Ruger LCP and Hornady "Critical Defense" FTX ammo

[wtr100]

Hornady's Critical Defense is good stuff, and the jacket is made thin to promote expansion, especially at lower velocities such as one normally finds in the .380 caliber.  It seems to me you may be having a MAGAZINE problem.  Does it do the same thing with all of your MAGAZINES?  Modern ammo has improved terminal bullet performance, but it is still a .380.

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[Badgersmilk]

Well, took her out for some shooting again today.  This time with 3 magazines in all.  All three Ruger brand.  Brand new.  One that came with the gun, and two I just got for Christmas from Midway.  I've disasembled all the magazines to inspect and clean them.  All look perfect.  All function perfect.  The damage to the Hornady bullets is from when the round is chambered by the gun cycling.  If I just pull the slide back and let it go, no problem.  After I fire even one round.  The next round chambered is crushed.  The bullet on the right is the original one from weeks ago.  The bullet on the left is from today.  And bullet on the bottom is unfired from a loaded magazine.  The dirt you see on the left bullet is just from my finger when I rubbed / inspected the little red insert.

I've run 50 rounds of Remington 88gr. JHP through the gun...  Flawless!

I've run 50 rounds of Fiocchi 90gr. JHP through the gun...  Flawless! Notably louder, and a little more kick to them than the other two.  These are also rated at higher velocity, though I haven't checked with the Chrony yet I have no doubt in the claim.

The two dented up bullets are from two different magazines.  I stopped shooting, and this is what they looked like fresh out of the chamber (dents on three sides).



Accuracy was IMO EXCELLENT from all three brands!  I was blown away at how well it did at 15 yards.  And can't imagin ever shooting this gun any further.  Unless I was shooting fast repeatedly I hit a 6" square target every shot.  And the misses are entirely my fault I'm SURE!    Not the gun or ammo.  

In the end.  Accuracy from all three brands was awsome IMO!  I didn't see ANY damage on the Fiocchi bullets, or the Remington's I pulled from the chamber.  Only the FTX's...  Glad I only bought one box!  Won't be buying more.

[CJS3]

I had always thought the "Critical Defense" ammo was just the XTP bullet with a plastic insert. They deformed bullets don't look like the XTP at all. I use XTPs in various calibers for reloading and buy factory XTP cartridges for SD ammo. I had considered switching from XTP to FTX ammo for SD, but I think I'll just stick with XTP customs.

[Badgersmilk]

I had always thought the "Critical Defense" ammo was just the XTP bullet with a plastic insert. They deformed bullets don't look like the XTP at all. I use XTPs in various calibers for reloading and buy factory XTP cartridges for SD ammo. I had considered switching from XTP to FTX ammo for SD, but I think I'll just stick with XTP customs.

I hand load XTP's in half a dozen calibers and LOVE the things!  Never had an issue with a single one in thousands of rounds.  Very effective bullets, made with second to non quality standards in my experience.  GREAT PRODUCT!

The FTX's appear to be very precisely made as well.  Hornady held off on making them in the .380 caliber for some time...  I can guess why.  

This doesn't deminish Hornady's XTP line in the least for me.  I just bought a BUNCH of Fiocchi .380 ammo.  I think the bullets they use are as close as they were able to come to exact copies of XTP's.  And at $16 for a 50 box, the stuff's a steal.  

Fiocchi with the XTP look a likes in the middle.  FTX's on either side for comparison.  

[Solus]

BM, don't know if you are interested in doing any further research, but if you are, think about this.

With the chamber loaded, remove the magazine and mark the case of the top round with a Sharpie.  Then fire the gun and eject the loaded round.  Might be interesting to see where the deformation is happening...on the ramp or the top of the chamber or maybe the top of the chamber and both sides.

Thanks, if you get around to it...and thanks for the info so far.

Solus

[Sponsor]

[Ping]

Decided to take all three of my Ruger magazines loaded with Hornady "Critical Defense" ammunition. I racked all the rounds through to see if there was any issue with deformation of the projectile. There were none.

Not sure what is causing the problem whether it be the ammo or the weapon? I would definitely have someone check it out.

[Solus]

Decided to take all three of my Ruger magazines loaded with Hornady "Critical Defense" ammunition. I racked all the rounds through to see if there was any issue with deformation of the projectile. There were none.

Not sure what is causing the problem whether it be the ammo or the weapon? I would definitely have someone check it out.

Badger does not have the problem when he manually cycles them through the action.

It is only when the round is chambered by firing a round.

[Ping]

Looks like I will have to take a trip to the range. 

Badger has me rather curious about this.

[Badgersmilk]

BM, don't know if you are interested in doing any further research, but if you are, think about this.

With the chamber loaded, remove the magazine and mark the case of the top round with a Sharpie.  Then fire the gun and eject the loaded round.  Might be interesting to see where the deformation is happening...on the ramp or the top of the chamber or maybe the top of the chamber and both sides.

Thanks, if you get around to it...and thanks for the info so far.

Solus

Still got a few rounds left to get rid of.  I'll try to get out and give this a shot tommarow. 

[Solus]

Still got a few rounds left to get rid of.  I'll try to get out and give this a shot tommarow. 

Thanks.

Maybe we'll learn something, maybe not...