I started loading with Berry's plated bullets for 45 Auto, for a Kimber Tactical Custom. The bullets are the 200gr FP over charges of Universal; I used Sierra data for seating (1.155") as their FP appears similar, and powder charges for cast bullets. I am getting velocities in the mid-800fps range. Problem: I am getting a fail to feed or lock up the slide in 3 out of 10 rounds.

Suggestions? I don't have this problem with factory 230gr FMJ (baseline); my handloads of Win. 230gr FMJs and Hornady 200gr HPs work well, so I wonder if it is bullet shape, maybe too short for my particular pistol. I am using a taper crimp that has worked well with the other bullets.

Well it is a Kimber they do seem problematic.

Do they do with all the magazines.

Measure a loaded round up by the neck area. The bullet may have swollen the case. If so,increase your taper crimp.

When it fails to feed, does it stovepipe the round, or is the round still in the mag? If the round is still in the mag, then you do not have enough recoil to bring the slide all the way back to strip the next round from the mag. In that case, change to a faster powder or bump your powder charge.

As p dog shooter said, Kimbers tend to be very problematic.

As to Rapidrob's suggestion, I did compare measurements of a loaded round of the problem bullet with Winchester factory FMJ, and the cases both measure the same. Has a fairly good taper crimp as well.

The round either gets halfway to the chamber and hangs up, or gets almost all the way into the chamber and does not lock up.

I have a well broke in Springfield 1911-A1 as well; I could also shoot it through that pistol to see if it is just the Kimber.

I found that with some cast bullets I had to resize the loaded rounds fed very well then.

The bullets caused a slight over sized condition that was taken care of by resizing them again

A Lee carbide factory crimp die, properly adjusted, should ensure that all final dimensions fall within spec (not counting head expansion of course, but a case gauge can help there).

I find it to be a useful die in pistol cartridge reloading.

Before giving up on those FPs I would bump the powder charge and FPS as Larry suggested. Could also install a lighter recoil spring if committed to 200 gr at mid-800 fps range. Lee factory crimp die a good idea, regardless.

I am not in any way trying to be disparaging, so please do not take it that way. I have also seen the issue with folks that "limp wrist" the gun instead of getting and maintaining a firm grip on it all the way through firing, although I usually see it with Glocks and women, not men.

No offense taken - have been shooting 1911's since I was in basic training for M60 tanks (a while back). I did have to intentionally replicate the "limp wrist" problem once, to explain to my wife what she was doing when her G26 was having problems.

But back to my OP topic - I stepped back and looked at my reloads again - specifically taper crimp, which I tightened up to .470". I reshot these bullets with Titegroup as well as the original Universal and the feeding problems went away.

As a control I also shot these loads through a Glock 30SF, which of course consumed everything with no problems.

Berry's recommends an OAL of 1.20 for that bullet. Hornady's 230 T/c also works very well at 1.2"
Also, taper crimp to .473" at the mouth.

I see that they have an OAL/COL chart at their website - thanks.