What's wrong with my first reload?

[viejorifle]

Greetings:

My rounds failed to cycle in a Sig Sauer P336. Just learning how to reload cartridges, starting with 9mm Luger. Using a Lee Anniversary Press Kit and Lee 3 die set for 9mm.

Made up a small batch (10 rounds) with carbide sizing/decapping die, then expander and bullet seating dies.

My supplier sold me Winchester 231 powder for 9mm. Unfortunately, neither Lyman 49th ed. nor Lee's 2nd edition provides a starting charge for 115 gr copper jacketed bullets. I used the charge listed for cast lead bullets, 3.9 grains. This seemed a conservative starting point.

I test fired my Sig with Remington UMC factory ammo. Weapon functioned fine. Photo shows 7 casings from that source.

Test fired the reloaded ammo and the rounds fired but FTE and did not move the slide sufficiently to the rear to chamber a new round. In addition, I notice the spent casing has dark scorch marks.

I surmise that increasing the charge by another 0.1 or 0.2 grains would begin to actuate the slide more fully.

Wondering why the reloaded cases have so much scorching in comparison to the factory shells. I had full sized and decapped with the first die and presume the cases should seal in the chamber.

Suggestions welcomed on things to adjust/check in my reloading process. I will keep making small batches until I get them to work like the factory ammo.

RayAttachment 45840Attachment 45841

Information

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[viejorifle]

Sorry, typo

[ArizonaBeagle]

My Winchester© manual shows a starting charge 4.4 grains of W231 (With a maximum charge of 4.8) with a 115 Gr FMJ. 4.4=1045fps & 4.8= 1120fps

It sound like your reloads are underpowered @ 3.9gr and increasing the charge would probably cycle better and seal the chamber tighter allowing less blow by.

5.0 grs of Bullseye in my Sig gets me 1176fps with 115gr FMJ.
YMMV

AZB

[Parashooter]

When in doubt, consult the powder source's published data. In this case (W231) it can be found at the Hodgdon website.

Cartridge: 9mm Luger Load Type: Pistol Starting Loads, Maximum Loads
Bullet Weight (Gr.) Manufacturer Powder Bullet Diam. C.O.L. Grs. Vel. (ft/s) Pressure Grs. Vel. (ft/s) Pressure

115 GR. LRN Winchester 231 .356" 1.100" 4.3 1079 28,400 CUP 4.8 1135 32,000 CUP
115 GR. SPR GDHP Winchester 231 .355" 1.125" 4.7 1075 25,300 CUP 5.1 1167 28,100 CUP

Going by this data and your report, your 3.9 grain load is too light to produce sufficient recoil impulse for functioning your pistol.

You'll find little published data for plated bullets, so it's useful to treat them as somewhere between jacketed and cast. Accordingly, you might want to start between the two loads Hodgdon lists: 4.3 gr. (cast) and 4.7 gr. (jacketed). So, 4.5 grains should be reasonable starting for 115 grain plated bullets, with maximum of ~5.0.

[viejorifle]

ArizonaBeagle/Parashooter:

Thanks for your responses, and pointing me to Winchester documentation. Hogdon owns them?

I'll do another batch of 10 and bump the charge to 4.4 grains.

[browningautorifle]

When in doubt, consult the powder source's published data

Parashooter's absolutely correct. Your loads look way undercharged and failed to seal, allowing gasses to blow back around them. Thus black.

[viejorifle]

browningautorifle:

Thanks for the reinforcement.

Victoria BC is where we honeymooned, lovely city.

Ray

[villiers]

You could also try measuring your sized cases. They should be 19mm with concentric rims to provide a correct seal. But I agree that you should increase your charge by increments until you achieve a satisfactory load (or change the powder used).

[browningautorifle]

I'm not sure one has to worry about his cases...I've used every headstamp with boxer primers known, and that's usually all at the same time. I just don't segregate my pistol brass. They all seem to work and seal and then I either lose them or crack them. They work fine up until that. I wouldn't waste time...although some of my friends have...with no noticeable difference...