200 swc 45 cal hanging up. Lube issue?

[yammerschooner]

I have been hearing that some of my 205 grain 45 boolits have been hanging up after about 40 shots. Neither shooter has seen evidence of leading. One uses identical Two Alpha bullets (lubed with Magma Blue lube), and didn't even change the settings on his 650 when loading for mine, but ran into issues nonetheless. For these reasons, I am wondering if I am running into a lube issue. I am using Lar's red.

Have any of you running the 200 grain SWC Ballisti-cast or similar mold run into similar feeding related issues. (Issues that only occur after 40 or so rounds.) I shoot mainly .40 and don't run into issues with the same lube.

What lube are you using if you are not running into this issue using the same boolit? I am looking for something hard and economical to experiment with.

Thoughts?

[Bass Ackward]

It could be lube. Where is the hang-up occurring?

I mean, is your chamber dirty? This could be a powder contributed issue if it is burning dirty and the pressure isn't enough to blow it clear. Could be an anneal issue with your cases too if a lose chamber is the cause. Or it can be a case sizing issue with a tight chamber. So proper diagnosis is critical to fighting the battle that needs fought.

It could be a diameter issue from your bullets too. They could be a hair too big.

People that shoot fairly little and usually clean often, like a larger bullet diameter as it works better at first filling the space(s). They judge their lube based upon that shooting focus. Bullet designs that work best for them carry the most lube or they use the best lubes. Or they like softer lube.

People that want to shoot long strings of rounds, (shoot dirty) size to fit and work up the load for what the diameter is going to become when it fouls. People that shoot this way will tell you that you can't judge a lube until after a couple of hundred rounds or so. This means until the new dimensions have been established in their gun and the load starts to shoot. They can usually get by with a less slippery type of lube, or designs that carry less, or they shoot harder lube as their bullets are riding more fouling than steel. They curse when they have to clean as it takes awhile to get this condition back.

I shoot both ways with different things at different times. So sometimes my bore preps (beginning loads) will be a larger diameter to prevent leading at first and then I go smaller for sustained accuracy work. To include ....ease of chambering. My 45s start at .452 for the first 50. Accuracy begins to degrade about 36-40 shots and then I go to .451 from that point on. Otherwise, it can take 200 shots before everything gels if I just used .451.

So you can usually tell how a man generally shoots by what he advocates in cleaning and bullet sizing threads.

[ChuckS1]

I have the Ballisti-Cast #668 and haven't had any issues with my Colts and a Sig P220. I've used both 50-50 and 2500+. I can't imagine how lube would make a difference. Most times I've had a failure to feed issue I look at either cartridge OAL, crimp, or the magazine.

[randyrat]

Interesting, I've run into this situation and couldn't explain it. I concluded it was a dirty chamber and feed ramp. Possble reasons- too light of loads(some sort of blow by), too much case lube left on the bullets or using too much case lube to begin with???? BTW No leading My solution that seemed to work- stay away from light loads with slower powders(Unique) and clean the case lube off better or use less case lube. As far as lube---I switched to a mix of JPW ,small amount of beeswax,and a small amount of LLA. everything seems better now....I can shoot 300 - 400 rds with no hickups at all with the 45 acp.... I think i found the right combo for accurate and long strings. I may try going back to unique and lighter loads using this combo and see if it was the other factors that caused problems.

[Boerrancher]

I have never had any luck shooting SWC's out of my 45 ACPs. My Springfield 1911, will digest anything except SWC's. It will shoot them but I get hang ups every once in a while. The same thing happens with my PT 145 Pro. It doesn't matter who's loads they are, even the commercial/factory loads will hang. I just quit using SWC's. RN, and FP RN's have become my mainstay, as I don't shoot in any pistol matches, so clean holes are not an issue for me.

Best Wishes from the Boer Ranch,

Joe

[DLCTEX]

All my SWC hang up Problems have been OAL related. Must have 20-50 thou. of boolit shoulder in front ot the case mouth. Other than that, if sized 452 and run through a Lee FCD(I use it as a check, not problem solver), they will run. DALE

[HeavyMetal]

I'm going to jump on the OAL bandwagon!

I don't care how simalar the boolits look, each gun, and each boolit, is it's own rule as to cartridge OAL.

I've run into this problem trying to feed several same caliber guns at the same time. Checking for long case's, not an issue with the 45 auto, and short chambers is a must!

I actually have a 45 auto barrel on my desk that has a chamber that is short enough that "trimmed" to length case's actually head space correctly!

When I seat the SWC's out as usual, shoulder out about .025, I get stoppages with this barrel!

My long term solution was to flush seat the SWC's with the case shoulder, tough to do with untrimed brass, and the issue went away!

My Number 1 45 doesn't like the load set up this way as well as it likes the boolit set out a little bit but for the "group outing shoot's" it really doesn't matter but functioning does!

[yammerschooner]

Thanks gents. I will ask a few questions about seating next time I run into one of the guys experiencing difficulties.

[AZ Pete]

Can also be too much of a taper crimp. If you are shooting a mixed lot of brass, some being a little thicker in the case mouth than others, that might cause the intermittent problem that you are experiencing.

Try to get a "case gage" and check your loaded rounds. If they fit into that, you should be OK. If they don't you will know which ones do not and then you can see it there is a common element (like brass mfg. )

[runfiverun]

my 45 likes the swc's seated flush with the case mouth.
my boys will shoot them with them seated out like everybody else's does.
i originally thought my probem was lube on the case also.
but it was headspacing on the boolit shoulder.