FN FNX-45 and 200gr SWC - feeding issues.

[Dan_69GTX]

I got Acme 200gr SWC to test and play with.  I got them working in the 1911 just fine, but am having issues getting them to feed in the FNX-45.  Anyone use these bullets in an FNX-45 and if so, what did you do to get them to feed correctly?

Thanks!

[Walt Sherrill]

You might try joining the FN Forum -- a number of FNX-45 forum members there and a sub-forum/area  dedicated to the FNX-45 and the FNX-45 Tactical models. 

Here's a link:   http://fnforum.net/forums/fn-handguns-forum/

There's only modest activity on most of the handgun sub-forums/areas, so you may have a bit of a wait. 

[Dan_69GTX]

Thanks!

[tdogg]

I don't own an FNX-45 but did have feeding issues with my 97BD.  Here is what I did to fix it:

https://czfirearms.us/index.php?topic=68170.0

The shoulder height above the case mouth is what ultimately is important when setting the OAL.  Getting that 0.030-0.040 shoulder protrusion over the case mouth is where you want to be.  Make sure your crimp is set properly as well.

The 200 SWC is money in the 97BD.  Plus the clean holes it makes in paper!  You can't really argue with RO calls, there is no reason to overlay the target!

Cheers,
Toby

[Wobbly]

The shouldered 200gr SWC can feed or fail to feed with as little as 0.010" difference in OAL. It will take some experimenting to find what your guns like.

[Dan_69GTX]

Thanks for the answers!  I measured the amount the bullet "lip" protruded and it was about .060.  So I created several at .010 decreasing increments down to .020.  Nothing fed properly.  GRRR.  I didn't try longer cause I can't go longer in the 1911 and I will NOT have a cartridge that works in one gun and not in another that looks identical - my way of trying to keep me from doing something....STUPID!  In the FNX the bullet nose will go into the barrel, but the rim end will not go up and feed the cartridge in.  It jams quite well where I have to drop the mag and force something up the magwell and push on the case to get it to drop out.

So, I'll keep testing things in the 1911 and just get a RN bullet for the FNX.  It isn't something that will be shot a lot (as of now), so I'm not going to dwell on it.  The 1911 is what I want to focus my time on to get the best round since I'd like to try that in a single stack division at the next competition - or at least some competition....

I didn't try the short ones in the 1911 yet since it was working fine with what I had.

Boy - why didn't I get into this stuff 30 years ago....this is FUN!    ( I know part of the reason - Kids and $$ and space and ....)

[Walt Sherrill]

Boy - why didn't I get into this stuff 30 years ago....this is FUN!    ( I know part of the reason - Kids and $$ and space and ....)

That's why you see so many grey-haired men driving a Porsche or a Corvette, collecting wonderful guns, or getting really nice boat, or a trophy wife -- they couldn't afford it when they were younger.     (Some of us still can't!!) 

[dbod999]

I got Acme 200gr SWC to test and play with.  I got them working in the 1911 just fine, but am having issues getting them to feed in the FNX-45.  Anyone use these bullets in an FNX-45 and if so, what did you do to get them to feed correctly?

Thanks!

I had some hard cast 200gr SWC that I had shot in a factory Glock 21 barrel.  It chambered in the FNX45 but it looks like the bottom of the feed ramp left a dent in the case about an 1/8" back from the mouth.  The chamber on the glock larger than the FNX.  I would probably look at my taper crimp and see if I could squeeze the mouth down a thousand or two.

The mouth diameter on my 200gr SWC is .4735" compared to .471" on a Federal HST HP.
The OAL is 1.2495" on the wad cutters.

[Dan_69GTX]

I had some hard cast 200gr SWC that I had shot in a factory Glock 21 barrel.  It chambered in the FNX45 but it looks like the bottom of the feed ramp left a dent in the case about an 1/8" back from the mouth.  The chamber on the glock larger than the FNX.  I would probably look at my taper crimp and see if I could squeeze the mouth down a thousand or two.

The mouth diameter on my 200gr SWC is .4735" compared to .471" on a Federal HST HP.
The OAL is 1.2495" on the wad cutters.

The rounds chamber just fine, but they don't feed properly.  They are all in spec and work in other guns.  Thanks.  Not all styles of bullets will work in all styles of guns - I'm fine with that. 

[M1A4ME]

Ran into that once.  My Colt 1911's eat everything.  From the 1917 made Colt to the last one I bought in the early 90's (a stainless Series 80).

Those same reloads (230 grain LRN, 200 grain LFN, 185 grain LSWC, etc.) did just as well in my P14 and my nephews XD Compact.

Then I bought a used Series 70 Colt for my youngest son.  Nope.  We got the same nose up jam you describe (as well as the darn thing dinging the snot out of the case mouths).  I installed a different extractor, a stronger recoil spring and that fixed about 95% of the case mouth damage issues - but it still didn't feed consistently.

I tried longer COL.  Seat the bullets farther out.  That fixed those nose up jams into the slide/ejection port on the Colt Series 70.  The longer ammo still did fine in my Colts and the P14 but would not chamber in the XD Compact of my nephews.

The XDs must be really inconsistent.  I got a 5" Tactical a few months back.  I pulled the barrel out, sat down to load up some ammo for it and did some plunk testing and what I was loading would drop in, plunk nicely (easy to hear/feel), spin easily and then drop right out when I turned the barrel up.  But then they wouldn't fit in the magazines.  Not too long for the barrel, but too long for the magazines.  I never ran into that before.

Like you said.  The longer we do this the more we learn about it.

[Wobbly]

Beside OAL, the constant squabble with 45ACP (especially 1911 clones) is the magazines. Not sure what options you have there... if you can swap mags with some of your other guns or what... but apparently the feed lip shape and position is critical.

We don't see a lot of that on CZ's because they use Mecgar mags, which are some of the best around. But the reason to use a high quality mag like Mecgar is to avoid these issues. And when the issue shows up, it's always a headache.