Trouble Chambering in Sig RCS

[MMH]

My 45 ACP reloads do not chamber in my Sig RCS. I reload w/ lead bullets. When chambering a round the slide normally stops a 1/4" short. Sometimes I can push the slide shut and other times cannot w/o excessive force & just eject the round. New factory ammo chambers fine. The brass is clean and polished & I have tried with various level of crimp. This same ammo has no problem chambering in my Sig Tacops so I am thinking that the RCS has a tight chamber.

[flygrimm]

If you don't have one, I would try the Lee factory crimp die. It resizes the round after bullet seating to help in chambering. Fortune Cookie 45LC has some good videos on his YouTube channel about the FCD. You should check them out.

There's some controversy surrounding the FCD about whether it hurts or improves accuracy but I think you should try it out yourself and see if it works for you.

Here's one of his vids.
https://youtu.be/YWnw0sTBO8w

Here's the FCD on Lees website.
http://leeprecision.com/carbide-fact...die-45acp.html

Later

Stuart

[markshere2]

Same thing happened to me when I got my first 1911.
Handloads the fit fine into my Rugers and Hi-points would not chamber into the 1911.
LEE FCD fixed me right up.

I have bought a lot of new Lee dies from the guys on Ebay with zero issues ...so far.

[NathanB]

Do you have a case gauge? Does it gauge correctly?

[cephas]

I'd pull the barrel and do the plunk test with the ammo. Perhaps seating the cast a tad more will alleviate the problem. Using a micrometer I set my taper crimp at .470. Many have positive results with the Lee FCD however it is my understanding it may swage the cast down. I want to keep my casts at .453 so I haven't tried it. These loads run in a Colt, Kimber and a Sig227 with no problems.

[bamboomaster]

Do you have a case gauge? Does it gauge correctly?

Great point Nathan!

A case gauge pre-empts the whole span of cycling issues you may have at the range with your personal reloads, mostly by letting you know if you've set up your reloading dies correctly. The earlier you gauge during the reloading process, the easier it is to isolate the problem.

For example, if a case you just resized doesn't drop into the gauge, you have to adjust your sizing die. If a dummy case (no primer or powder) that you've resized, seated a bullet, and crimped the case doesn't drop into the gauge, you either have to adjust your seating depth, crimp, or both.

But the use of a gauge does give you the tool for applying a systematic and rational method of identifying and isolating possible issues that may occur and are directly related to the way you've either correctly or incorrectly set up your dies.

It is seldom the die's fault....

If I reload a caliber, I've got a gauge for it.

[flygrimm]

Here's Fortune Cookie's take on swaging the bullets with the FCD. As usual YMMV. I keep refering people to his vids as I like his stuff and don't think I could tell you any better than he does.

https://youtu.be/aHE4dCdcs5s

Stuart

[MMH]

I'd pull the barrel and do the plunk test with the ammo. Perhaps seating the cast a tad more will alleviate the problem. Using a micrometer I set my taper crimp at .470. Many have positive results with the Lee FCD however it is my understanding it may swage the cast down. I want to keep my casts at .453 so I haven't tried it. These loads run in a Colt, Kimber and a Sig227 with no problems.

I removed the barrel & started dropping rounds in. Factory ammo drops w/ a resounding "thunk". reloads would get hung up. I measured the case by the mouth. Factory ammo was 0.468", my reloads were 0.471" . The reloading manual said 0.473" (I guess this is SAAMI), so, I now I know why the factory ammo chambers & the reloads do not. Question is, why is the barrel not cut to accept SAAMI sized ammo? Nonetheless, I will try a Lee FCD die.

[MMH]

Great point Nathan!

A case gauge pre-empts the whole span of cycling issues you may have at the range with your personal reloads, mostly by letting you know if you've set up your reloading dies correctly. The earlier you gauge during the reloading process, the easier it is to isolate the problem.

For example, if a case you just resized doesn't drop into the gauge, you have to adjust your sizing die. If a dummy case (no primer or powder) that you've resized, seated a bullet, and crimped the case doesn't drop into the gauge, you either have to adjust your seating depth, crimp, or both.

But the use of a gauge does give you the tool for applying a systematic and rational method of identifying and isolating possible issues that may occur and are directly related to the way you've either correctly or incorrectly set up your dies.

It is seldom the die's fault....

If I reload a caliber, I've got a gauge for it.

I have not used a case gauge but will get one now. Is the gauge sized to SAAMI? Please read my previous reply. The factory ammo is at 0.468" at the mouth (as compared to my reloads which are 0.471"). SAAMI is 0.473" which is greater than both.

[Tim Ault]

It may not be a chamber issue but rather a short throat into the rifling . What cast bullet are you using ? Some need seated a little deeper than others . I have a kahr 45 with this issue and need to seat most bullets deeper than normal