I've seen it happen in different calibers but I was wondering is it something I am doing wrong during the reloading process? I just bought a lee factory crimp die to try and fix the problem. Every now and then I get a FTF. Is it possible to get a 100 Feed rate with reloads? I tumble, resize/decap, flare, debur the OD and ID, powder charge, seat, and now factory crimp die. Every now and then when I seat a bullet I can tell it's sort of off center. Do you know what I'm talking about? Why does this happen?
Pistol ammo FTF? 9MM.
- Thread starter K_Labs
- Start date
Re: Pistol ammo FTF? 9MM.
9mm (and any rimless case like 45 ACP, etc) headspaces off the rim of the case. That means the front (top) rim of the case is what stops the bullet from going too far into the chamber - so far that the firing pin can't reach it or can't reach it well enough to ignite the primer. When a proper round is chambered, the case rim hits a matching rim inside the chamber and stops the bullet from going any farther.
A common mistake (made it myself when I was just starting) is to crimp the rim too much, making it too small to catch on the rim inside the chamber. When you crimp the case rim to get rid of the bell, the temptation is to make it look nice and pretty and fit up tight against the bullet. This is often too much crimp. The SAAMI spec for the diameter of the case rim for 9mm ammo is .380. You can get a little smaller than that and it will still work (many factory rounds are a little smaller), but if you go too far you will get FTFs. You can also get case ruptures. I get 100% function in my 9mm rounds but the case rim rarely fits flush up against the bullet.
9mm (and any rimless case like 45 ACP, etc) headspaces off the rim of the case. That means the front (top) rim of the case is what stops the bullet from going too far into the chamber - so far that the firing pin can't reach it or can't reach it well enough to ignite the primer. When a proper round is chambered, the case rim hits a matching rim inside the chamber and stops the bullet from going any farther.
A common mistake (made it myself when I was just starting) is to crimp the rim too much, making it too small to catch on the rim inside the chamber. When you crimp the case rim to get rid of the bell, the temptation is to make it look nice and pretty and fit up tight against the bullet. This is often too much crimp. The SAAMI spec for the diameter of the case rim for 9mm ammo is .380. You can get a little smaller than that and it will still work (many factory rounds are a little smaller), but if you go too far you will get FTFs. You can also get case ruptures. I get 100% function in my 9mm rounds but the case rim rarely fits flush up against the bullet.
Re: Pistol ammo FTF? 9MM.
I'll get some pics of what I was talking about. So when I seat and crimp the bullet I should be no lower than .308"? I'll check a few outside and bring some calipers next time I go shooting and measure the few that don't chamber. It's normally 4 or 5 out of a few hundred.
I'll get some pics of what I was talking about. So when I seat and crimp the bullet I should be no lower than .308"? I'll check a few outside and bring some calipers next time I go shooting and measure the few that don't chamber. It's normally 4 or 5 out of a few hundred.
Re: Pistol ammo FTF? 9MM.
Shit can the crimping portion of the FCD, buy the Lee Bulge Buster attachment for it and a dedicated tapper crimp die, if your shooting a Glock the brass gets a slight bulge from the unsupported chamber.
Shit can the crimping portion of the FCD, buy the Lee Bulge Buster attachment for it and a dedicated tapper crimp die, if your shooting a Glock the brass gets a slight bulge from the unsupported chamber.
Re: Pistol ammo FTF? 9MM.
Also, just a heads up, the first time I reloaded 9mm I started my load out at Hornady's recommended starting load in thier manual for the bullet I was shooting. It was not enough powder to cycle my Beretta 92. I would get a FTF on like every 3rd round or so. After pulling and reloading all of the rounds more powder, I've not had a single FTF. Since autoloaders are interial operated, they need a certain amount of kick to cycle the slide.
Also, just a heads up, the first time I reloaded 9mm I started my load out at Hornady's recommended starting load in thier manual for the bullet I was shooting. It was not enough powder to cycle my Beretta 92. I would get a FTF on like every 3rd round or so. After pulling and reloading all of the rounds more powder, I've not had a single FTF. Since autoloaders are interial operated, they need a certain amount of kick to cycle the slide.
Re: Pistol ammo FTF? 9MM.
That's the gun that has the most FTF issues is my 92FS also sometimes my slide does not hold back on the last round fired. However it still one of my favorites and most accurate. My 226 is new to me and I haven't had more than 50 or so rounds down the pipe. My CZ-75 is also new to me and hasn't gone through more than a box of 50. That sounds like a plan. I used the minimum recommend load. I'll try the next one up. If you don't mind me asking what powder are you guys using and how many grains. I'm using bullseye and maybe 4.3 grains and 115 grain bullets. I'll have to check when I get home I could be way off. All of my pistols are chambered in 9MM. If I have this problem in every pistol is it safe to say I'm not using enough powder.
