H&G #68

[S&W HE]

I've loaded well over 100,000 H&G #68 200 grain lead semi-wad cutters with an overall length of 1.255 to 1.265". All have fed flawlessly in all my 1911s including 3 Colts, a S&W, a Rock Island Armory, and a Wilson CQB.

Recently I purchased 2000 copper plated rounds of what appeared to be the 200 grain H&G #68 bullet from X-Treme Bullets. Unfortunately the design is not the same and this bullet doesn't feed well in any the above listed guns. I've tried seating the bullet from 1.230" to 1.270".

Contacted X-Treme; couldn't help on OAL; offered to take the bullets back... however, I'd much prefer to find the magic overall length as I've found these bullets to be very accurate in the above listed guns.

Can you help?

 

[rockquarry]

When you seat the bullet at 1.23", is any of the bullet above the case? If so, I'd seat a little deeper. Might have to back off the charge a bit if you keep decreasing the OAL. I assume you're using a taper crimp, but you might try a roll crimp. Won't hurt anything and could help. A light crimp is often sufficient, just enough to prevent bullet movement.

 

[arjay]

What are the rounds doing exactly?

 

[shield]

I have a similar problem with the Xtreme plated SWCs and had given up on them. They jam when feeding, getting stuck on the ramp in my Remington R1 Enhanced. Recently I read that it may help to load them deeper as indicated above, so only about a fingernail width is showing above the case. I'm going to try that, but may be a week or so until I get around to it. I still have over a 1000 left, so would like to get them to work.

 

[358156hp]

You're going to have to experiment with seating length. As you noted, these are not H&G 68s, but a simple semi-wadcutter that sort of resembles them.

 

[scooter123]

In addition to the above suggestions you may also want to consider increasing your powder charge, especially if you are still using the same charge as when you were using lead bullets. Jacketed and plated bullets produce more friction in the barrel and as a result of this you may not be producing enough velocity with your current powder charge. Not only does this create a risk of a squib but that reduced muzzle velocity can result in a reduction in slide velocity. With a 1911 not enough slide velocity can lead to issues with jams, usually with the round trapped by the slide about halfway up the feed ramp.

 

[Granddad]

Search various forums re: reloading and you'll see may similar problems with the plated/jacketed SWC. I don't have an answer for you, so good luck.

 

[S&W HE]

What are the rounds doing exactly?

The rounds will slam feed the first round from the magazine (ie: drop the slide) into chamber in all the 1911s. They will not slowly and smoothly feed the first round like my lead H&Gs.

Then part way through a string of fire (often around the 4th round) a cartridge will wedge between the magazine lips and barrel hood. The fix is usually to pull the slide back about an inch and let it fly.

 

[S&W HE]

I have a similar problem with the Xtreme plated SWCs and had given up on them. They jam when feeding, getting stuck on the ramp in my Remington R1 Enhanced. Recently I read that it may help to load them deeper as indicated above, so only about a fingernail width is showing above the case. I'm going to try that, but may be a week or so until I get around to it. I still have over a 1000 left, so would like to get them to work.

I hate to hear this.

 

[S&W HE]

In addition to the above suggestions you may also want to consider increasing your powder charge, especially if you are still using the same charge as when you were using lead bullets. Jacketed and plated bullets produce more friction in the barrel and as a result of this you may not be producing enough velocity with your current powder charge. Not only does this create a risk of a squib but that reduced muzzle velocity can result in a reduction in slide velocity. With a 1911 not enough slide velocity can lead to issues with jams, usually with the round trapped by the slide about halfway up the feed ramp.

Thanks for your input.

My lead bullet load chronographs around 950 fps and is considered maximum in the new "lawyered up" reloading books. (It's two to four tenths under max in the old books.) Primer pressure signs resemble factory loads.

 

[flintsghost]

Based on what you are indicating has happened in the malfunction, the first thing I would do is isolate any magazines that have been associated with the malfunction and mark them with "white out" or red fingernail polish. I carry some in my range bag for exactly that purpose. I would then try a different brand of magazine, particularly if the different brand has a slightly different shape to the lips.

The malfunction you describe is normally associate with early round release by the magazine. If the lips are styled like the old "wadcutter lips" and are slightly short, the magazine will allow that to happen.

 

[jwalts27]

my dad reloads tons of Extreme plated SWC's for his S&W and Sig 1911's and I know he DOES use a LEE factory crimp die because of the same issues you are having. If he doesn't use the die he has feeding issues.

 

[S&W HE]

Based on what you are indicating has happened in the malfunction, the first thing I would do is isolate any magazines that have been associated with the malfunction and mark them with "white out" or red fingernail polish. I carry some in my range bag for exactly that purpose. I would then try a different brand of magazine, particularly if the different brand has a slightly different shape to the lips.

The malfunction you describe is normally associate with early round release by the magazine. If the lips are styled like the old "wadcutter lips" and are slightly short, the magazine will allow that to happen.

