Range session "WHAT THAH...!"

[Fishslayer]

EDITED because I'm a dummy with severe CRAFT.

About a hunnert or so rounds into the session I was shooting the 115gr X-treme plated RN with 4.1gr of Green Dot @ 1.12" COL. Got a "FOOMP" with light recoil, a nice cloud of smoke and a stovepipe jam.

What thah...? Dropped the mag & cleared the jam. The case appeared OK except for a good coating of black.

Checked the bore & it was clear. The gun seemed none the worse. So continued on with the session. No further incidents.

Unfortunately I got focused on checking out the gun and lost track of the case. 20/20 hindsight I wish I'd kept the case for a more thorough examination.

Any thoughts? The load is right out of the book. 4.1gr is the published starting load (It's actually 4.2gr for FMJ). All the rest were hitting right about POA @ 10 yards. A pretty accurate load, really.

Split case? I was using *FC* range pickup brass.

Primers were Winnie WSP.

I use Horny One Shot case lube. It supposedly won't contaminate powder, and I'm careful not to shoot any up into the case. Could I possibly have gotten a dollop inside the case & loaded while it was wet? I really doubt that but I suppose it's possible.

I sit on a tall barstool at my bench & have a bright spotlight focused right on the shell holder. I can easily look right down into each case. If something was amiss with the charge itself I'm positive I would have caught it.

 

[fredj338]

I would supsect first a partial charge, but if you can see the charge in the case before seating the bullet, it could very well be a split case. The load is light to start with. FWIW, Federal makes the worst brass for reloading in any caliber, rifle or handgun IMO. They are just too soft, often enlarge primer pockets with moderate loads & splits & head blow outs are NOT uncommon. I shy away from Federal in anything but lwo pressure applications, like 38sp & 45acp & even then, I'll leave it behind before any other.

 

[Skip Sackett]

What is your reloading setup? What kind of powder measure system do you use?

 

[Fishslayer]

What is your reloading setup? What kind of powder measure system do you use?

Lee Classic Turret with Auto Disc. 4.1gr of Green Dot fills the case pretty well and as I sit I have a good view of the inside of the case. While anything's possible I really think I would have noticed a significant difference in the charge volume.

I actually found the offending case. All looks well with it except it's black on one side almost to the base of the case. Except for the degree of blackening it looks just like one of my light .45ACP target loads.

 

[Rule3]

That happened to me once when using a spray lube. When I looked inside the chamber and the case it was like a little bird nest of powder. I must have got too much lube in the case and it was still wet, so the powder was wet and formed a blob.

I mix my own Lee lube with rubbing alcohol and only give a light spritz but I remember the brass was still damp.

Now if and when I spray I lay them all down on their side in a large flat plastic bin.

 

[Fishslayer]

Now if and when I spray I lay them all down on their side in a large flat plastic bin.

That's how I do 'em with the One Shot except I use a towel. I always lay them out with the mouths facing away from the spray but it's possible I missed one or a blob surface tensioned it's way around a corner.

I'm going to be more careful about making sure it's dry before I start loading 'em. I've been known to be impatient from time to time.

I'll also be stashing my FC brass for emergency use only & load with other stuff. I have a ton of Win, PMC & .mil NATO brass.

 

[MrPhil]

My method for lubing 9mm is to spray a 1 second shot of One Shot into a plastic bread bag, add a couple hundred cases and shake. This has always given me good results. Never any lube inside the case.

 

[SMSgt]

Okay, why are we lubing cases? No carbide sizer?

Never had anymore issues with FC brass than any other. CBC on the other hand...

 

[MrPhil]

A tiny bit of lube makes sizing easier. Even with a carbide sizer. These old elbows need all the help they can get.

 

[Rule3]

A tiny bit of lube makes sizing easier. Even with a carbide sizer. These old elbows need all the help they can get.

Many do not believe us but it really does even with carbide dies.

I mix the Lee lube 1 part to 10 parts rubbing alcohol. It needs to be shaken (not stirred) in a little spray bottle. It's water soluble and tiny bit goes a long way.

 

[Fishslayer]

A tiny bit of lube makes sizing easier. Even with a carbide sizer. These old elbows need all the help they can get.

^^^ This. Doesn't take much. Makes 9mm WAY easier. Helps a lot with .357 as well.

 

[lmcgust]

I use Hornady One Shot as well, spray it all over with no regards to case position, like I saw in a Brian Enos DVD . I then shake the whole box a few seconds and let it rest. It says on the can to let it dry for one minute. No issue so far using this method.

 

[Maximumbob54]

I have used the same bottle of RCBS's case lube for a while. I use carbide sizing dies. I don't like using the pad and rolling the brass so I just take a cotton swap and add a dab of goo and smear it on the die when I feel the little bit of drag. I can size a lot of cases before I feel it start to go dry again. I also tumble the heck out of my brass with a shot of Nu Finish in the media. That may help some.

 

[johngalt]

I assume you are using Lee dies?

When I started loading for .45 auto, I found the Lee dies to be very rough and lubed the cases to make resizing easier.

I switched to Hornady dies, they are MUCH smoother. I haven't had to lube a .45 auto case since.

 

[MrPhil]

I assume you are using Lee dies?

I'm using proprietary Dillon carbide dies in a Square Deal press. Remember, 9mm is a tapered case. It takes a little more "oomph" to size. My main reason for lubing is "reloader's elbow". It takes all the fun out of reloading.