Reloads 'Muffin Topped'?

[87iroc]

Went out shooting today and had one round that wouldn't feed and got stuck in my P290. Got it home and got the shell out. I figured it was an issue wiht the gun. Its new and I've read some stuff that has worried me about it.

Come to find out its the ammo. I bought 500 rounds of precision reloads out of NW Indiana over Christmas and out of the 375 rounds I had left, I found about 12 that were 'muffin topped' down by the rim.

What causes this? Is this common on reloads? Ammo shoots great and I'll buy it again...but will check them for this before loading them in magazines.

Thoughts?

 

[IndianasFinest]

I'm gonna say the brass wasn't resized correctly, but I may be wrong.

 

[87iroc]

I'm gonna say the brass wasn't resized correctly, but I may be wrong.

So the case started to crush like a pop can as they tried to push the bullet into the case? Is that what you're thinking?

I had one that was visible to the naked eye...a couple others that were 'that doesn't look right' and then the rest just stuck a bit in the chamber and I had to gently pop them back out. All the others just dropped in and out.

 

[IndianasFinest]

Was the bulge at the primer end of the case or at the bullet end ?

 

[mac45]

Sounds like a sizing issue. Generally a case will just crush if there's a problem seating the bullet.
A pic would be helpful.

No this isn't common.

 

[HavokCycle]

aye a pic would help. depends on how bad the -muffin top- is exactly. ive had issues from time to time with cheap bullets, there can be a lot of inconsistency with the jacket, as far as diameter.
it could also be due to the reloader not belling enough.
there's a lot of reasons actually. if it were my loads doing that i'd grab a handful and start taking them apart, see if there's something different with each component.

 

[jcwit]

I bought 500 rounds of precision reloads out of NW Indiana over Christmas and out of the 375 rounds I had left, I found about 12 that were 'muffin topped' down by the rim.

Thoughts?

Yup! PRECISION RELOADS. DISREGARD SEE POST #9 BELOW

 

[red_zr24x4]

I've talked to Dennis at PR a couple of times and he's never been anything but nice.
Before you jump to any conclusions talk to him, I bet he'll make it right with you.
There was a big deal on here last year or so about an issue with PR, Instead of contacting Dennis a sh*^ storm was started on here.

 

[jcwit]

Sorry, the way the op wrote his post it said he "bought 500 precision reloads" not 500 rounds from Precision Reloads. Did not even know there was a company named Precision Reloads.

 

[red_zr24x4]

Sorry, the way the op wrote his post it said he "bought 500 precision reloads" not 500 rounds from Precision Reloads. Did not even know there was a company named Precision Reloads.

That's quite alright and I must admit, the company I was talking about is actually Precision Cartridge. So I might be talking out my butt also.

 

[bstewrat3]

I would venture to say the set up on the seater die is incorrect. If crimping and seating in one step it is possible that the crimp was complete prior to the bullet being fully seated and instead of continuing to seat the bullet, the bullet and case mouth continued to move as a unit causing the bottom of the case to bulge.

 

[Double T]

Sounds like a short stroke on the sizing die, or a glock"ed" case.

Did it look like this:

Or was the bulge all the way around? If it was all the way around, then the seating die may have put the case in at a cant. Roll the round on the table and see if it appears to "spiral" or "wobble" (think throwing a football)

 

[The Keymaster]

Brass fired from weapons that have unsupported chambers will develop a bulge toward the base of the brass. A full length sizing die is required to correct this issue during the reloading. This issue is prevalent in most brass fired from Glock weapons, and is a major issue with 40 caliber. I always run my hand loads through a case gauge to be sure the tolerances are correct.

 

[87iroc]

Sorry...Precision Cartridge is who made them.

 

[87iroc]

Sounds like a short stroke on the sizing die, or a glock"ed" case.

Did it look like this:

Or was the bulge all the way around? If it was all the way around, then the seating die may have put the case in at a cant. Roll the round on the table and see if it appears to "spiral" or "wobble" (think throwing a football)

Yes...that is what they looked like. One was pretty bad and noticeble to my eye...I will get a pic of it uploaded but on my phone screen it didn't look discernable in the pic...but I'll upload it and see if it looks better

 

[87iroc]

Here they are. Top one is worst...you can see a 'line'. Bottom one, though, is actually OK...put them side by side hoping for a comparison. Not sure how well it worked. The top 'empty' one is the one that stuck and was a bear to get out of chamber

 

[Double T]

Contact the company and ask them how they intend to fix your issue(s)

Those are improperly sized rounds. The sizing die needs to go the full length of the case.

The photo I posted was "the glock bulge". Yours don't seem to be like that as the bulge is uniform and not on an area that would be unsupported in a glock.

 

[87iroc]

Yah, it is all the way around so I agree. Until this thread I didn't know what was meant by 'glocked' case...but now I do I guess!

Anywho, I'll get with Precision Cartridge or where I bought them.

 

[kwatters]

those don't look "glocked" they look like they were not full length sized. The bulge looks too high on the case.

 

[rc46342]

I asked Dennis at Precision Cartridge about the bulge. The bulge at the bottom is usually caused by the ammunition being shot from a gun with an unsupported or partially supported chamber. The only way to get rid of this bulge is to Roller Size the case. Its an extra step. Precision Cartridge has a video on thier Facebook page of a Scharch Roller Sizer.