chamber, re-chamber, and re-re-chamber of ammo causes bullets to seat deeper?

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  • jedi

    Da PinkFather
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    i recall reading here on ingo on a link to a study done about the title of this post or someone here doing it.

    basically you have a round in the handgun in chamber.
    at end of day you unload the handgun and the round in chamber you DO NOT discharge but instead take out.
    you out that round back on the top of magazine and next day you load handgun and that round gets chambered again.
    repeat and repeat this process for xyz timeframe.
    7 days, 30 days, 6 months..

    iirc that over time the bullet begins to get seated deeper into the brass.

    link anyone?
     

    Wolfhound

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    I think I get what you are saying.

    The bullet should not get pushed deeper into the case unless the over all length is out of spec or the bullet is not crimped tight enough in the case.

    Curious to see what others say. :popcorn:
     

    possum_128

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    It's called bullet setback and yes, it's a real thing. The bigger question is why would you unload on day one and load on day two and so on? Leave the gun loaded with one in the pipe and secure the weapon if need be, kids, dog, guests etc. My handguns are always loaded so no setback worries.
     

    jedi

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    It's called bullet setback and yes, it's a real thing. The bigger question is why would you unload on day one and load on day two and so on? Leave the gun loaded with one in the pipe and secure the weapon if need be, kids, dog, guests etc. My handguns are always loaded so no setback worries.

    its not me.
    securiry company policy is to unload all revolvers at the end of shift of guard, trigger lock recolver, put handgun in safe, ammo is turned over to supervisor for accountability.

    new contract calls for semi auto handguns and the contractor writers are writing the same process to "secure" the firearm. i told them that is not wise with semi-auto and explained a bit why but i recall reading about this, via a study.
     

    Wolfhound

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    Reading the article it sounds like it's more of an issue with reloaded and range ammunition than it is with factory self defense rounds.
     

    2Lucky

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    When S&W came out with their 929 there was a lot of complaints about bullet set back with factory ammo. You shouldn't have to worry if you reload your own.
     

    Tactically Fat

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    One way around this issue (which is very well known and very real - in all calibers of semi-auto): Lower the slide by hand - slowly - and then tap the slide into place if needed.

    It's even easier if you only have 1 round in the mag when you let the slide strip it off. Chamber that round, holster the weapon. Remove the magazine and then load it. Then reinsert it into the holstered gun.

    MY technique when I remove my carry ammo from the gun (for range use) is the above, but I use a full magazine. Only have to re-load 1 rd that way.

    Bullet Setback: Is It A Myth? Why It?s Important To Rotate Your Chambered Round ? Concealed Nation

    https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=171

    Bullet Set-Back - Aegis Academy -

    SOME rounds are more forgiving of bullet set-back than others. Some are very much NOT tolerant due to their overall high operating pressures with normally seated bullets.

    Repeated chambering and rechambering of rounds WILL cause issues.

    OP: Get a go/no gauge and/or a set of calipers for the caliber that you've mandated to carry. Use it on your issued ammo. As soon as the ammo fails the OAL specifications, throw that ammo out and ask for new. Do that enough times and perhaps the bean counters will begin to see things differently.
     

    Ruffnek

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    I've developed a habit when I do unload a gun, whether for cleaning or dry fire practice. My carry guns, the only handguns I own, are always loaded "+1". When I unload them, the magazine and extra round are put down next to each other and once it's time to reload I pick up the magazine and seat it, rack the slide, holster or put down the gun after removing the magazine, top the magazine off and insert it back into the gun. I had never really heard of/considered set-back, but for some reason the rotation of the chanbered round seemed like a good idea. Maybe I was thinking along the lines of not jamming the same round into the bottom of the slide over and over and risking a case being compromised.

    EDIT: Apparently Tactically Fat​ has speedier fingers than I do.
     

    russc2542

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    Reading the article it sounds like it's more of an issue with reloaded and range ammunition than it is with factory self defense rounds.

    My Bond Bullpup (rebadged Boberg) will literally pull ammo apart while cycling if the case isn't holding the bullets tight. Bond has a suggested list and of course the internet tests them too. There absolutely are factory defensive loads that don't have a tight crimp. You're also assuming the company doesn't have bean counters ignorant of both ballistics and physics that will ask why brand xyz that you want to use costs 8x as much as brand abc that they found online.

    Even with good tightly crimped ammo it'll be an issue over time: some people think you can't cut a hard materal with a soft material but you absolutely can if you have more of the soft material to replace as it wears. Steps worn in rocks by ancient cultures by repetition, polished and worn metal railings, how do you think they get diamonds cut? Where'd they get the diamond grit for the sawblade and polish? The best crimped ammo won't move perceptibly from repeated chambering but how many times can you tap on the bullet before it is perceptible?

    I get that they don't want loaded guns on the rack unissued, there are a few ways around it but none are good.
    -Make everyone carry IDF style (loaded mag, empty chamber)
    -Person checking in the empty guns and ammo at the shift change mics the chambered rounds and discharge/toss them as they fail the check
    -Chambered rounds go in a bucket for first use when it's qualifying time.
    -Drop the mag and discharge the chambered round into a sand barrel
     

    jedi

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    thanks all for the info.
    im not a security guard, nor will i be one.
    im qas brought in a technical support on other parts of a contract that is being created. part of this new contract is having armed security with 9m sidesrms vs the current revolvers. i could have the new contract written in such a way that after every shift all rounds are fired and new ammo is placed for next shift. but that would be extremely costly just like the last pist suggested of shooting that last round off.

    20 guards, 3 shifts is shooting 60 rounds a day. or 21.9k a year which would off course be passed on to my firm as part of the price. so we get into the cost vs safety issue.

    im not sure i trust the guards will measure the pulled round as go/no go but that might be a way to go.

    in either case i have enough info now and amhave asked around other secure armed facilities as to what they do. we have been lucky that in the 10 years i have been here the guards have never uaed thier weapons and just 1 AD when clearing their weapon into sand barrel 6 years ago. that guy was fired.
     

    chezuki

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    Definitely a real thing... this was just from chambering/unchambering the round to shoot my carry gun in USPSA matches one summer. (Max one chambering per week).

     
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    And no one knows if that factory round you just chambered for the first time and pulled the trigger on at any set back at all. Just saying.
     

    jedi

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    at this time the writing is
    unload at end of shift, the one in chamber
    reload round back into weapon at start of shift
    refresh ammo with new factory ammo twice a year
     

    Bigtanker

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    Here's a thought. Find some way, holster type, carry rig that the holster comes off fairly easily. At the beginning of the shift, the loaded pistol already in the holster goes on the rig. At the end of the shift, the holstered weapon comes off.

    Not sure what this would entail for equiptment, but handling of loaded guns goes way down as does the bullet setback issue.
     
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