Failure to go into battery

jabberwo · Post by **jabberwo** » Wed Apr 23, 2014 1:12 pm

Just got my reworked (barrel, bushing, slide tightening) wad gun back from the 'smith. Yeah! Having problems with it not going into battery. Boo!

Seems like the rounds jam going into the chamber. Happened about 15 times in my first 75 rounds of factory Federal 185gr GM45B (not set up for reloading yet). Tried every mag I have. It only happens on the 4th or 5th, last, round in the mag. If I put that round back in the mag and try again, sling-shotting the slide, it has always fed fine.

Tried both the 10# spring the smith put in, and the original spring of unknown strength (though it is 1" longer than what the smith put in).

The COAL of the Federal (SWC) rounds is shorter than the handloads the 'smith used, 1.163 vs 1.267 (LSWC) and 1.229 (Zero JHP).

Sometimes I can give a forward assist to the of back of the slide to chamber the round.

Every time I've racked it, the round has come out so it's getting under the extractor.

Ideas anyone? I would really like to shoot it this weekend in my first ever NRA match and the 'smith is on vacation!

thanks,
Jab

Levergun59 · Post by **Levergun59** » Wed Apr 23, 2014 1:59 pm

Jabberwo,
My smithed gun came the same way. He gave me a rubber hammer and told me to shoot 500 rounds through it for break in. Works fine now. No jams. Lock up is as tight as a drum. Hammer was an assist to tap the rounds into battery and basically lap the barrel lugs in the receiver. I know many gunsmiths will be frothing at the mouth over this, but this was the way a few old school gunsmiths built a ball gun back in the day. They didn't want to break the lug edges too much so it was a sloppy fit. I suggest you use the hammer rather than your fingers. The round might get stuck and there is only one way to safely clear that round { underline the last 4 words}. It involves both hands and is too hard to explain here.
Chris

Levergun59 · Post by **Levergun59** » Wed Apr 23, 2014 2:16 pm

Jabberwo,
If that picture is your jam problem, then I have lead you astray. The jam I got with my gun was the last quarter inch before lockup, not 3/4" like you have depicted in the picture. Yours is a feed issue, not a lockup issue and you might need a longer bullet with the lighter return spring. Sorry for my mistake
Chris

jackh · Post by **jackh** » Wed Apr 23, 2014 3:38 pm

I had some Winchester factory JWC stop like that. I noticed a lack of crimp that left a sharp brass edge to dig into the crud in the chamber. Ran them through a crimp die and the problem went away.

davekp · Post by **davekp** » Thu Apr 24, 2014 7:47 am

Could be the chamber is a little short. The 'smith should have checked that, though. Happens when material is removed from the hood when fitting and the chamber length is not corrected.

jabberwo · Post by **jabberwo** » Thu Apr 24, 2014 9:13 am

davekp wrote:Could be the chamber is a little short.

When I drop the Federal round in the barrel it is just a barely a fingernail's distance below the hood. That's about the right headpace if I understand that correctly:

jabberwo · Post by **jabberwo** » Thu Apr 24, 2014 9:56 am

jackh wrote:I had some Winchester factory JWC stop like that. I noticed a lack of crimp that left a sharp brass edge to dig into the crud in the chamber. Ran them through a crimp die and the problem went away.

These feel like that too. Don't have a reloading setup yet...

Jon Eulette · Post by **Jon Eulette** » Thu Apr 24, 2014 10:24 am

Looking at the photo you submitted it appears that the roll over point (where the case transitions from the chamber throat to chamber) needs more radius added. The case side wall is getting caught as it tries to make the transition. Look at the side of the case for a minor dent from getting stuck/jamming. Sometimes if the extractor is too tight it can also cause this to happen. Chamber depth from hood to case mouth should be about 0.905". Remember that headspace is combination of chamber depth and gap between breech face and hood.
Jon

NDbullseye · Post by **NDbullseye** » Thu Apr 24, 2014 10:47 am

Try putting a drop of lube on the top round in the mag if that doesn't work. try different magazines. I have had the same problem just not consistently with one type of mag. Switched magazines and problems were solved.