How many times can I chamber the top round in a semiauto?

[sloughfoot]

In previous employment, I was unloading and reloading the 9mm every day. We were issued the 147 and the 124 JHP from a couple of manufacturers.

The powder in the case and neck tension, keeps the bullet from being pushed more than a few thousands into the case. It was never an issue in between the annual qualifications when new ammo was issued.

Now when we carried S&W Model 15's and 38 Specials, we had to be more careful about bullet setback

I don't know about other calibers, but if the powder fills the case, the bullet can't be pushed back too far.

 

[WebHobbit]

I almost never manually dump the chambered round. When I go to the range I drop the magazine, replace with a mag of ball. I go ahead and shoot the loaded SD round out of the gun.

So I "waste" one SD round per range trip. Not a huge price to pay. I replace the missing round from the box into the SD mag. No rechambering the same round.

I don't have to worry about reloading the gun on the trip back as I NEVER shoot more than one gun (of mine anyway) per trip....and I never shoot the gun I'm carrying that day. I have a thing about dirty guns.....I don't want one in my expensive leather holsters! Call me crazy!

 

[gunman41mag]

i think each round will be different & we'll never know

 

[Drail]

ANY round that sets back any amount upon multiple chamberings IS defective. If you can see or measure any setback, discontinue using that brand or lot of ammo and contact the manufacturer. Type of gun does not matter. If rounds set back the cases are out of spec. Doesn't matter what type of bullet or what type or amount of crimp or how it is chambered into the gun. It is an ammo defect. The case walls are too thin, the case was not sized down enough, the case was over expanded to the point that the tension is applies to the bullet is very weak. I have reloaded for over twenty years and I learned very quickly how to assemble ammo that will not setback. I have .45 ACP dummy rounds I made up back in the 80s that sat on my bench and were used for testing 1911s that I was building. These rounds must have gone through hundreds of chamberings and they're still at the same length as when I loaded them. Our ammo makers have allowed their QC to fall to a point where this has become a very common problem today. Their response is always "Don't rechamber the rounds." Demand better products from them. Actually, if you're constantly having to unload and reload your carry gun multiple times a day you need to rethink why you're having to do this constantly. The more you do this the greater the chance of having an accident. Figure out a way to load it and leave it loaded.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

How I overcome potential bullet set-back:

I "ride the slide" when I re-chamber a SD round.

Just be make 100% sure it's in battery when you're done.

-J-

 

[VUPDblue]

What's all this chatter about "unloading" your gun?

 

[ccrise]

Thanks for posting. A lot of good info I didn't know.

 

[FN USA]

After rechambering a round I tend to rotate that one down in my magazine