Slide locking up with normal COL?

SundevilSG · 04-16-2012, 03:02 AM

My wife was shooting my .45acp reloads out of her 1911 today when two rounds "locked up" the slide. Both times there was a normal report, normal recoil, bullet exited fine. The slide cycled (apparently), cocked the hammer, and then resulted in a dead trigger. The only way to clear it was to rack the slide VERY hard and eject the chambered case (not sure if it was a live round or an empty case as my wife handled it both times). Both times I field stripped the gun to make sure there was no obstruction in the bore, and everything looked normal on diss-assembly.

I am assuming they were live rounds ejected as the slide must have cycled to cock the hammer.

The rounds were on the lighter side and loaded to my normal 1.270" OAL. I've shot this same load hundreds of times from this gun.

At first I was thinking it was the case swelling, but that wouldnt explain the cocked hammer and dead trigger.

Anyone have any idea whats going on here? I'll go back in a few days with the same lot to try and duplicate the problem.

MAC702 · 04-16-2012, 03:06 AM

Dead trigger with a cocked hammer means it likely did not go fully into battery. Or are you sure that it did? Other cause could be a safety engaged on accident.

Have you checked all of the reloaded ammo with a case gauge?

Are you sure the slide, and not the wife, cocked the hammer?

SundevilSG · 04-16-2012, 05:27 AM

Not going into battery would explain it, but then why the locked up slide?

Every 10th round was checked for COL during loading and I just spot checked about 20% of them. All COL 1.270" on the dot.

She swears that she didnt touch the hammer. Doing so isnt in the battery of arms and she has never been taught to do so in the past. I wondered about this to, but she is pretty sure.

Mystery indeed...

MAC702 · 04-16-2012, 05:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SundevilSG

Not going into battery would explain it, but then why the locked up slide?...

Actually, if a round fails the case gauge, causing a misfeed that won't go into battery, I would fully expect a very hard extraction to clear it. You've basically tried to put a wedge in a hole with a hard hit and then trying to get it back out again.

My Dillon cranks out about 600 .45 ACPs per hour and I run EVERY single one of them by hand through a case gauge afterward. Maybe 0.5% get thrown into a "practice only" bag.

The case gauge checks full length diameter, not just OAL.

SundevilSG · 04-16-2012, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MAC702

Actually, if a round fails the case gauge, causing a misfeed that won't go into battery, I would fully expect a very hard extraction to clear it. You've basically tried to put a wedge in a hole with a hard hit and then trying to get it back out again.

My Dillon cranks out about 600 .45 ACPs per hour and I run EVERY single one of them by hand through a case gauge afterward. Maybe 0.5% get thrown into a "practice only" bag.

The case gauge checks full length diameter, not just OAL.

I see - that makes sense. I have only been checking OAL and taper crimp at the case mouth. I'll go ahead and buy a set of case gauges!!

ricklaut · 04-16-2012, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SundevilSG

I see - that makes sense. I have only been checking OAL and taper crimp at the case mouth. I'll go ahead and buy a set of case gauges!!

You could use your barrel (gun disassembled of course) as your case gauge. I used to do that with my .40 XDm before I went ahead and got a gauge.

Joe · 04-17-2012, 06:13 AM

Using the barrel is a better choice at least to start with. Case gauges are made to maximum SAAMI specs. Many barrels are tighter than that. A round that passes a case gauge can still be too large for a barrel chamber.

MAC702 · 04-17-2012, 04:40 PM

I can't speak for all brands, but Dillon case gages are specifically for minimum dimensions.

totenschadel · 04-18-2012, 04:46 AM

A really good way to ensure your reloads will always pass a gauge is pretty simple. Buy yourself a Lee factory crimp die and utilize it as the last step in your reloading process. The post sizing ring will catch those casings with slightly bulged heads ( usually from a loose or unsupported chamber) and resize the last few thousands to the head where your sizing die possibly not reaching. I'm not one to push Lee products in any way, but the LFCD is a winner and I gaurentee proper cycling if you decide to try it. A gauge will tell you there is a problem with an out of spec casing, it certainly doesnt fix the problem....

MAC702 · 04-18-2012, 04:54 AM

I'm a big fan of the Lee Factory Crimp Die for pistol reloading. It cut down my rejects five-fold over using the Dillon crimp die.

While good, though, it still doesn't size the head as well as using a bulge-buster die that completely pushes the case though before loading. I use this for .40 cal because of the chances of Glock .40 brass sneaking in.

