
I guess I should have expected some problems after not doing this for 20 years. The first batch of 50 functioned perfectly and were more accurate then the WWB or Blazer Brass stuff I usually shoot. They smoke some...guessing it's the bullet lube because the powder burned clean. These were once-fired R-P brass, Fed 150's, Oregon Trail Laser Cast 200 gr SWC's and 5.8 gr of W231. The second batch were exactly the same except the powder charge was 5.2 gr. I had 5 of these that didn't chamber completely. All but 2 of them I got to chamber by giving a little rap on the back of the slide. It doesn't have anything to do with the powder charge difference. It's a case dimensions thing. I don't think I changed anything except I didn't bell the case mouths as much on these as I did the first batch. As a result, the bullets didn't seat as good as the others. Sometimes I got a little lead shaving during the seating process. Although I didn't change the seating depth, these seemed to seat slightly deeper. I didn't check the overall length on this batch. The first ones were 1.245".
I got distracted several times during loading the second batch. I also was running them through all the dies and completing one round before grabbing the next case. The first batch I did like I was using a Rockchucker...one step at a time, sizing 50, expanding 50, etc. I'm using a 4 die set - seater doesn't crimp. Crimper die is a taper crimp. The only thing I can think of is that I forgot to run some of them through the crimper. It's sucks to get old!
The Laser Casts did lead a little even though they are guaranteed not to. I shot them in my KP97D and it only had 250 rounds shot through it. Maybe it needs some more shooting with FMJ's to smooth the bore up. I guess it's back to bench and just be more careful this time.