I've been shooting the BD45 bullets from my 1911.
Those lubed with FWFL function flawlessly.
The ones I have powder coated give me a few malfunctions, failure to feed completely, some stove pipes.
I've been sizing the bullets after PC application.
Anyone else experienced this? I can happily live with FWFL, but am curious as to the malfunction cause.
The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"
Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!
Please perform the plunk test aka the chambering fitment test and determine that if the layer of powder coating is not making the bullet nose big enough that it binds up in the throat of the barrel. If that is the case the solution would be to shorten overall length and restore proper head spacing. To headspace on the case mouth instead of headspace on the bullet. Some people like a slight interference they say it makes for better more a accurate ammunition in my case I don't believe that I think that feeding reliability trumps all.
I plunked every darned one of them. Hence, the mystery.Originally Posted by Recycled bullet
The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"
Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!
Well that is interesting I do not know. When I do the plunk test I require that it fall completely in and then I dip it up and it fall completely out under its own weight without any assistance from a fingertip.
Exactly how I tested them since the problem first came to light.
The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"
Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!
What bullets are having the problem
Powder charge, over all length etc
bd45. I've shot thousands of these, and like I say, no problem with FWFL. 4.5 gr. 700X
The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"
Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!
Can you try different magazines
Been there, done that.
The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"
Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!
The stovepipe and failure to completely feed makes it seem like you aren't getting as much slide speed as with the plain lubed bullets.
Any interest in maybe loading 50 at 5.0 grains just to see?
Just thinking out loud here,
I wonder if the PC isn't riding up on ramp/barrel entry as easily, as a non-PC bullet, which could slow the slide speed down. Besides the potential grippyness of PC, there is no doubt a soft lube like FWFL is possibly coating the ramp/barrel entry during blowback. Maybe try lubing the feed ramp and then blast some PC ammo.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
― The Dalai Lama, Seattle Times, May 2001
I adjusted the taper crimp a bit, and it's now working fine.
Last edited by waksupi; 01-10-2025 at 12:43 AM.
The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"
Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!
Curious, did it require just a bit more crimp?
Yes, I don't know if there was slight spring back from the PC, but suspect so. I only added a couple thousandths to the crimp.
The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"
Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!
I'll store this info for my future needs
thanks for posting this
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So, now I'm curious. First I have to show my ignorance, what is a BD45?
It is a conundrum that a simple crimp change would fix it. I assume you looked at misfed rounds to see if they set back the bullet any. If they were and the crimp fixed that it makes sense.
If there was no setback then the change in crimp should not have affected anything, yet it did.
My casual observation is that PC is usually 'more slippery' than bare lead, but, that may not be the case under impact, such as the nose striking the ramp.
The BD45 is a design developed by Bill Dellam, one of the board members. There was a run of custom molds here years ago. I'm not sure if any mold company made it a standard manufactured item.
Considering I use a taper crimp, I'm pretty sure it was just the spring back causing the problem. No set back on the bullets.
The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"
Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!
PC bullet would gain diameter, thus requiring more crimp?
Process : cast, PC, Size?
If you measure the diameter of the loaded round with calipers at the very top edge of the case, what is the reading now?
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