Could be several things. Overall length of the "bullets" doesn't mean much but overall length of the cartridges does and that may be slightly different for different guns and cause feeding and chambering problems. Cartridges could be out of spec., chambers of the H&K and Kimber may be slightly different, etc. If they locked up in your H&K, sounds like the cartridge OAL may be too long for your gun or the cartridge diameter is too large or both. Could be other things but more information is necessary like bullet weight, diameter, plated, painted, coated, etc. I'll assume you're talking about cast handloads. A nick in the lead tip could be the result of very soft lead that prevents proper feeding, but that's unlikely based on your comments.
Lee factory crimp die.
There are exceptions to everything and in some rare instances a Lee factory crimp die may be needed, but generally if you're doing everything right, a taper crimp die is best. Crimp just enough (and no more) to prevent bullet movement under recoil and chambering.
I teach my students to seat and crimp in separate steps for all semi-auto cartridges. Trying to push a bullet down in the case while squeezing the bullet with a taper crimp can lead to chambering problems.
Exactly, it will cause lead to build up right at the case mouth, since autos chamber on the case mouth. Any build up here increases heads space. No go.
I’ve had/have the same issue with a Glock 34 and a Colt Commander 45. Different calibers but same problem. Both will lock up with a length that feeds fine in dozens of other guns. Seat a few thousandths deeper and they will run like crap through a goose. I’ve learned loading for over 40 years that all guns are different. Now if it’s a new load, I try it in one of those first. If they will feed, every gun will work. I completely ignore what the books say about OAL. I just load what works
The Lee FCD is a taper crimp with a sizing function. Set the body like a sizing die, set the plug to the required crimp.
How much of the front driving band is sticking out of the cartridge case mouth? I have seen this happen several times. barrels with a long lead can be a problem if the bullet engages the taper before full battery is achieved. Those shooting "blue" bullets in Glocks "run and gun" where a bunch of rounds are fired rapidly. The chamber heats up enough to melt the blue paint, when the barrel cools, the bullet is glued into the barrel lead thus locking up the action. Seating the bullets in the case .010 deeper usually fixes the issue.
I have a USP in 40 S&W. It does not like SWCs. I played with thw OAL and got them to work, but once in a while they would fail to chamber all the way, but not lock anything up. I have not bought any more of them.
This one doesn't happen too often on my bench. but it comes up every so often processing range brass.
NEVER a good idea to force close an action on a round that won't chamber correctly; no matter the gun - this principle holds true for handguns, rifles, shotguns. As you can see, there are A BUNCH of reasons that can cause misfeeds and you have to methodically troubleshoot, just as all these fine people with their suggestions have discovered. All of us build on the knowledge of others and on our own mistakes. The key is to visit the range as often as possible because that's what gets you back to your reloading bench! Good luck, but above all, pay attention to the details!
Same thing with G17 but in 9mm the problem was the shape of the bullet.
