Factory ammo damaged my pistol...now what?

L

LocoGringo

Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2013
Messages
934
Location
Knoxville, TN
Yesterday I went to the range with a buddy and bought some ammo from the store to shoot through my Springfield Armory XDs in .45 ACP. I have shot that pistol MANY times with MANY different manufacturers of ammo, including self-defense ammo, and never had 1 malfunction. Twenty seven rounds into the box of ammo I bought, the gun fails to return to battery fully with the recoil guide rod protruding a bit and the slide will not return to be flush with the frame. The recoil while shooting this ammo was extremely harsh. There are no +P or +P+ markings on the box. I've used this pistol in a couple of BUG matches and the last one I placed 11 out of 30+ shooters, so I can handle it well. Not even the self-defense ammo I've shot in the past has given this much recoil.

I've contacted the manufacturer and they've sent me a shipping label to return the remaining rounds for testing. They asked for photos of the gun which I have sent them. I've also gotten in touch with a trusted gunsmith to take a look at it, although I don't know when I'll get a chance to put it in his hands...he's about 45 minutes away.

Is there anything else I need to do or anything I need to watch out for?
 

Attachments

  • E2004C67-5107-4CF3-A1C6-827BE490F308.jpeg
    E2004C67-5107-4CF3-A1C6-827BE490F308.jpeg
    49.4 KB · Views: 195
  • 41E6E00A-E09F-4E35-BF07-3EA54EDE8C6D.jpeg
    41E6E00A-E09F-4E35-BF07-3EA54EDE8C6D.jpeg
    97.3 KB · Views: 190
Last edited:
Jim Watson said:
You could name the brand and give the lot number so the rest of us could be on the lookout.

I think 27 rounds of obviously off spec ammo was too many to hang in with.
Click to expand...
Ammo Incorporated, lot #8223, maybe #6223...it's hard to read the first number

Hindsight is easy when one doesn't expect factory ammo to damage a gun. Lesson learned.
 
Need some clarification. Are you saying all the ammo seemed harsh or just this last round? Did the last round actually
go off? Can you describe the damage to your gun? The reason I ask is this sounds exactly like an experience I had last week. The slide failed to go into battery because the round would not completely chamber. It was very difficult but I was eventually able to pull the slide back and the round (unfired) ejected. I believe the problem was because of a plated bullet. Yes these were my reloads. I can't say exactly why it failed but I had no problems with the FMJ rounds, also mine.
 
jag22 said:
Need some clarification. Are you saying all the ammo seemed harsh or just this last round? Did the last round actually
go off? Can you describe the damage to your gun? The reason I ask is this sounds exactly like an experience I had last week. The slide failed to go into battery because the round would not completely chamber. It was very difficult but I was eventually able to pull the slide back and the round (unfired) ejected. I believe the problem was because of a plated bullet. Yes these were my reloads. I can't say exactly why it failed but I had no problems with the FMJ rounds, also mine.
Click to expand...
Recoil was harsh on every round. The pistol locked back on an empty mag after the last round fired, so the damage occurred on the last round of the magazine. It went unnoticed until I attempted to lower the slide on a full mag (after I loaded a different ammo in the mag) and tried to fire it. Because the slide was out of battery, it failed to go off. I performed corrective action and tried again, but it failed to fire again. That's when I decided to investigate further and noticed the pistol wasn't fully in battery after dropping the slide. I can't remove the slide which is why I need to give it to a gunsmith. I can pull the slide back, but the gun will not go fully into battery. You can see in the photos the recoil spring guide rod protrudes a bit from the slide and past the frame...it's not supposed to do that. One of the guys behind the counter of the gun store thinks the flange that butts up against the barrel slipped off and I suppose that's possible, but I have no idea how to disassemble the gun in its current state.
 
The XD line had a standoff guide rod IIRC.

HS2K-Right-800.jpg
Your picture does seem to stick out just slightly more.
 
Last edited:
Got it, that is different from my problem. One last thought, can you drop a round in the barrel and have it
freely fall back out?
 
jag22 said:
Got it, that is different from my problem. One last thought, can you drop a round in the barrel and have it
freely fall back out?
Click to expand...
A round of a different manufacturer drops in and fits perfectly and falls out freely. The remaining rounds of Ammo Inc. ammo is boxed up for return. I can't test it.
 
I'm sure you already looked but there isn't a case or a piece of a ruptured case jammed in there keeping the slide from going into battery?

Have you field stripped it to see what happened?

Never mind. I just saw this:

"One of the guys behind the counter of the gun store thinks the flange that butts up against the barrel slipped off and I suppose that's possible, but I have no idea how to disassemble the gun in its current state."

I had that happen one time. I just yanked on the slide real hard and pulled it off. But then I've been told I'm a bull in a China shop, so take my experience with a grain of salt.
 
Last edited:
wayneinFL said:
I'm sure you already looked but there isn't a case or a piece of a ruptured case jammed in there keeping the slide from going into battery?

Have you field stripped it to see what happened?
Click to expand...
I've looked and I can't field strip it. That's why I need a gunsmith. The slide will not go any farther forward than what is shown in the photo above. I can lock it back, but it will not go forward into battery and certainly not any farther forward for removal.
 
I have the same pistol but in 9mm. They are good pistols. You could tape over the serial numbers and take a picture from the right side and also the top. You could also field strip it and inspect it closely for damage.
 
If you can lock it back - the disassembly lever won't turn? Ah, with it out of battery you can't pull the trigger to release the striker.... You could maybe strip the slide to pull the striker from the rear...
 
I edited my post above... maybe you can get the slide backplate off while locked back.
 
Ok, something weird just happened. After messing with it a little bit more, magic fairy dust trickled into the gun and it went forward and I could take it apart. I don't know enough about it, so I'm definitely still going to have the gunsmith inspect it thoroughly. I'm stumped...




Sooo....think I should go test fire it?
 
Ammo Inc. Signature line .45 ACP select-copy-paste from their website:
.45 Auto • 230 GR • TMJ 50 TARGET 890 fps. 405 ft. lbs.
.45 Auto • 230 GR • JHP 20 Target/Personal Protection 895 fps. 409 ft. lbs.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

T
  • Locked
Why do I need +p ammo?
Replies
18
Views
2K
strambo
S
1
  • Locked
Compact 45 Ammo
Replies
9
Views
719
Hypnogator
Hypnogator
L
  • Locked
Most Vicious/Lethal .45 ACP Round?
2
Replies
29
Views
20K
Brian Williams
Brian Williams
C
  • Locked
How hard is +P ammo on guns, really?
2
Replies
25
Views
5K
Zak Smith
Zak Smith
G
  • Locked
Is my ammo safe?
Replies
9
Views
603
Al Thompson
A
Back
Top