all in the process of learning how to make ammo that works as close to 100% as we can get it.

[Bullwolf]

This image helps to illustrate how a perscon can perform a "Plunk Test" just using your pistol barrel.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=114719&d=1391328588
Loaded rounds that stand prouder than the barrel hood are going to cause problems.



I load the Lee 358-105-SWC for 9mm sized to .358 and with a Loaded Cartridge Over All Length (OAL) between 1.009 - 1.010 It plunks nicely at that length in my TZ-75's barrel.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=91449&d=1360126151

Others have had a hard time getting the little SWC to feed in 9mm. I imagine it's very platform specific. Some guns seem to feed it better than others.

The light little SWC boolit also tends to shoot to a much different (Lower) point of aim for me than my 115 and 124 grain 9mm loads unless you are up at really close range.



- Bullwolf

[BenW]

I ran into this problem with my m&p 40. Check the amount of crimp on the problem round. Make sure it has removed the flare. Also check if the boolit has a lead ring at the case mouth. If the boolit is too big for the flare, it,ll either shave, or get squeezed forward and increase in diameter at the mouth of the case.

With my 40, the throat measurrs 0.4027, and the groove diameter is 0.402 near the throat. My boolits were around 0.403 at the largest, but would still fit with very light (finger resting on the back of the case) pressure. However, if i dont have he flar just right, it'll drive/shave lead forward to the case mouth, and measure at around 0.409" just outside the case.

I also found that my cases were crimped to 0.429". I had to increase the amount of crimp to 0.424" to get them to reliably feed.

[Rattlesnake Charlie]

Did the offending cartridge, once you got it out, chamber correctly again? Always check the dimensions on a problem cartridge. Since all but one worked fine, I suspect it was a small piece of some sort of debris. Could be an unburnt powder flake, a small piece of shaved lead off a bullet, even a small piece of brass. Even pocket lint can get into the magazine and into the chamber.

I'd like to hear more about the original problem cartridge.

[Silverboolit]

Check the mfg. of the brass. I will not use CBC headstamp as 90% of my misfeeds are due to this brass, all else being equal. Misfeeds same as your problem. Others may haave better luck than I do, but I just recycle them and use other brands.

[Geezer in NH]

Well Geezers, looks like I may have made and used one of my two mistakes.
Best way to learn is by mistakes, my third one can happen any time