9mm Lead won't feed XDsc

[Professor Thump]

I just loaded my first batch of 9mm rounds with lead bullets. The ammo won't feed properly into the chamber of my XD subcompact. It acts like it is too long but the COL is 1.125". Factory 115 gn FMJ feeds well through the XD but the bullet shape is different.

Here is the spec on the bullets.

.356 Diameter
9mm Parabellum
125 Grain 9MM RN
Brinell 18

Missouri Bullet Company

The wax line is right a the edge of the casing. I am using 4.9 gn American Select powder.

I have been loading .357 ammo with good success.

Do I just need to seat the bullet a little deeper? What is the max depth if so that I can go? What does this do for the chamber pressure? Or is this 125 gn bullet just not going to properly feed into an XDsc?

I would assume that lead doesn't feed as well as a FMJ but this is surprising to me that the slide won't fully close.

 

[red_zr24x4]

I shoot 125g lead in my sig 226, mine are loaded to 1.070. I haven't had a ftf with these yet. hope this helps
Kenny

 

[Joe Williams]

That shape LOOKS like it should feed. You could try reducing your load, seating to down to maybe 1.050" or 1.110". Just start seating them a little deeper until they work.

Have you check the diameter of these bullets, to make sure they are actually to specs?

I fed a whole bunch of lead through Cathy's XD9 Tactical with no problems. In fact, it shot it very nicely.

 

[luvall]

I had the same issues with my XD. Looks like it is the design of the gun.

 

[longbow]

I don't have an XD....

I have glocks-lead "kills glocks" ( with polyygon barrel) so I don't shoot them evil solid lead bullets. Only the finest copper for my glocks!

 

[Disposable Heart]

XDs are short chambered. They tend to dislike lead and long seated projectiles. If your loading recipe will allow, seat it a bit shorter. Every XD I have owned suffered from this (had to seat short) or if I chambered a round, it seated almost on the rifling, making extraction of a live round difficult.

 

[Disposable Heart]

I have glocks-lead "kills glocks" ( with polyygon barrel) so I don't shoot them evil solid lead bullets. Only the finest copper for my glocks!

Yes and no. If you develop a good lead load (remembering that the poly rifling will increase pressure slightly), you can shoot lead safely and fun-ly! out of Glocks. Its when folks just grab any ol lead slug and load any ol load do folks get leading and then they shoot away, hundreds of rounds, not cleaning and checking for leading. We have folks that show up to Eagle Creek with Ultramax lead loads and Glocks and wonder why their accuracy drops off after 50 rounds (Ultramax uses a horribly soft bullet and a pretty high pressure, for lead, load). One of our ROs fires lead consistantly through his. Fires 50 rounds of a balanced load and harder cast boolit, boresnake, then some more. No leading, no pressure, no kaboom.

 

[Professor Thump]

Thanks for the help folks. I seated a bit lower on the bullet and it seems to have worked. I haven't fired yet but racking the loads into the chamber by hand are working when I get it down to 1.110". I set them for 1.100" to be safe.

I should have checked a round in the chamber before I went to the range. I am just used to never loading in building out of concern for safety. CCW will change all that.

If this doesn't fix it I may have lots of bullets for sale.

 

[Professor Thump]

One more thing... Will a brass brush be adequate for de-leading the barrel every 100 rounds?

 

[Disposable Heart]

Depends entirely on your load. Fire 10, check barrel. Fire 25, check barrel, 25 more, check barrel. If its a good load, there should be minimal or no leading (though, I wont sugar coat it, lead IS dirtier than jacketed).

If its a good load, a brush or boresnake down the barrel every 50 or so should help keep the gunk to a minimum.

 

[Joe Williams]

One more thing... Will a brass brush be adequate for de-leading the barrel every 100 rounds?

I try not to load much hotter than 1000 fps, and not the highest pressure loads. Also use hard cast bullets. I generally don't have leading problems. 9mm will take some experimentation, but you can get there. Try 147 grain bullets. At 900 fps, they won't lead much at all unless it's really soft bullets.

A brass brush will be fine. Just takes elbow grease. I don't stop every hundred rounds at the range, though. Cathy and I sometimes put 300-400 rounds downrange, and just clean when we got home. No problems.

I'm a big fan of the bullets these guys sell:
http://www.betterbullets.com/documents/KSS_Pricing.pdf

 

[Professor Thump]

I'm a big fan of the bullets these guys sell:
http://www.betterbullets.com/documents/KSS_Pricing.pdf

What is the main reason you like these guys?

Someone on the Highroad is selling FMJ's for a decent price.

THR

BOT... I tried to go out to the Lebanon range Sunday to test the loads but I had forgot that this day is "trap shooting" day. So I didn't get a chance to test the loads.

 

[Joe Williams]

What is the main reason you like these guys?

Someone on the Highroad is selling FMJ's for a decent price.

THR

BOT... I tried to go out to the Lebanon range Sunday to test the loads but I had forgot that this day is "trap shooting" day. So I didn't get a chance to test the loads.

The bullets are cast very hard, producing very little if any leading. They are consistent, produce good accuracy, and the price is good. I also used to shop in their store in person, and they way they treated my wife and boy made me a customer for life. Their service is simply outstanding.

 

[300sx]

i have this same gun and have shot every brand of ammo through it and nver had one jam..

 

[jtmarine1911]

My questions is, Do you have a case gage? If you don't I suggest you invest in one, they will save you an un-Godly amount of time and frustration.

Dillon Precision: Reloaders, Reloading Equipment, Bullet Reloading, Bullet Reloaders

I use one for every pistol cartridge I load along with a Lee Carbide Factory Crimp die and have yet to have a round that won't feed or chamber fully.

Lee Precision, Inc. Reloading Tools and Equipment: Lee Crimping Dies

Try these two pieces and see if you have any luck with fixing your FTF.

 

[Claddagh]

I'd second jtm on the case gauge. Much safer and more dependable than hand-cycling or using your barrel as a tester.

I'd also recommend using a bronze of very stiff nylon bore brush along with a product called Shooter's Choice Lead Remover. Great stuff. Saves a ton of elbow grease.

 

[Professor Thump]

I use a pair of dial calibers to check the length. For the cartridge to feed well in my XD9 I had to seat the bullet low. 1.10 -1.15 " With American select at 5 grains the bullet compresses the powder 0.010 ". Which I thought was odd. The shoot fine in my XD when I stick to this standard but I thought it was a little odd to go below the recommended 1.125 ".