Disaster Averted - 9MM Bullet in Barrel

[Kfbb]

I recently purchased some Bear Creek moly coated lead bullets, 9MM, 124Gr RN.  I shot them for the first time yesterday.  The first issue I had is that the slide seemed to struggle a bit fully chambering the rounds.  In fact, about every 10th round wouldn't fully seat and I'd have to nudge the slide forward roughly 1/4 inch to go into full battery.

The next issue is that while I was shooting a string and the slide didn't go into full battery, I discovered a spent case still in the chamber.  Having experienced this once before, I removed the slide and lo and behold, there's a bullet about a half inch down the barrel (from the chamber end)!!

I've run into this very same problem once before and at that time assumed that I had somehow missed charging a case with powder.  I've always tried to be very diligent and never understood how I could have done that.  Now that it's happened a second time, I'm thinking less and less that the problem was a missed charge.  I check each case for proper powder level at least 4 times before seating a bullet. 

The only other items to note (at least that I'm able to note being a relative newbie to reloading) is that the Bear Creek bullets have a rounder (less pointy) nose.  Plus, I'm not entirely sure, but I think there was less recoil firing the lead bullets as compared to my loads with plated bullets (using the same amount of powder) from Rainier.

My load data for both plated and these lead bullets is 3.7 gr and I seat the bullet to achieve the max OAL or just under (1.169 to about 1.167).  I check every round in a LE Wilson case gage.

Later today I plan to measure the length of the plated Rainers and the Bear Creek bullets to see if they are the same length.  Is it possible that the BC bullets are a little shorter and therefore, the more blunt profile combined with the OAL is causing the issue with the round moving up the ramp on my XDm?
 
Secondly, if the BC bullets are shorter, that would mean the pressure might be too low, since 3.7 is just about the minimum charge according to specs I've check found. I do not want to either up the charge or seat the bullet more deeply without verifying what the problem(s)are!!   

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Howard

[Kfbb]

Sorry, I probably should have obtained this information before posting my topic.  But, I've measured the length of the plated Rainier Ballastics that I previously loaded and they are .600 inches. 

The Bear Creek bullets are .569 inches.  Is the .031 difference the possible culprit that resulted in a low enough pressure to leave the bullet stuck at the breech end of the barrel and secondly, could the overall bluntness of the bullet and the length of the round being too long result in difficulty in chambering?

Lastly, I'm guessing I should seat the bullet to be .031 inches shorter than the max OAL of 1.169 or 1.138 inches.  That would result in the bullet being seated at the same depth in the case as the Rainier bullets.  Is this the correct approach?  Otherwise, I'm not sure how you go about knowing how deeply to seat a bullet!

Thanks again!
Howard

[hawcer]

It seems as though you are on the right track. Shorter bullets will need to be seated to a shorter OAL.  They will prolly chamber better too.  Both types of bullets you mentioned are 124gr, correct?

[Kfbb]

Hi Hawcer, yes, you're correct, both are 124 gr RN.
Howard

[Fire4Effect]

What kind of powder are you using? And I agree with Hawcer.