9mm need new springs?

[SdRemmy]

I'm shooting a Lee 125 gr TC wheel weight cast bullet. I have tried several different loads in my all stock gen 3 Glock 17 except with a LoneWolf barrel. Every few (50-100) I am having a malfunction. I am almost certain it is because the shell is not being ejected with enough force. When firing, the casings usually pop out only couple inches above the gun. This means, every once and awhile the shell doesn't clear and the slide closes on it. I have tried cleaning and lubing, changing the load, changing magazines. I ordered a new recoil spring today. When shooting cast through glocks do you usually have to change the recoil spring? The load last night was 5.3 gr AA#5 and a Tula sp primer.

[oteroman]

Bump up the load and tell us how happy you are.

[runfiverun]

bump your load a couple tenths.
your probably around 900 fps right now.

[Mk42gunner]

A weak recoil spring should cause harder ejection, not softer. Being a Glock, I have to ask if you are holding it firmly or not?

Robert

[SdRemmy]

Ok I plan on running it through a chrono tomorrow. I'll bump it up a couple and watch for pressure signs.

[SdRemmy]

Yep I was holding it firmly. I'm humble enough to say if that was the problem. In fact I went down the list of possibles and ruled it out.

[oteroman]

What spring is in there now, and what did you order?

[zubrato]

If it's a new gun and that load works in all your other guns, leave the slide locked open for 2-3 days then see if it's fixed. I would agree though casing only ejecting a few inches is too weak a load.

[SdRemmy]

What spring is in there now, and what did you order?
The original spring is in there. I ordered a 15lb spring

[bedbugbilly]

I don't have Glocks but have experienced what you are talking about when working up loads for my 9mms. I would agree with everyone else . . . you need to bump the load up.

I was working up a load for my Shield when I got it using the same boolit you are. I usually use Bullseye. In my Ruger SR9, a dose of 3.5 grains of BE cycled it flawlessly. I tried them in the Shield, which was new and has a pretty stiff recoil spring, and I had to take it up to 3.7 grains to keep from getting what you are getting. I continued with increasing the load by .2 grains just to see - staying under the maximum load as i don't like to shoot hot nor press the max. After a couple of bump ups, I started to get some ejection problems. Cut back to 3.6 grains and it runs flawlessly.

The same load/boolit with 3.7 gr of BE works just fine out of the SR9 so now, I just use 3.7 gr. since both pistols will eat and work fine with that load. If your pistol is new - stiff - and having issues, it might take some break in time as well as finding the "sweet spot" load that works best out of it. I will admit that my load work-up is probably not as technical as what you are doing as I don't have a chronograph and for the type of shooting I do, my process is sufficient.

[Shiloh]

How many rounds on your springs?? There are those who say they don't wear out. There are WWII 1911's working fine with original springs. I have changed mine periodically. IIRC, 6.4 gr is max load for that powder isn't it?? I use AA#% but haven't loaded for them in a while. I loaded up almost 2K rounds a few winters ago and still have a lot.

Shiloh

[runfiverun]

I get by just fine with 3.2 grs of either red-dot or bulls-eye but I'm using a 130ish grain boolit.
the load is down there for sure but it operates 5 different 9m's 100% of the time and I don't have to go look for my cases.
the difference here is the [#-2] powder it seems to need a pretty good amount to work in the 9mm properly because of how the powder burns and creates the initial recoil impulse.

[SdRemmy]

I don't have Glocks but have experienced what you are talking about when working up loads for my 9mms. I would agree with everyone else . . . you need to bump the load up.

I was working up a load for my Shield when I got it using the same boolit you are. I usually use Bullseye. In my Ruger SR9, a dose of 3.5 grains of BE cycled it flawlessly. I tried them in the Shield, which was new and has a pretty stiff recoil spring, and I had to take it up to 3.7 grains to keep from getting what you are getting. I continued with increasing the load by .2 grains just to see - staying under the maximum load as i don't like to shoot hot nor press the max. After a couple of bump ups, I started to get some ejection problems. Cut back to 3.6 grains and it runs flawlessly.

The same load/boolit with 3.7 gr of BE works just fine out of the SR9 so now, I just use 3.7 gr. since both pistols will eat and work fine with that load. If your pistol is new - stiff - and having issues, it might take some break in time as well as finding the "sweet spot" load that works best out of it. I will admit that my load work-up is probably not as technical as what you are doing as I don't have a chronograph and for the type of shooting I do, my process is sufficient.

According to the Ramshot load data for lead I am 0.1 below max. I'll bump it up a little and see what it does. It did this also with HP-38 a tenth or two below lead data max too.

