Anyone Cast for a Ruger PC-40?

[Crosshair]

Does anyone else own a Ruger PC-40 carbine and cast boolits for it? I'm loading a Lee TL401-175-SWC to 1.115" OAL. This load feeds perfectly in my Hi-Point 4095, but will jam about 40-50% of the time in my PC-40. It feeds perfectly when I hand cycle it, but when I shoot it it appears that the round gets caught up on the edge of the chamber from the "lip" on the SWC boolit.

I'm wondering if I should try to increase OAL or if I should try a shorter OAL. I't tricky because it only jams when I'm actually shooting it, not hand cycling. Commercial cast Boolits I have with a more rounded profile feed perfectly, perhaps it's the "lip" on the SWC. My PC-9 feeds SWC boolits perfectly, though this could be because of the narrower nature of the 9mm vs the fatter 40 S&W.

Perhaps a LEE 401-175-TC would work better? I tumble lube my boolits so I'm not sure how well this would hold lube vs the TL design of the one I am currently using.

Any ideas?

[Ben]

I shoot cast in my PC -40 also. I've experienced " failure to feed " with the same bullet that you're having problems with also.

I also load the 40043 Lyman ( an old 38/40 design ), it is 101% flawless in feeding.

It is a HP mold.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/40%20caliber%20HP/PICT0004.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/40%20caliber%20HP/PICT0005.jpg

[Crosshair]

Wow, nice HP mold there. Do you think I should abandon my efforts to get the bullet to feed and pursue a RN or TC design? I've tried loading dummy rounds to different lengths and it seems to be a problem of the steeper feed angle of the PC-40 vs the 4095 combined with the "lip" the SWC design has. The steep feed angle works for the PC-9 and SWC boolits, but it seems to not work for the fatter 40 S&W in the PC-40.:sad:

I've found a non-HP #40043 mold on Ebay for a decent price. Perhaps I should snatch it up. Though I'm not too thrilled at using a 2-cavity vs the 6-cavity lee I have currently. However it will beat clearing jams 3 times per magazine.

[Ben]

If your current design won't feed with different OAL's, I'd say you are about in a position where you've got to abandon that particular bullet design ( assuming you want a weapon to function properly, which most of us would want )

You can make a lot of bullets with a smooth operating 2 cav. mold that releases bullets easily.

The 40043 will shoot well in your PC - 40.

Ben

[Crosshair]

I'll try to get that 40043 on eBay, it seems to be in nice shape, and get a 6-cavity 401-175-TC as well since the TC design doesn't have a "lip" to catch on the chamber like my current mold does. (Plus I'm lazy and aluminum molds are easy to take care of.)

Thanks a ton for your help. I'll just have to use the ammo I have now for my 4095.

[Lloyd Smale]

Ive shot the rcbs 180 rf that is made for the 3840 in one i used to have and foolishly sold. It ran great. Id sure like to find another some day. There great little guns.