mixed results for first timer

[BillR]

At our local steel matches, most of the folks there shoot lead reloads. Most of them also shoot 1911s, although one shoots a Glock 21. ALL of them have occasional jamming issues with their reloads. I never have a jamming problem in my Glocks shooting factory ammo with jacketed bullets.
Yesterday, I loaded up my first 100 rounds of .40s and used lead. My load is:
Federal match SP primer (all I could find...)
7.8 gr of AA #7
180gr cast TC (.401)
1.128 OAL
decent crimp using Lee FCD

I'm also shooting them out of a LW .40 conversion barrel from my G20.
Most of them worked fine, but I had 4 stoppages in the 50 rounds that I shot. In all cases, the slide failed to go fully into battery. A tap on the back of the slide fixed it.
The same loads ran great in my stock G23. I'm assuming this is due to the stock barrel being more "forgiving".
I've read that a shorter OAL is needed for the LW barrels. I've also read that the barrel needs to be opened up to accomadate lead bullets.
Other hints?
I was really enjoying being the only one that never had a stoppage during the matches. Is this just something I have to deal with shooting lead?
TIA!

[ede]

1911s are well know for being unrelaiable. checking your ammo with a gauge will go a long ways towards eliminating problems. don't think you're going to be able to "open up" the barrel for lead bullets. you might want to consider running a finish reamer in the chamber to bring the chamber to glock specs.

[Brass Nazi]

+1 on checking with a gauge. Also lead bullets are usually .001-.002" larger than their jacketed counterparts and if the chamber is tight it may lead to problems when using lead bullets. But I have never run into a gun personally that had that problem.

1911s are well know for being unrelaiable.

I have never seen an unreliable 1911. I have seen some 1911 wannabee clones such as the models that Kimber puts out that were unreliable.

[Crazy4nitro]

I have a G23 with a LWD Barrel. I had to Load my rounds to 1.080" to get them to be reliable. I called LW and told them my Issue. The Owner actually answered the phone and was telling me that I nedded to make up 3 "Dummy" rounds Loaded to the Length that I was gonna use. He said the "LEADE"(the unrifled portion before the Rifling) needed opened up for shooting Lead.

Here is the result.
Now I have 100% reliability with Lead.
http://www.glockpost.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=36&pictureid=706

'Nitro

[Fatdaddy]

I had the same issue with my KKM 40 s&w bbl and my cast TC boolits. You could feel the boolit getting into the rifling when you would drop a round into the bbl. If you chambered a round and then ejected it you could see where the bearing surface of the boolit was contacting the rifling.
Shortening up the oal fixed my issue. Seems like I had to load to 1.10 oal, any longer and I'd have contact.

Seems like BBL mfg would sell a lead approved model.

[BigSlick]

I have a SL barrel that seems to feed fine wit cast fotay. I have a LW barrel I had the leade opened up just like Nitro shows in da pic to allow for loading out to 1.140 wit a Lee 175 TC

I load to 1.130 +/- and now it runs real nice.

Factory barrels ate everything. My old beater G22 barrel would prolly chamber a bowlin ball.

I don't care for going the shorter OAL route myself, just too conservative with my loads - especially in fotay wit a 180. Lotta folks do it an have good results, just not me.

I use da barrel as a gauge to check every round I load. The brass outta both barrels will still pass a case gauge after being fired.

I like it dat way, make da brass last a good long time an resizin is silky smooth

Take some measurements and use your barrel as a gauge, then you will be able to spot where the issue is.

Oh yeah, lose the FCD - especially with cast ;)

[BillR]

Oh yeah, lose the FCD - especially with cast ;)
Enlighten me...what's the reason for this?

[BigSlick]

When the FCD passes over the completed round it does a full length size. With cast, this can reduce the diameter of the bullet.

Bullets too small for your throat and groove will lead up like crazy on ya.

Also, since lead doesn't have any 'spring' in it, once sized down you may also affect case mouth / bullet tension, possibly leading to setback or a bullet pulling out on ya.

Lotta people disagree, but, measure the diameter of an unloaded bullet and compare it to the diameter of a bullet that you have loaded (you'll have to make a dummy round, or pull one).

[Steve Koski]

I have a G23 with a LWD Barrel. I had to Load my rounds to 1.080" to get them to be reliable. I called LW and told them my Issue. The Owner actually answered the phone and was telling me that I nedded to make up 3 "Dummy" rounds Loaded to the Length that I was gonna use. He said the "LEADE"(the unrifled portion before the Rifling) needed opened up for shooting Lead.

Here is the result.
Now I have 100% reliability with Lead.
http://www.glockpost.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=36&pictureid=706

'Nitro




My strory is like yours (Bill) and like 'Nitros. Occasional problems, sent barrel back to LWD who opened up the throat, no problems now.

Make some dummy rounds and send that barrel back with a nice note asking them to open up the throat/leade like 'Nitro said.

When I ordered a new G22 barrel a couple months ago, I sent the dummy rounds in with my order. The barrel came perfect from LWD the first time. No problems. (And no dog on top.)

Koski

[mbradst]

I use the FCD on every caliber I load. It may swage the bullets down, it may not. I use them because that is all I have. I seat with my seat/crimp dies, and crimp with my FCDs. I have not had any leading in 45 ACP, fotay, 357 mag, 38 spl, or 9mm. Maybe I am lucky.

[Brass Nazi]

+1 on the FCD sucking for lead bullets. Redding crimp dies are the bomb.