Adjust OAL after crimping

So I made a mistake

Using a batch of Bayou 200gr SWC, I successfully loaded several rounds, at base to shoulder .919” Crimp 0.463

I thought I could do “better” by going to a base to shoulder height of .920”-.925” on my recent test batch.  Loaded a few hundred and couldn’t get any of them into battery at the range.  I didn’t plunk test them because my last load worked so well and they all went into an Armanov case gauge well. None of the rounds would plunk in my barrel

Now I have about 200 rounds of ammo that I think had an OAL too high.  Can I push them in further with my seating stem or is this just a wash?

This ammo is just to function to fire in my gun at low powder loads, 2.8-3.1BE

Wow!!  Not sure, but I suspect you will shave some lead from the bullet if you try to seat it deeper than it currently is.  This would, I think, impact accuracy which is apparently not an issue for the purpose you state.  However, you may find that the lead shaved from the bullet may also prevent the round from passing the plunk test in your barrel.

I suggest trying to seat two or three rounds just a bit deeper and then try the plunk test.  If shaved lead is present, try removing it and test again.  If all that fails, you may be stuck with disassembling the rounds and trying again.

Good luck.

I’ve done it with some 9mm loads I use for training with my cc gun.  Loaded several hundred of a new to me bullet and they were too long and wouldn’t fit the gun.  I don’t know how good the accuracy would be but they all functioned fine so if that’s your goal, I think you’ll be ok.  

Good luck.
John

Something seems a bit odd if .005" in OAL is the difference between going into battery or not.

Blacken the projectile and the case with a Sharpie and chamber a round. Eject it and see where the black is removed.

DA/SA wrote:Something seems a bit odd if .005" in OAL is the difference between going into battery or not.

Blacken the projectile and the case with a Sharpie and chamber a round. Eject it and see where the black is removed.

Hmm, think you may be onto something

The ammunition sits very high during plunk test, only the straight wall passes the hood of the barrel, so about a quarter inch sits out

Perhaps my bullets are too large? Or maybe a carbon ring from shooting only 60 rounds of ammo? Or the ammunition is oval? When I was checking the crimp than normal. Would be .463 on one area and .465 on another —new brass

I’m driving back home from another state, wish I could caliper my rounds now

I put my calipers to my Bayou 200gr SWC bullets and they have a diameter of 0.454!

No wonder they were hard to push in

I'll keep posted on how Bayou handles this. They advertise 0.452 on their site

I run all my Blue Bullet 200grn SWC through a sizing die.
Brings them to a true .451" diameter.

Blue Bullets says the are sized to .451", but I run them through anyway.

You might try this at .452".
Maybe it will help.

You didn't say what kind of pistol.  The leade on my Series 70 Colt is very generous and I can seat the bullets out more than I can on my SA range officer. The Range Officer's chamber has no leade at all, so I have to load flush with bottom of the shoulder.  One of the guy's here described the RO as having a "hardball" chamber, meaning it works for RN bullets but not SWCs.

cdrt wrote:You didn't say what kind of pistol.  The leade on my Series 70 Colt is very generous and I can seat the bullets out more than I can on my SA range officer. The Range Officer's chamber has no leade at all, so I have to load flush with bottom of the shoulder.  One of the guy's here described the RO as having a "hardball" chamber, meaning it works for RN bullets but not SWCs.

SA Target Loaded with a KMM Barrel by Jon Eulette

It works well with all the other 200gr SWC bullets I’ve used(Missouri, DG, older batch of Bayou 200gr)

.454's probably for S&W model 25-2. notorious for oversize cylinder throats.

the oversize dia. is a separate problem from the original question.
Providing your taper crimp is not too much you can seat the bullets
deeper a few thou without any issues. I have done it on occasion
without any lead shaving.