Nuke feed question

[Marc Hilt]

Hi, I have been running 124 gn nukes at a OAL of 1.11, 5.0 siloughuet with a speed average 1000fps through 2 Sig p365 with zero feed issues at about 5000 rounds per unit.
Yesterday 3 of us went out with 3 different new pistols.
Me a new S&W m&p 2.0 competitor, 5 inch barrel. I could not get any to feed, the slide would get stuck in last 1/4 inch of returning to battery. And a bear to unstick.. I could get 124 match winners at same OAL to feed with no issues.
Wife new HK v9 with 5 inch barrel again will not feed but match winners would. In her case they would jam immediately.
Freind with new Glock 17 results very similar to mine.
Question is: shorter OAL? The p365’s are of 2 variants
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

[Marc Hilt]

Follow up. The HK after several hundred rounds today cycled no issues. So this I suspect is break in. S&W no go still.

[SC]

You need to do the “plunk” test. Some barrels have tighter chambers than others.

Take the barrel out of the pistol that you want to test. Hold the barrel, muzzle down, in your hand. Drop a loaded round into the barrel chamber then remove it. Does the loaded round come back out freely or stick a little? If it sticks, you probably need to seat the bullet deeper.

[SC]

HKs have tight springs out of the box. Your loads need to be on the warm side to make them run.

[Marc Hilt]

I plunk tested before I posted, should have included that. No issues. I will run a few hundred more rounds today and see if I get the sane results as HK.
Thanks for input.

[Saw Dav]

I loaded my 1st 10 today developing a load and had some feeding issues w a p320 at 1.1col all case gauged on an armonov CG. Will try some more tomorrow

[kluthe]

perhaps a little late here but… Hodgdons seems to indicate that the min load for 1.11 OAL is 5.1gr of silhouette (this for a Rainier 124gr JHP. On a well broke in run and gun that might be ok but a new one, not so sure. I’d be more afraid of a squib. I’m thinking taking it down to 1.090 will certainly make you feel that 5.0gr. Likely around 1100…but not in a +p range. Mind you I have not yet loaded the nukes as yet. Just go a batch in and am researching where I want to start. I typically stay in the close to max at std pressure loads.

[Keith]

“I have been running 124 gn nukes at a OAL of 1.11″

That’s pretty long, I’m not surprised you were getting stuck short of battery.

Your original guns must have generous chambers/leades. I’ve been running the 124 gr. nukes and the original 124 gr MPR version at 1.075” ever since they were introduced and they have run perfectly in every gun I’ve ever loaded them for.

[kluthe]

Keith,
I’m curious what powder and load you are using…just for research on my part. I have seen that RMR seems to need to run deeper however most JHP’s that I see indicate greater than 1.1… most of my loads are running at 1.125 with Speer, berry, MGold, and a wide variety of powders. As well, that’s running from various chambers. The deepest I see would be XTP’s and some various plated bullets. I suppose the ogive on the nuke needs to seat deeper but as you know, the deeper you go the pressure goes up. So what I don’t know is what the reference point is for “unknown” COAL as folks like Berry and RMR do not suggest any loading data. The general rule being to start low and work your way up. But, what is low ? Isn’t it possible to get it too low and end up with a squib that you hope to catch ? Hopefully, you’ll see the signs if its too high or before its way too high.
So I suppose my question is, how did you get to a OAL of 1.075 ? Was it using bullets of similar design? Or was it starting at where the chamber would pass the “plunk” and working up or down from there ? I find this fascinating as the 9mm being a straight wall case, chambers on the case mouth. Again, working through my own loads and am just curious.

[hearne]

Not a reply but just my experience. Loaded 124 gr Nukes over 4 gr Bullseye at 1.120. Hellcat will not go fully into battery. Had a hell of a time extracting and case and bullet separated with bullet stuck in rifling. had to punch it out with a tool. Now wondering what col to use. 1.060 chambers but unsure if this would cause a pressure spike beyond safe pressure. Lyman book states max load at 4.8 grains Bullseye at 1.120 col.

[SC]

If you are worried about a pressure spike, I would lower the powder charge by 0.2 grains and use that as a starting point.

[hearne]

I had previously loaded 124 gr. bullets at 1.125 col with no problems so went and loaded 150 rounds of the Nukes . That was a mistake. Should have done the plunk test as some have stated. I would have started with a lower charge and tested. I reseated 10 rounds at 1.060 and 38 more at 1.070. Went to the range and with safety gear and a little luck fired all those rounds without loosing any fingers etc. It was very cold out so didn’t stay long and at 25 yards my group was quite large but all on the paper. Next I will wait for a warmer day to see what they can do for group.

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