9mm Cases - Reloading Problem

[bocash3]

Howdy.

Been reloading number of calibers since 1969 including 9mm. Currently have a half dozen 9mm semi's, Ruger PC-9, and convertible Blackhawk Old Model with 9mm cylinder.

Never really had any feeding problems until recently.

My load is 125 cast RN. Recently noted a number of finished shells would Not go fully home in the Ruger Blackhawk cylinder.
I use Ruger convertible cylinders in 9mm and .45 acp on the bench to test final products as their chambers tend to be tight.
IF a shell goes fully home in either, then I have no doubt they will cycle fine in one of the semi-autos.

The suspect shells that refused to seat in cylinder properly were pulled aside and the Headstamps are all CBC stamped
I don't know this maker, but moreso, why do they not seat when all others do? Mouth ends of the CBC cases are no
thicker than RP, Win, or others...............but could it be the case is thicker between the mouth and the middle? No matter how much adjusting I do with seating, crimp and die adjustments, they still won't fully seat in the Ruger cylinder. Like the heads stick out as much as 1/8". This tells me they may not go into full battery in the 9mm autos.

Anyone got any ideas? Or should I just toss all the CBC cases?

THANKS in advance and y'all have a great week, Bo in western NC

 

[epags]

If you don't have a big investment in the CBC cases, just toss them.....trying to trim/resize, etc is just a PITA and there are 1,000s of 9mm cases you can pick up or buy of little $.

 

[bocash3]

No investment, minus a sore back. I built a 100 yard range at a cabin I own with some other guys. Two of the members do not reload and leave all their brass. And of course I come along and pick it up after they've been blasting away. These CBC cases came from them. Pain to sort through several hundred of them but I think worth plucking out and tossing.

THANKS, Bo

 

[Cholo]

1) Make sure your case mouths are taper crimped to about .376". If not get them there. I checked a Hornady Critical Defense round and it was .375". This is what I'm guessing your issue is.

2) Your seating stem doesn't fit the bullet nose profile and the bullets are seated slightly off center.

 

[arky65]

CBC cases are from MagTech ammo. I recently purchased a Tisas 1911 in 9mm and ran 250 Mag Tech ammo through it for break in. Had a few failures to extract, adjusted the extractor and it ran fine. I have since reloaded and shot 100 or so of the cases with no issues.

Some auto pistols do not fully support the case in the chamber, and the cases need a little extra attention in sizing to get them back to spec near the web of the case. Measure the web area of cases that do seat and compare to the cases that do not.

 

[Johnnu2]

I would combine two points above:
1) use a taper crimp die and not a roll crimp (sorta cheap insurance)
2) I usually dump cases that came outta guns without 'supported" bbls.; you can see the bulge just above the rim at the base

J.

 

[the_leper_colony]

CBC cases are definitely thicker than a lot of others; the ones I've seen are about 10% heavier than Blazer brass (60 gr per case vs 54 gr), for example.

As always FWIW, YMMV, etc.

 

[contender]

I own a gun range where folks shoot a LOT of .9mm ammo in USPSA competition. As such,, I get a HUGE selection of spent .9mm brass.
I'm familiar with CBC brass.


You have (2) options.

One,, toss the brass.

Two,, get a roll sizer to truly re-size the brass. Some serious competition shooters use a roll sizer to make sure the brass they reload will work for them. I've looked at a roll-sizer,, but decided it was not worth the expense.

I have chosen to only reload known brands that easily re-size & work as needed. Mostly,, well known brands such as WW, Federal, Remington, Starline, Norma, Herters, Hornady, Speer, etc.

As a brass scrounger who hates to waste stuff,, I separate brass by brands, then the stuff I do not want to try & load, I set aside. That stuff gets used in a different manner. I make .40 cal jacketed bullets out of them with my swagging stuff.

 

[Rum River]

OP,

Are the problem cases once-fired or have they been reloaded multiple times?
In the past I've had it happen where after multiple reloads (even with lower-intensity powder charges) my semi-auto brass started doing what you describe.

My theory is that they were getting work-hardened to the point they had more spring-back after the resizing step. When it started happening I would rotate out that bunch of brass for a new lot. The new lot behaved itself without any die changes.

YMMV

 

[Blackhawk Convertable]

I run ALL my 9mm reloads through a 9mm Makarov die with the stem removed. It smooths all the bulges and wrinkles. And basically mimics a factory chambering. You will need a push thru stem from a Lee bullet sizing die, because you are running the round up though the die. Not just up and down which doesn't condition the base. Be sure to use a little lube...

 

[Mobuck]

Do the loaded cases have a 'belly bulge' where the bullet base has swelled the case?
I loaded some 147 grain Federal HST bullets and found that only Federal cases had the correct internal dimensions to seat the long shanked 147's w/o making the sidewalls bulge.