stuck brass

[bloodman]

I have a problem with my reloads that are 40 cal, about 2 out of 100 will expand after firing so much, that they stick in the chamber, resulting in a double feed. The gun is a ruger sr40c. I have ran 150 factory loads threw it with no problems. I use 7.3gr. of longshot with 165 gr copper plated bullet seated at the standard length. this is very frustrating because I have been reloading for over 30 years and never had a problem like this before. Any input will be greatly appreciated.

 

[straight-shooter]

Without being there to see the brass I'm guessing it's got the dreaded unsupported chamber bulge in the brass causing it to get stuck.

 

[Drail]

Actually the bulge will be outside the chamber so it shouldn't be causing it to stick. The normal cause for stuck cases are roughly finished chamber walls from dull reamers "tearing" the steel away instead of cleanly cutting it (which Ruger is famous for - I have polished the chambers on every Ruger I own) or carbon fouled chambers. I think Ruger builds great guns - but they sure don't waste time deburring or polishing anything. Brownells sells chamber polishing hones that will fix it (though Ruger should have done it for you).

 

[mssmith44]

I think there are a couple of different issues causing the problem. I have a 40 storm lake barrel with a very tight chamber and don't have a problem with extraction.
I use WSF powder which is faster than longshot.
The chamber could be a little rough,
The extractor could be loose,
The pressure curve of longshot could be interfering with extraction by having too much pressure when trying to extract.
The slide could be unlocking too soon still could be cured by using faster powder.

 

[bulletsmith]

Once you have extracted the brass, have you taken any measurements to compare them to an unfired round?

 

[Drail]

If the cases are actually made from brass they should expand to seal the chamber and then shrink back a tiny bit and let go of the chamber walls. But if the walls are rough or fouled, they may not. Look in the chamber with a good light. The burn rate of the powder should not matter either. I have used large quantities of slow powders in big bore handguns for many years and never had cases stick. After I polished the very rough chambers of a Ruger Bisley in .41 Mag. even the heaviest loads in the books would fall out of their own weight.

 

[bloodman]

thanks guys for all the feedback, can`t find a hone for a 40 cal though, might just take to a gunsmith

 

[SSGSAD]

thanks guys for all the feedback, can`t find a hone for a 40 cal though, might just take to a gunsmith

Where are you located ?????

 

[bloodman]

Anderson IN.

 

[Leo]

What do the primers look like? Sticking brass in a semi auto is pretty rare, it would take a heck of an over pressure to do it, the primers would be really flattened. Failure to extract can have several causes. Compact .40 pistols do not tolerate light loads very well due to short stroking. Sometimes a light load and or a weak wrist will short stroke the slide and allow the bolt to push the empty brass back into the chamber. A worn, bent or otherwise defective ejector will leave the brass still stick to the extracor hook. Out of spec brass can have a small rim that misses the ejector hook. Good luck Let us know what you figure out.

 

[bloodman]

What do the primers look like? Sticking brass in a semi auto is pretty rare, it would take a heck of an over pressure to do it, the primers would be really flattened. Failure to extract can have several causes. Compact .40 pistols do not tolerate light loads very well due to short stroking. Sometimes a light load and or a weak wrist will short stroke the slide and allow the bolt to push the empty brass back into the chamber. A worn, bent or otherwise defective ejector will leave the brass still stick to the extracor hook. Out of spec brass can have a small rim that misses the ejector hook. Good luck Let us know what you figure out.

Really thinking of trading/selling it, I don`t have much patience with things like this. This gun is new. A gunsmith told me that some guns just don`t like reloads. I have a m&p 9c and a m&p shield and have had zero problems with any of them, the m&p 40c is starting to look very attractive.