[pgreen7436]

I just put 100 rounds of 230gr FMJRN over 5.4gr Titegroup through my brand new PT145. I noticed that the cartridges have a gouge or nick at the base on the left hand side (key of the firing pin is pointing down on the spent primer).

Here's a couple of pictures of two of them:

 

[9x19]

How old is the brass? That top case looks like it has a crack starting on the tapered portion.

How close to max is the load you're using? If its a bit warm, the cases could be sticking a bit to the chamber, making the extractor work extra hard, and causing a bit of deformity to the rim in the process.

The gouge on the tapered portion could be a long extractor... remove the slide, ease a case under the extractor and see if the "nose" of the extractor is touching the tapered portion of the case in front of the rim. If it is, you may want to stone off a few thousandths on the nose of the extractor to prevent contact.

 

[Flyer]

I had a mark on these from the Hydra Shok 165 that wouldn't feed.

Was there any FTF's?

 

[pgreen7436]

How old is the brass? That top case looks like it has a crack starting on the tapered portion.

How close to max is the load you're using? If its a bit warm, the cases could be sticking a bit to the chamber, making the extractor work extra hard, and causing a bit of deformity to the rim in the process.

The gouge on the tapered portion could be a long extractor... remove the slide, ease a case under the extractor and see if the "nose" of the extractor is touching the tapered portion of the case in front of the rim. If it is, you may want to stone off a few thousandths on the nose of the extractor to prevent contact.

The brass has been fired 3 times counting today. The load is .3gr above the minimum load. Not much at all. Thanks for the suggestion about the extractor. I'll check it out.

 

[pgreen7436]

I had a mark on these from the Hydra Shok 165 that wouldn't feed.

Was there any FTF's?

Nope. Not one. If fact, I kind of liked this load for the target shooting I was doing.