That's the gun that has the most FTF issues is my 92FS also sometimes my slide does not hold back on the last round fired. However it still one of my favorites and most accurate. My 226 is new to me and I haven't had more than 50 or so rounds down the pipe. My CZ-75 is also new to me and hasn't gone through more than a box of 50. That sounds like a plan. I used the minimum recommend load. I'll try the next one up. If you don't mind me asking what powder are you guys using and how many grains. I'm using bullseye and maybe 4.3 grains and 115 grain bullets. I'll have to check when I get home I could be way off. All of my pistols are chambered in 9MM. If I have this problem in every pistol is it safe to say I'm not using enough powder.
Re: Pistol ammo FTF? 9MM.
Personally if this is happening in all of your handguns, I would say that it's a reloading problem, or a user problem. By user problem, I mean no offense and I don't know how you shoot. But if you limp wrist your hand guns it will cause this problem. As long as you don't have this problem with factory loads, I would say its a reloading problem.
To be completely honest, after having the problems with the Hornady Manual that I have (9mm failing to feed, and other charges being way to low) I've completely stopped using it. I just go to Hogdons website and get the data from there or just get data from here and minus 5% and work up. I use Universal and between 4.5-5.0 grains of powder for 115 grain bullets.
As I was saying before one thing to keep in mind is that autoloaders are inertial operated. They use the force of recoil to cycle the slide. Like what I was saying before, if you limp wrist your firearm, your wrist actually absorbs some of the energy of the recoil and will cause the weapon to FTF. With that being said, assuming you keep your powder charge the same, increasing bullet weight could help. Personally powder is a hell of a lot cheaper than bigger bullets so I just use more powder.
With you saying that your gun fails to lock back also indicates that your slide is not coming as far back as it could. This is telling me that your not getting enough energy into the slide, just reinforcing the explanation I gave above. Put more powder in your bullets and focus on your technique. Let me know if this works.
Personally if this is happening in all of your handguns, I would say that it's a reloading problem, or a user problem. By user problem, I mean no offense and I don't know how you shoot. But if you limp wrist your hand guns it will cause this problem. As long as you don't have this problem with factory loads, I would say its a reloading problem.
To be completely honest, after having the problems with the Hornady Manual that I have (9mm failing to feed, and other charges being way to low) I've completely stopped using it. I just go to Hogdons website and get the data from there or just get data from here and minus 5% and work up. I use Universal and between 4.5-5.0 grains of powder for 115 grain bullets.
As I was saying before one thing to keep in mind is that autoloaders are inertial operated. They use the force of recoil to cycle the slide. Like what I was saying before, if you limp wrist your firearm, your wrist actually absorbs some of the energy of the recoil and will cause the weapon to FTF. With that being said, assuming you keep your powder charge the same, increasing bullet weight could help. Personally powder is a hell of a lot cheaper than bigger bullets so I just use more powder.
With you saying that your gun fails to lock back also indicates that your slide is not coming as far back as it could. This is telling me that your not getting enough energy into the slide, just reinforcing the explanation I gave above. Put more powder in your bullets and focus on your technique. Let me know if this works.
Re: Pistol ammo FTF? 9MM.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: K_Labs</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'll get some pics of what I was talking about. So when I seat and crimp the bullet I should be no lower than .308"? I'll check a few outside and bring some calipers next time I go shooting and measure the few that don't chamber. It's normally 4 or 5 out of a few hundred. </div></div>
I mis-typed in my original post and have fixed it now. The proper dimension is .380. That is the diameter of the case rim at the top of the case.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: K_Labs</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'll get some pics of what I was talking about. So when I seat and crimp the bullet I should be no lower than .308"? I'll check a few outside and bring some calipers next time I go shooting and measure the few that don't chamber. It's normally 4 or 5 out of a few hundred. </div></div>
I mis-typed in my original post and have fixed it now. The proper dimension is .380. That is the diameter of the case rim at the top of the case.
Re: Pistol ammo FTF? 9MM.
Also terminology may be getting us here. I took FTF to mean Failure to Fire while it seems others are taking it to mean Failure to Feed. Two different problems although it may be that you are experiencing both.
Also terminology may be getting us here. I took FTF to mean Failure to Fire while it seems others are taking it to mean Failure to Feed. Two different problems although it may be that you are experiencing both.
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