04-16-2012, 03:02 AM	#1
SundevilSG Minute of Barn Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: NW Vegas Posts: 1,148 Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Slide locking up with normal COL? My wife was shooting my .45acp reloads out of her 1911 today when two rounds "locked up" the slide. Both times there was a normal report, normal recoil, bullet exited fine. The slide cycled (apparently), cocked the hammer, and then resulted in a dead trigger. The only way to clear it was to rack the slide VERY hard and eject the chambered case (not sure if it was a live round or an empty case as my wife handled it both times). Both times I field stripped the gun to make sure there was no obstruction in the bore, and everything looked normal on diss-assembly. I am assuming they were live rounds ejected as the slide must have cycled to cock the hammer. The rounds were on the lighter side and loaded to my normal 1.270" OAL. I've shot this same load hundreds of times from this gun. At first I was thinking it was the case swelling, but that wouldnt explain the cocked hammer and dead trigger. Anyone have any idea whats going on here? I'll go back in a few days with the same lot to try and duplicate the problem.

04-16-2012, 03:06 AM	#2
MAC702 Schadenfreudist Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Clark County, NV--------------Mohave County, AZ Posts: 3,956 Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Dead trigger with a cocked hammer means it likely did not go fully into battery. Or are you sure that it did? Other cause could be a safety engaged on accident. Have you checked all of the reloaded ammo with a case gauge? Are you sure the slide, and not the wife, cocked the hammer? __________________ Blue & Gold Firearms Training: Private Concierge Instruction Blue & Gold Services: Electrical, Welding, and Air Conditioning "It's not important how many people I've killed. What's important is how I get along with the people who are still alive" - Jimmy the Tulip Last edited by MAC702; 04-16-2012 at 03:13 AM.

04-17-2012, 04:40 PM	#8
MAC702 Schadenfreudist Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Clark County, NV--------------Mohave County, AZ Posts: 3,956 Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I can't speak for all brands, but Dillon case gages are specifically for minimum dimensions. __________________ Blue & Gold Firearms Training: Private Concierge Instruction Blue & Gold Services: Electrical, Welding, and Air Conditioning "It's not important how many people I've killed. What's important is how I get along with the people who are still alive" - Jimmy the Tulip

04-18-2012, 04:54 AM	#10
MAC702 Schadenfreudist Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Clark County, NV--------------Mohave County, AZ Posts: 3,956 Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I'm a big fan of the Lee Factory Crimp Die for pistol reloading. It cut down my rejects five-fold over using the Dillon crimp die. While good, though, it still doesn't size the head as well as using a bulge-buster die that completely pushes the case though before loading. I use this for .40 cal because of the chances of Glock .40 brass sneaking in. __________________ Blue & Gold Firearms Training: Private Concierge Instruction Blue & Gold Services: Electrical, Welding, and Air Conditioning "It's not important how many people I've killed. What's important is how I get along with the people who are still alive" - Jimmy the Tulip Last edited by MAC702; 04-18-2012 at 04:56 AM.

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04-16-2012, 05:27 AM	#3
SundevilSG Minute of Barn Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: NW Vegas Posts: 1,148 Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Not going into battery would explain it, but then why the locked up slide? Every 10th round was checked for COL during loading and I just spot checked about 20% of them. All COL 1.270" on the dot. She swears that she didnt touch the hammer. Doing so isnt in the battery of arms and she has never been taught to do so in the past. I wondered about this to, but she is pretty sure. Mystery indeed...

04-17-2012, 06:13 AM	#7
Joe uber Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 243 Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Using the barrel is a better choice at least to start with. Case gauges are made to maximum SAAMI specs. Many barrels are tighter than that. A round that passes a case gauge can still be too large for a barrel chamber.

04-18-2012, 04:46 AM	#9
totenschadel Very Active Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Snoberlin Posts: 452 Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	A really good way to ensure your reloads will always pass a gauge is pretty simple. Buy yourself a Lee factory crimp die and utilize it as the last step in your reloading process. The post sizing ring will catch those casings with slightly bulged heads ( usually from a loose or unsupported chamber) and resize the last few thousands to the head where your sizing die possibly not reaching. I'm not one to push Lee products in any way, but the LFCD is a winner and I gaurentee proper cycling if you decide to try it. A gauge will tell you there is a problem with an out of spec casing, it certainly doesnt fix the problem....