9mm powder coated frustration

[chris in va]

I've loaded thousands of powder coated 9mm over the years, the majority being the LRN Lee 6 hole. I discovered some of the cavities were getting out of round so I went ahead and got an Arsenal truncated cone.

My P01 does decently well with both, but I'm getting inconsistencies with my new Shadow 2. I've tried everything I can think of, different powders, maxing out the oal so it rests against the lands, but every mag I get one that goes in sideways without fail. They are also nowhere near as accurate as JHP.

I'm using clip on wheelweight lead and powder coated sized to 356 as 358 shaves off the coating.

 

[lordpaxman]

I have nothing. But I’m interested in the discussion. I’m thinking of investing in a Shadow.
Just curious if you slugged the barrel? What powders did you try and were any of them on the faster side? I didn’t quite get the “sideways” comment - is that a failure to feed?

 

[MEHavey]

358 shaves off the coating.

Curious... is this observed from recovered/fired bullets, or some point before that ?
(i.e., when/how did you see the PC being shaved?)
I ask because I'm shooting 357-sized cast/PC'd through 9mm M&Ps. SIGs, Walthers, and Glocks w/o incident

Also ... what PC(s) are you using?

 

[rfwobbly]

Lots of description, but not much data to go on.

• "One goes in sideways" To clarify... so your primary complaint is about feeding or accuracy ?
• Does your die set include the use of a Lee FCD ?
• What OAL are you currently loading at ?
• The bullet you show (loaded, but not naked) looks to have a very slim ogive. What is the Max OAL for that bullet in your P01 ?
• In the end you need to remember that that not all bullets can be successfully loaded in all handguns.

 

[PO2Hammer]

I fingered sideways was tumbling at the target.

 

[AJC1]

If you want to shoot the fatter bullet because it doesn't have problems get an noe expander for 11 dollars and be done.

 

[chris in va]

Curious... is this observed from recovered/fired bullets, or some point before that ?
(i.e., when/how did you see the PC being shaved?)
I ask because I'm shooting 357-sized cast/PC'd through 9mm M&Ps. SIGs, Walthers, and Glocks w/o incident

Also ... what PC(s) are you using?

I'm using Eastwood Hotcoat. When I sized them to 358 they wouldn't chamber unless I seated the bullet shoulder almost flush with the case mouth. If I seated it out and tried to chamber you can see where the powdercoating got scraped off. The 358's were keyholing 50% of the time.

This is typical with CZ, their chambers are super tight.

 

[chris in va]

To clarify, I get one in ten that keyholes at 7 yards and has a different sound to it when it fires, has a "chock" tone to it. It obviously goes nearly off the paper when that happens. I'm starting to think it doesn't like the truncated cone design.

 

[WeekendReloader]

The lead bullets can be tricky. I first sized to .356 and got mediocre accuracy along with some leading. Then I tried .358 and accuracy improved, but had issues chambering rounds. I settled on .357.
(Note: I powder coat the bullet, then push the coated bullet through the sizing die.)

I then determined the COAL that would chamber without hitting the lead bullet and backed it off another 0.010". This ensures that even with a little variation in seating, the round will chamber.

After that, work up a load.

Do not size down the bullet because your chosen COAL causes some powdercoat to scrape off. That scrape is telling you that your COAL is too long.

 

[NMexJim]

So, my curiosity is up. What pistol are you shooting? Do you have a pic of a .358 that’s shaved?

My experience is that .358 is getting a little thick. For lead, .357 seems to work best for me. .356 would be good for jacketed, but may be getting a bit small for lead. But, I’ve shot all of these w/o the problems you describe.

What were you sizing the around nose to?

I personally am not a fan of truncated cone.

 

[MEHavey]

- Eastwood HotCoat is good stuff/best there is (no issues there)
- How long/what temp cooked ?
- Seating depth for plunk test means the bullet is deep enough that the ogive is not in hard contact w/ the rifling (and therefore not scraping)
- But even when I jam seat (Yassah! That lead bullet is in hard contact ! ), I've never had anything but normal performance.
... (truth in lending, I am using Lyman#2 )

That said, these Georgia Arms 147gr (lube boiled off) BHN#2//Coated/Sized .357 do definitely kiss/engage the rifling in a couple of my 9mm's, but are very accurate/reliable.

FWIW: I use Eastwood X-Chrome/Single-Stage Chrome/Mirror Red/Flame Red-Translucent on all my 9's/#2 alloys -- no issues ever.

You say it's only keyholing w/ one gun?

 

[chris in va]

I apologize, I just realized my two sizing dies are 355 and 357. I'm currently loading some Lee LRN at both sizes so we'll see which keyholes on me, if any. These have a much less abrupt ogive than the angular TC so maybe that is the issue.

 

[243winxb]

Photo link

The guns throat needs to be measured. Then size .0005" smaller. Measure sized diameter before the coat.

The finished sized diameter can be different then what the size die is marked.
The harder the alloy, the larger the sized bullet will be. Caused by spring back.

just realized my two sizing dies are 355 and 357.

Place a large as cast bullet into the chamber and gave it a couple taps. Measure @ red line.
Should look like this.