Changing carry ammo type

[FFGColorado]

So, I carry either G9 or Lehigh/Underwood Xtreme Defender in my G17(HD), G48(carry) and G42...every once in a while I'll rotate the older stuff by buying new, same type, go the range and shoot the older stuff.

Well, 2 weeks ago I did that with all the Glocks..BUT had 2 'failures' with G42, never have had that before(2500-3000 rounds)..a stove pipe, and a fail to feed/jam. The G17 and G48 worked 100%.
So, bought some Hornady JHP .380, shot that yesterday, no issues, no problems other than the 60 rounds I bought was $90 with shippingeek.

BUT 2 points, I guess.
-test your carry ammunition
-I have carried the 42 for 5 months w/o shooting it because of COVD/outdoor range being closed(Fire danger)..so wonder if carrying it, it got gunked up, linted up or something...so maybe, even tho you don't shoot it but carry it a lot..clean it.

 

[WisBorn]

Finding ammo for my carry guns has been difficult. Been shooting them, but much less. I am concerned that I may have to switch without the level of testing that I would like to do.
I am carrying my 442 & 686 more now because they are going to function. I love my LCP2 and XDM 45 but ammo type is more critical.

 

[Charlie98]

-test your carry ammunition

You shouldn't have to say something like that, but there are probably people out there that question that statement.

Not only do I do an initial test on accuracy and feeding, but I also rotate my carry ammos out every 6 months or so... cycling it through my pistols to, once again, prove it's accuracy and feeding. It's the Circle of Life for carry ammos.

Granted, these days, going through a 50 box of SD ammos might be a little tricky when replacement time comes.

 

[Obturation]

I know how you feel. I change out carry ammo every 6 months, blow out each gun every month or so if it hasn't been fired. My carry ammo is specific and not terribly common in normal times, g42 gets Underwood xtreme penetrators, g30 gets 230 grain short barrel gold dots (loaded by speer), g20 gets Underwood 165 grain gold dots. My reasons for the ammo selection are intentional and deliberate and it all works fine.
I was at the range with a fellow forum member here and I handed him my g20 with the mag I'd been carrying in it, wouldn't you know it, got a light primer strike on one round- the rest fired fine. Well what the heck, when I got home I took the gun 100% apart to check for lint or gunk that could have caused it. Nothing, clean as can be, striker channel was spotless and oil free, just nothing to see. Uneasy about it I took it back out and ran 150 factory sig rounds and 20 of my carry load through, zero issues. That was this guns one and only malfunction (besides a broken spring on the slide stop lever a couple years ago- it was aftermarket and was replaced by the original) , I can't get it to malfunction so I've got to trust it.

Point is that ammo fails no matter how good it is, guns fail no matter how reliable they are, everything fails at some point.

In my younger days I had to scrimp & save for ammo and my carry ammo would get a few years old before it was replaced, carried in a humid climate and looking crusty, it all worked fine .

No way to know when a malfunction will happen.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

My carry ammo is 124gr or 147gr Gold Dots. I buy them as pulled bullets and reload and shoot hundreds if not thousands through any gun I carry.
I have boxes full of both loaded and thousands more to load.
The lesson to be learned is, don't wait for a "shortage" to worry about your ammo supply.

 

[Alte Schule]

Being over 65 with underlying health issues I have been out of my house only a handful of times since April. My extended family takes care of PaPa so I have no wants or needs.
I carry when I walk the dog and check the fence line but I haven’t had any range time since April so I really see no need in rotating my carry ammunition. I usually use Hornady Critical Defense in all my carry and HD handguns. I give them a once over every other month or so but until I get back to the range and start shooting again I don’t see the use in any more than that.
My usual routine pre COVID was, at a minimum, using my indoor local range 2-3 times a month. I have a fixed budget for my hobbies and that doesn’t include the $$$$$$ now being asked for and given for ammunition.
I have ammunition for all my firearms. Some more than others and I have the minimum I like to keep for all but one. My .41 Magnum (S&W Model 56) which is prohibitively expensive now.
I may have to adjust my thinking sooner or later but right now I am not going to pay $40 (or more) for 115gr 9mm Winchester white Box or a $I plus a round for .223. I just hope this insanity ends soon.

 

[FFGColorado]

I may have to adjust my thinking sooner or later but right now I am not going to pay $40 (or more) for 115gr 9mm Winchester white Box or a $I plus a round for .223. I just hope this insanity ends soon.

I'm lucky that I have a son who scours the local ammo places regularly. I won't go into a store either, haven't since March. BUT..Jax, Sportsman's Warehouse and Cabelas ALL have had ammo these last couple of weeks.

9mm, 223, 38Special, 22LR, 357Magnum..maybe not all at the same time but my son and I have gotten 9mm, 22LR and 223 without problem..and at (almost)'precovid' prices.