Thanks for the info.

I have already numbered my 8 Wilson Combat Magazines and have had the same results with those I've tried. I've also tested a couple of Colt magazines with no luck.

Edit: If the problem is magazine related, it would be a late round release.

 

[S&W HE]

my dad reloads tons of Extreme plated SWC's for his S&W and Sig 1911's and I know he DOES use a LEE factory crimp die because of the same issues you are having. If he doesn't use the die he has feeding issues.

Thanks for the info. What is the overall length of your dad's X-treme plated SWC bullets?

By the way, I do have the LEE factory crimp die as well as RCBS and Dillon taper crimp dies. Since the bullet is failing to feed from the magazine into the chamber and is not being pushed back into the case, I don't believe the crimp die is the problem.

 

[jwalts27]

Thanks for the info. What is the overall length of your dad's X-treme plated SWC bullets?

By the way, I do have the LEE factory crimp die as well as RCBS and Dillon taper crimp dies. Since the bullet is failing to feed from the magazine into the chamber and is not being pushed back into the case, I don't believe the crimp die is the problem.

They are at 1.23. Unless your in love with the SWC order the RN next time from Extreme. He loads alot of those now without needing to Factory crimp them.

 

[S&W HE]

They are at 1.23. Unless your in love with the SWC order the RN next time from Extreme. He loads alot of those now without needing to Factory crimp them.

Thanks again.

There's no 200gr or 230gr RN available. They currently have 200gr HP, 230gr HP, and 225gr FP in stock.... Do you have any experience with these bullets?

 

[jwalts27]

Thanks again.

There's no 200gr or 230gr RN available. They currently have 200gr HP, 230gr HP, and 225gr FP in stock.... Do you have any experience with these bullets?

sorry, none wioth the ones you listed. We also use tons of Rocky Mountain bullets. rmrbullets.com Double struck plated bullets look/shoot/load exactly the same as extreme. they come with free shipping and offer great service. i have loaded thousands of RMR in 9,40,45 and 223 with ZERO issues. you should look into them as well.

 

[Engineer1911]

SWC bullet problems

Lyman makes two different 45 ACP SWC bullet molds for 200 grain bullets. One looks like a H&G 68 with a long nose (one big lube groove), the other has a much shorter nose (2 small lube grooves). I loaded thousands of short nose SWC for my Colt Gold Cup Series 70 without a problem.

Good fortune smiled on me and I bought a custom match gun with a Nowlin barrel with the feed ramp on the barrel. The short nose SWC would not feed regardless of changes: recoil spring, powder, powder charge, OAL, different brands of mag -- nothing worked. Bought the Lyman H&G #68 copy and any load, any mag, any recoil spring worked (spring matchrd to powder charge).

I have loaded lots of plated bullets without a problem. The shoulder of the bullet is 0.010" to 0.020" (the portion right at the base of the swc nose) above the case mouth. That slight shoulder exposure allows smooth feeding into the chamber. It works with long or short nose SWC bullets. I have found that mid-range powder charges not soft target loads work best with short nose plated bullets.

EDIT: I don't load to over all cartridge length, I load to 0.015" shoulder exposure. Case length variation will give 0.010" to 0.020" shoulder exposure.

Good luck

 

[scattershot]

i load the Berrys SWC 200 grain, at 1.24" OAL. I did have one failure to feed the other day, so may try shorter OAL. I load the H&G68, too, to an OAL of 1.25", with no problems. The Berrys bullet has a shorter, stubbier nose than the H&G design, so it's not the same bullet. (4.0 Red Dot).

 

[peppercorn]

Lyman makes two different 45 ACP SWC bullet molds for 200 grain bullets. One looks like a H&G 68 with a long nose (one big lube groove), the other has a much shorter nose (2 small lube grooves). I loaded thousands of short nose SWC for my Colt Gold Cup Series 70 without a problem.

Good fortune smiled on me and I bought a custom match gun with a Nowlin barrel with the feed ramp on the barrel. The short nose SWC would not feed regardless of changes: recoil spring, powder, powder charge, OAL, different brands of mag -- nothing worked. Bought the Lyman H&G #68 copy and any load, any mag, any recoil spring worked (spring matchrd to powder charge).

I have loaded lots of plated bullets without a problem. The shoulder of the bullet is 0.010" to 0.020" (the portion right at the base of the swc nose) above the case mouth. That slight shoulder exposure allows smooth feeding into the chamber. It works with long or short nose SWC bullets. I have found that mid-range powder charges not soft target loads work best with short nose plated bullets.

EDIT: I don't load to over all cartridge length, I load to 0.015" shoulder exposure. Case length variation will give 0.010" to 0.020" shoulder exposure.

Good luck

This is what has worked best for me also with the H&G 68. They feed in Sig P220s, Colt series 70 and Sig 1911s. This is also the case with many different clips in the same guns, so much so that jams of any kind have become a distant memory.