Keyholing: 9mm lead 147gr. rcbs flat nose/flat base

2376 Views 17 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Duhbob, Feb 28, 2011

Duhbob

Discussion Starter · Feb 22, 2011

Keyholing: 9mm lead 147gr. rcbs flat nose/flat base

My flat nose RCBS ww 147gr.bullets look great and fly like a tipped pass from a bad thrower. I had temporarily lost my source for the functional/useable 136gr rnl bullets I am using now. So I had to do something...I ordered the $67 mold and cranked out 1,000 lead bullets...They suck!
I got my 136gr. source back so I can gladly say I am ok again BUT STUCK with a mold that I can't use.
The problem is KEYHOLING even at 20'. I tried N-340' N-350 and aa#7 also .356, and.355...nothing helps not lighter/heavier crimp or long or short OAL. I am loading pretty light stuff, like 133 power factor. Who wants to chime-in, anybody who loads lead 9mm from wheel weights ??

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Duhbob

Discussion Starter · #4 · Feb 23, 2011

Re: Keyholing: 9mm lead 147gr. rcbs flat nose/flat base

I tried .355 and.356 and still had the same results. Also, I even bought a storm lake barrel and that did not cure the tumble!
BTW the SpringfieldXD 9mm tactical 5" (stock barrel) gun is the one I'm talking about and it is running perfectly now with round nose lead, tapered base, 136.5 grain bullets from wheel weights with 6.5 grains of Accurate #7 a light crimp and an OAL of 1.080

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Duhbob

Discussion Starter · #5 · Feb 23, 2011

Re: Keyholing: 9mm lead 147gr. rcbs flat nose/flat base

Beladran said:
Keyhole n at 20 feet? Wow you got issues!!! ASsuming the bullet is not out of round .... I might suggest a max charge of bullseye or 231

I did a lot of trial and error since I first discovered the tumbling/keyhole problem, but the first lead load I ever ran was 4.3gr. of HP38(W-231)behind a tumble lube Lee 124 gr. bullet. These days I use a RCBS lube sizer and a single groove 136.5 gr. round nose bullet
but I'm still miffed about the 147 gr. flat nose not working with Vitavori powder, etc... :scratch:

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Duhbob

Discussion Starter · #7 · Feb 24, 2011

Re: Keyholing: 9mm lead 147gr. rcbs flat nose/flat base

.3565-.357

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Duhbob

Discussion Starter · #9 · Feb 24, 2011

Re: Keyholing: 9mm lead 147gr. rcbs flat nose/flat base

Thanks, & Yes I slugged the barrel, which partly made me replace it with a new Storm Lake barrel. The slug would go in hard-to-push, then get easy mid-way then push hard again at the front end. The mike said the barrel was at .355 in the outer lands. But here is the kicker. The new barrel sends the 147 flat nose tumbling too. & It slugged perfect!
Next question: do you look for out-of-round pretty regularly or just when an issue like mine shows up...and should I Mike it before lube sizing or after, or both. I'm going to bed. But sometime manyana I'm gonna mike (and rotate) a bunch of these and see if that is it... :scratch:

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Duhbob

Discussion Starter · #11 · Feb 24, 2011

Re: Keyholing: 9mm lead 147gr. rcbs flat nose/flat base

From 20ft (while chronographing) I noticed more rectangle than round holes (shooting the Flat nose lead147gr.), but the group was 2-4 inches. Not acceptable from that close!
By comparison, the good rounds ( round nose lead135gr.)were way tighter, more like 1-2" at 20' and 2-4" at 25yards...from a five inch barrel, that aint great either but I blame the shooter.
But from 25 yards the flat nose (flippers/tumblers) are wildly inaccurate ...not grouping.

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Duhbob

Discussion Starter · #13 · Feb 24, 2011

Re: Keyholing: 9mm lead 147gr. rcbs flat nose/flat base

To every 6-8 pounds of ingots(ww) I'm adding a 6inch piece of lead-free solder(95%tin) and another strip of harder lead-free solder which has 5% antimony. My other mold (same alloy) is dropping .358, but it is a whole nutha story.135gr.ones on the right hand side

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Duhbob

Discussion Starter · #15 · Feb 24, 2011

Re: Keyholing: 9mm lead 147gr. rcbs flat nose/flat base

check :thanks:
But the bevel base shoots perfect.(and you're right that is a cold-mold wrinkly mess on the right)
It's those flat nose Ba$*&#ds on the lefty-side that fly crooked. :evil:
(lil political-jab to the neck there for leftyz)

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Duhbob

Discussion Starter · #18 · Feb 28, 2011

Re: Keyholing: 9mm lead 147gr. rcbs flat nose/flat base

Thanks for the excelent food for thought I haven't sold the 147 flat nose (flat-base) mold yet, it's still a good heavy bullet that jus feels good to
shoot. BTW, The bullet roundness is near perfect.
When time permits I will keep messing with it.
But for now, my 136 grain round nose (bevel-base) are ideal/accurate for USPSA
production with 6.5gr Accurate#7 (no keyholes) and I am getting a 133 power factor...the
gun works well too if the shooter shoots it well.
Bob

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