333 box of 22LR-$22, 20 rounds of 223-$10, 9mm-box of 50-$15...(All yesterday, BTW).

 

[daniel craig]

So, I carry either G9 or Lehigh/Underwood Xtreme Defender in my G17(HD), G48(carry) and G42...every once in a while I'll rotate the older stuff by buying new, same type, go the range and shoot the older stuff.

Well, 2 weeks ago I did that with all the Glocks..BUT had 2 'failures' with G42, never have had that before(2500-3000 rounds)..a stove pipe, and a fail to feed/jam. The G17 and G48 worked 100%.
So, bought some Hornady JHP .380, shot that yesterday, no issues, no problems other than the 60 rounds I bought was $90 with shippingeek.

BUT 2 points, I guess.
-test your carry ammunition
-I have carried the 42 for 5 months w/o shooting it because of COVD/outdoor range being closed(Fire danger)..so wonder if carrying it, it got gunked up, linted up or something...so maybe, even tho you don't shoot it but carry it a lot..clean it.

Never had a problem with hornady American gunner. You can buy them in “bulk” for pretty cheap and they’re reliable as all heck.

 

[Palladan44]

I know how you feel. I change out carry ammo every 6 months, blow out each gun every month or so if it hasn't been fired. My carry ammo is specific and not terribly common in normal times, g42 gets Underwood xtreme penetrators, g30 gets 230 grain short barrel gold dots (loaded by speer), g20 gets Underwood 165 grain gold dots. My reasons for the ammo selection are intentional and deliberate and it all works fine.
I was at the range with a fellow forum member here and I handed him my g20 with the mag I'd been carrying in it, wouldn't you know it, got a light primer strike on one round- the rest fired fine. Well what the heck, when I got home I took the gun 100% apart to check for lint or gunk that could have caused it. Nothing, clean as can be, striker channel was spotless and oil free, just nothing to see. Uneasy about it I took it back out and ran 150 factory sig rounds and 20 of my carry load through, zero issues. That was this guns one and only malfunction (besides a broken spring on the slide stop lever a couple years ago- it was aftermarket and was replaced by the original) , I can't get it to malfunction so I've got to trust it.

Point is that ammo fails no matter how good it is, guns fail no matter how reliable they are, everything fails at some point.

In my younger days I had to scrimp & save for ammo and my carry ammo would get a few years old before it was replaced, carried in a humid climate and looking crusty, it all worked fine .

No way to know when a malfunction will happen.

Obturation, Ive had this happen to me once on the first round out of a Glock 40 MOS. although it was not a light primer strike. Remoil is a super thin oil and I had cleaned the gun about a week prior. Oiled firing pin channel, etc etc. It the few days the gun sat in the holster in condition 1, some oil worked its way between the primer and primer pocket and dudded the round. Couldnt believe it. Since the firing pin channel sat in perfect alignment with the primer, it funneled the oil just right into the pocket.

I make habit not to over oil the parts, especially with the aerosol can of rem oil its easy to do, and i dry fire the gun a number of times after cleaning.
Rem oil is very thin oil, and actually can work its way in between primers and pockets.

 

[Obturation]

Obturation, Ive had this happen to me once on the first round out of a Glock 40 MOS. although it was not a light primer strike. Remoil is a super thin oil and I had cleaned the gun about a week prior. Oiled firing pin channel, etc etc. It the few days the gun sat in the holster in condition 1, some oil worked its way between the primer and primer pocket and dudded the round. Couldnt believe it. Since the firing pin channel sat in perfect alignment with the primer, it funneled the oil just right into the pocket.

I make habit not to over oil the parts, especially with the aerosol can of rem oil its easy to do, and i dry fire the gun a number of times after cleaning.
Rem oil is very thin oil, and actually can work its way in between primers and pockets.

That's troublesome. Not the case in this situation, my guns are run dry , way drier than most guys care for. No way there is more than 2 drops of oil distributed throughout all parts ever. Dry dry.
Your striker channel shouldn't be oiled, regardless of type due to risk of causing the striker to slow from possible hydraulic resistance and scum build up. Uncommon to hear of thin oil leaking into a cartridge and killing it, that had to be a lot of oil.
Here's a picture of the primer on the one that failed on me.
So I'd say it is certainly a light strike, would probably fire if I chambered it again , not Underwoods fault unless the primer wasn't fully seated. Either way, it's not repeatable - I've tried. Can't get that gun to fail, everything's been gone over because I do carry the g20 a lot. It's just one of those things you can't predict or explain and you just have to be ready for.