[SdRemmy]

How many rounds on your springs?? There are those who say they don't wear out. There are WWII 1911's working fine with original springs. I have changed mine periodically. IIRC, 6.4 gr is max load for that powder isn't it?? I use AA#% but haven't loaded for them in a while. I loaded up almost 2K rounds a few winters ago and still have a lot.

Shiloh
There's over a thousand rounds on these springs. I'd say in between 1000-3000. I got the max charge from Ramshot load book. Interestingly enough the berrys 124gr plated bullet has a max of 6.4 gr. I had always heard to run plated bullets at lead data. But it has a longer OAL

[fredj338]

Looking at the Accurate site, you are at a starting load, depending on OAL & exact bullet. Mixed brass, a minimum load will occasionally fail to feed in any semi. Yes you need to replace recoil springs in any gun but when depends on the load. Full power ammo, every 8-10K rds is not a bad idea, but going to a heavier spring will only make feeding issues worse.

[SdRemmy]

Yes I am using the lead bullet data. Is that usual practice or is it not uncommon to bump them up into jacket velocities?

[SdRemmy]

Went out a ran a few through the chronograph at about 10'. It was 92 degrees and some of the bullets weren't hot yet. Did a few different loads. Out of a gen 3 Glock 17 with a lonewolf barrel.
125 gr cast 5.3 AA#5 Tula sp primer
#1-1028,1036,1038,970,972
#2-1004,985,939,961,997
#3-1010,989,1010,965,993

5 shot strings of 125gr cast 5.6gr AA#5 Tula sp primer
#1-1012,1043,1049,1057,1054
#2-1021,1038,1023,1018,1003
#3-1029,1036,1033,1068,1062

5 shot strings of 125gr cast 3.1 gr Clays Tula sp primer
#1-909,896,885,916,899
#2-871,905,908,903,917
#3904,879,904,835,911

5 shot strings of 125gr cast 4.2gr HP-38 S&B sp primer
#1-1019,1030,1041,1050,1033
#2-1024,1012,1007,1036,1010
#3-1033,1002,1012,1024,1000

5 shot strings of 125gr cast 4.8 of Ramshot Silhouette CCI sp primer
#1-984,967,1013,992,984
#2-991,999,982,999,999
#3-997,991,996,994,996

[oteroman]

The whole point of you foing this thread was you had a problem.
Do you still have a problem?
Supply feedback!!

[SdRemmy]

The whole point of you foing this thread was you had a problem.
Do you still have a problem?
Supply feedback!!

My mistake. Didn't have any jams while chronographing. Will know more when I can get out and shoot either a practice match or a match. Looks like things are coming together. The upped charge kicked the brass out further. So I'm hoping that cured the problem. Will be able to tell more in a week or two.

[SdRemmy]

Thanks for the help and wisdom everybody!

[Shiloh]

Looking at the Accurate site, you are at a starting load, depending on OAL & exact bullet. Mixed brass, a minimum load will occasionally fail to feed in any semi. Yes you need to replace recoil springs in any gun but when depends on the load. Full power ammo, every 8-10K rds is not a bad idea, but going to a heavier spring will only make feeding issues worse.

Use stock weight springs unless you are doing something specialty.
There is a bullseye shooter here who still uses mild load 200 gr. SWC in a 1911 with a reduced weight spring. A sweet shooter.
light weight springs with full power ammo means pounding your frame and severe recoil.

Shiloh

[runfiverun]

the chrono numbers on the raised load look a whole ton better too.
the accuracy and functioning probably both improved.
the load with 231[hp-38] looks pretty good too.

it appears you looked in the accurate book for your data and read the data for the plated stuff at the same weight, which is usually a pretty good place to start.
but if you turn the page back to the front one you'll see the data for plain lead and it's a bit higher.
if you powder coated I'd say go even more to get back to starting loads.

[SdRemmy]

the chrono numbers on the raised load look a whole ton better too.
the accuracy and functioning probably both improved.
the load with 231[hp-38] looks pretty good too.

it appears you looked in the accurate book for your data and read the data for the plated stuff at the same weight, which is usually a pretty good place to start.
but if you turn the page back to the front one you'll see the data for plain lead and it's a bit higher.
if you powder coated I'd say go even more to get back to starting loads.
I was looking at the book online. I'll go back and check it out. They are powder coated. Thanks I'll go look that up now

[SdRemmy]

Use stock weight springs unless you are doing something specialty.
There is a bullseye shooter here who still uses mild load 200 gr. SWC in a 1911 with a reduced weight spring. A sweet shooter.
light weight springs with full power ammo means pounding your frame and severe recoil.

Shiloh
That's a good idea. I may wait to put it in. Unless I load up some real light loads.