Help with Diagnosis

[Boriqua]

I have a sig 229 in .40 and an M&Pc with 4 inch barrel in .40.

I was reloading for them using 180gr Coated bullets from DG bullets and the Sig eats them without question but the M&P balked and out of about every 6 rounds 2 of them get stuck with the bullet partially under the extractor and partially in the barrel. You cant tap the slide to get it to chamber but you can pull the slide back about 1/2 inch and it will chamber the round fine.

So I took a caliper to the bullets and the lead coated was indeed a fair bit wider than the Berrys I had around that I hadnt used and the profile was different so I loaded up about 50 with the berrys and

Sig ate them all up and the M&P still balked about as much as it did with the lead coated.

Now I have fired about 250 factory rounds in 165gr, 155 gr and 180 gr including some 180 gr HST through the M&P and it never failed with factory ammo just my reloads. Its a pleasure to shot

I measure the length of the finished cartridge and its dead on spec.

I am using a lee single stage and use the bullet seater to just seat and using the crimp die to finish.

So what else can I look at that I might be doing that is causing this?

I wonder if the extractor is just way tight and the rim is having trouble getting under the extractor once the case has been used a few times.

Again ... my sig 229 ( a wonderful gun by the way) will shoot anything.

Anyway .. just looking for things I may not have thought of. The M&P is a great gun and easy to shot well but I sure would like to save a few bucks and reload for it.

[delta6]

What is the bullet profile?

[Flash]

Was it one of these? The FP BB
If so, I imagine you don't have the bullet seated quite deeply enough. Seat another 1/16" deep and it should work.

[Suck My Glock]

Also check the extractor for any burrs or sharp edges that might be preventing the rim from slipping up into and under the claw. I've seen exactly this sort of thing many times produce just this sort of misfeed.

[delta6]

Was it one of these? The FP BB
If so, I imagine you don't have the bullet seated quite deeply enough. Seat another 1/16" deep and it should work.

My thoughts exactly. Having a "spec" seating depth is kinda like sayin' you own a unicorn.

[Boriqua]

These are the ones I tried first
https://dgbullets.com/product/40-10-mm-180-gr-fp-bb/
Then I just tried these
https://www.berrysmfg.com/product/bp-40-401-180gr-fp

I will load a few 1/16 deeper and see how it goes! Thanks guys for the advice. Question .. might I be better off with say 165 gr??

[Crippledtrigger]

Its covid



ETA, didnt know you had covid. No offense intended by my joke.

[Harrier]

I had a similar 40 cal issue... My XD eats anything but my S&W is picky.

[delta6]

These are the ones I tried first
https://dgbullets.com/product/40-10-mm-180-gr-fp-bb/
Then I just tried these
https://www.berrysmfg.com/product/bp-40-401-180gr-fp

I will load a few 1/16 deeper and see how it goes! Thanks guys for the advice. Question .. might I be better off with say 165 gr??

The bullet weight is not the issue, the 180's are fine. The issue is the ogive, relative to the length due to the flat point. As Flash said, what ever your "spec" is, it's too long. Loading ammunition, of a given caliber, that will work in all guns is a tricky proposition. A friend and I load for about 30 different 9MM pistols. We worked out a load and an overall length with each bullet profile and then settled for a happy medium. With a TMJ bullet (115 gr) that closely resembles a standard FMJ (ball) bullet, the OAL is 1.16-1.165. Using most coated bullets (115 gr) the OAL is 1.13-1.135 Using a cast RN (115 gr), the OAL is 1.08-1.09. The ogive on the RN is so close to the nose of the bullet that it hits the lands and doesn't allow the slide to close. Other than the RN, we load all the 9MM rounds to 1.12 and they function in all the guns. Having said that, when you think you have it all figured out, your friend buys a Taurus G2 and virtually none of the loads will chamber, due to a very-very short leade in the Taurus barrel. Solution was we sent the barrel out to a gunsmith friend and he bumped the leade .001 and life is good.
Shorten 'em and shoot 'em

[delta6]

PS: Very glad to see that U R recovering.

[Flash]

These are the ones I tried first
https://dgbullets.com/product/40-10-mm-180-gr-fp-bb/
Then I just tried these
https://www.berrysmfg.com/product/bp-40-401-180gr-fp

I will load a few 1/16 deeper and see how it goes! Thanks guys for the advice. Question .. might I be better off with say 165 gr??

No, 180 grain is fine