 

[Palladan44]

Ive learned. Rem oil creeps everywhere, and out of the aerosol can really comes shooting out. Ive changed my ways

I went through my brother in law's carry weapon and it was downright disgusting. Had to do a full stripdown to remove the lint, dirt, grit, as well as scrub off some spot rust. He complained of reliability and i layed into him pretty good about maintenance. It was a ruger LC something .380.
But i believe light primer strikes were his first failure

 

[Hartkopf]

I test my carry gun and ammo in as many variables as possible, usually with ammo all from the same lot. With a new gun, I’ll shoot 200 rounds of range ammo and then a couple magazines of my carry ammo when the gun is fairly dirty. Then clean and lube the gun and run 50 to 100 rounds of carry ammo through it. If no failures, clean, lube and start carrying the gun. After a couple of weeks I’ll test what I’ve been carrying. Test again after a few more weeks of carrying. At this point I call the gun/ammo combination proofed out and cycle the ammo out every 6 months.

 

[huntsman]

I like to shoot as much carry ammo as I can but with limited means that leaves me with JHP sold in 50 round boxes.

UMC in 9mm and WWB or Fiocchi in.40S&W, several hundred in 2 guns nary a falt.

 

[WisBorn]

I like to shoot as much carry ammo as I can but with limited means that leaves me with JHP sold in 50 round boxes.

UMC in 9mm and WWB or Fiocchi in.40S&W, several hundred in 2 guns nary a falt.

I agree! I like to shoot my carry gun on the range last on range days. With what I'm going to carry in it.

I have not seen many ammo related failures and shoot a lot more range ammo than anything else. I follow Paul Harrell and carry UMC 230 grain hollow points in my 45acp and 125 grain hp+p in my 38 special. Cheap enough to shoot often (if you can find it now), reliable, and effective.

 

[Pat Riot]

Never had a problem with hornady American gunner. You can buy them in “bulk” for pretty cheap and they’re reliable as all heck.

I agree. After extensive testing of many different brands and configurations of SD ammo I settled on American Gunner. I use it in 9mm, .38 Spl and .357 Magnum (the .357 is smokin’ hot and is relegated to long gun ammo, not indoor HD use). I also used it in .380 before I sold my .380.

Very good, reliable, accurate ammo in all of my guns.

Also, I rotated my CCW ammo every three months and field stripped and cleaned my autoloader carry guns monthly. I live if Kalipornia now. I cannot legally carry here now.

 

[jas1776]

I bought a sig p365 and have 200 plus fmj through it. I have been looking for winchester ranger jhp or federal hydrashoks to run through it. Kinda hard to find 400 of those, all the same type. I want to run 200 jhp before i use it as chl piece.

 

[DustyGmt]

So, I carry either G9 or Lehigh/Underwood Xtreme Defender in my G17(HD), G48(carry) and G42...every once in a while I'll rotate the older stuff by buying new, same type, go the range and shoot the older stuff.

Well, 2 weeks ago I did that with all the Glocks..BUT had 2 'failures' with G42, never have had that before(2500-3000 rounds)..a stove pipe, and a fail to feed/jam. The G17 and G48 worked 100%.
So, bought some Hornady JHP .380, shot that yesterday, no issues, no problems other than the 60 rounds I bought was $90 with shippingeek.

BUT 2 points, I guess.
-test your carry ammunition
-I have carried the 42 for 5 months w/o shooting it because of COVD/outdoor range being closed(Fire danger)..so wonder if carrying it, it got gunked up, linted up or something...so maybe, even tho you don't shoot it but carry it a lot..clean it.

You're 42 Malf'd with the Lehigh Defender? I have been looking for a box of defender or penetrator since may. I would love just 1 or 2 boxes of the stuff for my LCP since I don't do the JHP in the .380 anymore and feel the LXD would be a step up to weak .380 ball. Also, don't quote me but I think at one point Lehigh had a disclaimer about some 42's not cycling the Lehigh Extremes 100% because of a flood of reports that came in about feeding issues.

Also, how do you like carrying your 48 and what holster do you use for it. Does it conceal nicely and feel comfortable for EDC? I carry a 43 daily comfortably and was wondering since you own a 42 and 48 how they compare for EDC?

 

[DustyGmt]

I went through my brother in law's carry weapon and it was downright disgusting. Had to do a full stripdown to remove the lint, dirt, grit, as well as scrub off some spot rust

That's funny, my BIL also has a very bad habit of leaving his EDC (glock30sf) in absolutely horrendous carry condition. The last time I saw it was years ago because they live out of state but when he pulled it from his pocket I almost choked. The glock can probably take it, the LCP however, I would definitely expect a failure if it's not maintained. Although I will say I have shot mine a good bit over the last decade and it runs dirty, clean, good ammo, bad ammo. It has never once jammed. I'm well pleased with the LCP reliability and for what it is and within its limitations think it is a good gun.

 

[FFGColorado]

You're 42 Malf'd with the Lehigh Defender? I have been looking for a box of defender or penetrator since may. I would love just 1 or 2 boxes of the stuff for my LCP since I don't do the JHP in the .380 anymore and feel the LXD would be a step up to weak .380 ball. Also, don't quote me but I think at one point Lehigh had a disclaimer about some 42's not cycling the Lehigh Extremes 100% because of a flood of reports that came in about feeding issues.

Also, how do you like carrying your 48 and what holster do you use for it. Does it conceal nicely and feel comfortable for EDC? I carry a 43 daily comfortably and was wondering since you own a 42 and 48 how they compare for EDC?

Shot all the Lehigh and transitioned to a JHP..which works great.
I use a Desanti SlimTuk holster for the 48. Conceals better than my G26 with a 15R G19 magazine did cuz it's a bit thinner. 3 oclock so barrel length is no big deal. Grip length same as the G26/g19 magazine..not an issue. I had a 43, and it 'feels' and 'prints' about the same as the 48. I had a +2 mag extension on the 43

BUT, 48 much more pleasant to shoot than the 43(bunged up RH wrist and thumb) and WAY more accurate, for me, than the -26.

 

[DustyGmt]

Shot all the Lehigh and transitioned to a JHP..which works great.
I use a Desanti SlimTuk holster for the 48. Conceals better than my G26 with a 15R G19 magazine did cuz it's a bit thinner. 3 oclock so barrel length is no big deal. Grip length same as the G26/g19 magazine..not an issue. I had a 43, and it 'feels' and 'prints' about the same as the 48. I had a +2 mag extension on the 43

BUT, 48 much more pleasant to shoot than the 43(bunged up RH wrist and thumb) and WAY more accurate, for me, than the -26.

Awesome. Very good. My friend is our local pastor and we went to the LGS because he wanted some help at the shop and I think he was kind of set on a 43 like mine but all they had was a 48 and I told him had the 48 been available when the 43 came out I probably would have opted for that. I didn't want him to defer to me to outright to choose the gun but I kind of get it, he knew nothing of guns at that point and the options were slim at the time and I think being a pastor and all he wasn't really jazzed about the "HellCat"(only other CCW in the shop at the time and about $150 more), lol..

I told him the glock 48 would be a fantastic EDC and that if he liked it he should get it, so he did. I'm just now seeing 43's pop up now and again and I was second guessing myself as to whether maybe I should have had him hold out for one but everybody who has the 48 seems to love it as an EDC so I don't feel so bad. There was a lil pressure at the time too, lines a mile long out the gun shop doors, no guns to be found, no ammo, etc... I think he made a good choice and he does too which is most important. Thanks for the info.

 

[FFGColorado]

Awesome. Very good. My friend is our local pastor and we went to the LGS because he wanted some help at the shop and I think he was kind of set on a 43 like mine but all they had was a 48 and I told him had the 48 been available when the 43 came out I probably would have opted for that. I didn't want him to defer to me to outright to choose the gun but I kind of get it, he knew nothing of guns at that point and the options were slim at the time and I think being a pastor and all he wasn't really jazzed about the "HellCat"(only other CCW in the shop at the time and about $150 more), lol..

I told him the glock 48 would be a fantastic EDC and that if he liked it he should get it, so he did. I'm just now seeing 43's pop up now and again and I was second guessing myself as to whether maybe I should have had him hold out for one but everybody who has the 48 seems to love it as an EDC so I don't feel so bad. There was a lil pressure at the time too, lines a mile long out the gun shop doors, no guns to be found, no ammo, etc... I think he made a good choice and he does too which is most important. Thanks for the info.

A pleasure and I backordered and finally received the Shield Arms 15r metal magazine(works great with carry ammo, BTW). Since I only carry this mag, don't go to the range with it and in/out/in..didn't opt for the metal mag release. Also, have 5 OE magazines and the metal release may bung those up...But 'essentially' a single stack 9mm, that holds 15R..easier, more better to carry than a G19(which I had also..traded for my son's G45).....for ME.

 

[DustyGmt]

A pleasure and I backordered and finally received the Shield Arms 15r metal magazine(works great with carry ammo, BTW). Since I only carry this mag, don't go to the range with it and in/out/in..didn't opt for the metal mag release. Also, have 5 OE magazines and the metal release may bung those up...But 'essentially' a single stack 9mm, that holds 15R..easier, more better to carry than a G19(which I had also..traded for my son's G45).....for ME.

Good information, didn't even know there was a 15rd mag for the 48. I'll have to throw that out there when I see him. Does having a metallic mag release wreak havoc on the plastic oem mags or is it just an issue of the oem plastic release on a metal mag? Sorry for the sidebar conversation.

 

[.455_Hunter]

If you put enough ammo down range, eventually you will get some ammo related misfires- doesn't matter if it's a Glock or a Lorcin. Sometimes they will be just a hard primer and go on the second strike, or sometimes they will be just a complete dud. All you can do is be prepared to deal with them using your malfunction drill.