Officially done with Hornady

[smalls]

I used to carry the 9mm Hornady Critical Defense in 115 gr. loads. Say what you want about the round, I like the under penetration, because I live in a townhouse, connected to other homes by just a wall. I switched because of the bullet set back the rounds suffered from unloading my weapon to go shoot FMJ's, and rechambered when I left the range. I'm not made of money, and can't afford to shoot off my carry ammo every time I hit the range, at a little over $1/round. And I could buy it cheaper online, yada yada, but I don't stock up on my carry ammo like some of you do, I buy a box or two at a time, and buying online just isn't worth it.

I decided to give Hornady another try, and got a box of their 124 gr. JHP's. I can't remember what the exact name of the load was, it wasn't TAP, though.

Loaded up a few mags of them last time I hit the range, and they fed great, and hit POA, and was generally a good round. Loaded my gun with them when I left the range.

Unloaded my gun to clean it yesterday, and the middle round pictured below was the round that was chambered, and had only been chambered ONCE.


I understand you'll eventually get bullet set back if you continuously rechamber a round over and over again, it's just the way it works. But I shouldn't have to throw out a round after chambering it once. God knows what the ones I had already shot looked like.

So, I'm officially done buying Hornady products. It's a shame, because I really like the way their ammo shoots, and it's really accurate.

 

[Certaindeaf]

It kinda looks like the full dia shank hit a zero depth throat and jammed it in.
Can you push in the other ones with your hands?

 

[smalls]

No, I can't push them down with my fingers.

 

[Certaindeaf]

^
Well that's good and bad. lol. I need to throat a Hi-Power so it'll chamber certain bullets I cast.
Anyway, that sucks.

 

[smalls]

I'm sorry, I thought you meant push the bullets into the case. I see what you mean, now.
Yes, all the rounds are easily chambered in by hand, and they all fit like they should.

 

[Certaindeaf]

^
Ah, OK. Do the deep seated ones show sign of impact damage on the hollowpoint/nose?

 

[BP Hunter]

I share the same sentiments. All my carry ammo is the Hornady defense. I carry my Glock 36 regualry in .45. SO I chamber one everytime I carry, but many of the bullets always end up like yours. And at times, because of that it doesn't chamber.

 

[smalls]

Nope, no serious damage to the nose of the bullet.

Like I said, it's common for Hornady bullets to get set back after repeated chambering. But I don't think chambering a round one time should cause bullet set back.

 

[smalls]

But, whatever the reason (poor quality/QC?), I'm going to check out a few other options for carry ammo. I've got a box of Hydrashok's I'm gonna try out, and I've been wanting to try something in +P, like the pdx1.

 

[19-3Ben]

Have you tried calling Hornady and seeing what their response is?

 

[smalls]

I tried contacting them once before, when my Critical Defense rounds were getting set back. They basically just told me that's how it goes, and to stop rechambering rounds.

Lots of help, they were .

But, no, I have not contacted them about this. I'm just going to cut my losses and look for other ammo companies.

 

[Maryland_Shooter]

I tried contacting them once before, when my Critical Defense rounds were getting set back. They basically just told me that's how it goes, and to stop rechambering rounds.

Lots of help, they were .

But, no, I have not contacted them about this. I'm just going to cut my losses and look for other ammo companies.

Just because you didn't like the answer doesn't mean it's not the correct answer.

I had some Black Hills .45 do that to me. Meh . . one round - I tossed it.

Why ya think Glocks blow up so often?

 

[25cschaefer]

I just chambered and unchambered my HK 50 times (Hornady Critical Defense) and the shell looks fine. I loaded it in the mag, let the slide slam forward, and jacked it out; the same shell 50 times. Maybe it just doesn't work in your (brand/setup)gun, that doesn't mean that Hornady ammunition is faulty or has poor QC, your gun just doesn't like it.

 

[joecil]

Many semi auto pistols get bullet set back when the first round loads if the magazine is fully loaded. It can raise the pressure enough to make it bad to shoot in some cases if done to often. I have found that if you have an empty magazine then load the first round with it as it doesn't seem to happen except with a full mag and once won't be enough to cause problems. I personally use Speer Gold Dot ammo for SD though brand really isn't the cause as much as the magazine design.

 

[smalls]

I was under the impression that this was extremely common with Hornady, and especially their CD line. I've seen countless threads about it.

And I've yet to have this problem with any other ammo, including WWB JHP, Federal Hydrashok's, Remington UMC, etc.

25cschaefer, the critical defense has done this in two seperate and completely different guns, and the rounds I'm talking about in the picture are NOT Critical Defense.

 

[joecil]

Some ammo is more prone to it than others but they will all do it in 45 ACP and 9mm auto loaders. Some will set back in just a single chambering others it might take a few more times to notice. Hornady does it quick is all.

 

[hardluk1]

If you own a pistol that will not slowly and softly chamber round. It can cause bullet push back to happen. The pistol that will only chamber by sling shoting or useing the slide release, there the one to watch out for. I to have had several name brand ammos do that with different pistols. Some ramp polishing can help. Kahrs are suppose to be chambered by only useing the slide release . After some polishing both cw and cm9 will chamber very easy by slowly working the slide with no setback with even hornady cd.

If you have marks all the way around the bullet after being chambered its to close to the rifleing. Bad chamber or long cartidge.

 

[Blue68f100]

If you reload you can re-crimp the bullets after every so often. The CD use a Roll Crimp which is not common for 9mm.

If I recall federal says the max reloads is 5-6 before the bullet will move. Use a marker along the bullet to make it easier to see.

 

[CoRoMo]

...a box of their 124 gr. JHP's. I can't remember what the exact name of the load was, it wasn't TAP, though.
..
...the rounds I'm talking about in the picture are NOT Critical Defense.

The only 124gr Hornady ammo that I'm aware of, other than their TAP ammo is the XTP.

 

[barstoolguru]

So how do we know someone or something didn’t smash down on the ammo in box? I just looked over all mine and every one of them are good

 

[481]

I've loaded/carried 124 and 147 gr. Hornady XTPs (in both the "TAP" and "Custom" ammo lines) in many types of pistols (HKs, S&Ws, Glocks, SIGs as well as a few 1911s) for more than 15 years and never experienced what the OP has.

If it is not a lot of "out of spec" ammo, then it would appear that the OP's gun simply doesn't like the profile of the XTP and CD projectiles.

Probably best to move on.

 

[smalls]

Definitely wasn't like that in the box, I checked all of them beforehand.

Coromo, I think they are the FTX.

Blue, 5-6 would be acceptable in my book. 1-2 isn't...

 

[smalls]

481, I do plan on using different ammo from now on.

I just find it hard to believe that both my 9mm guns don't "like" any Hornady rounds.

Could be possible, I guess.

 

[crracer_712]

I have the Hornady CD and Zmax ammo that I usually have loaded in at least one mag for each gun. Whenever I target shoot a lot I tend to unload those and shoot my loads or some factory FMJ, then reload and rechamber a round. I've never experienced a bullet set back in either my LCP, LC9, M&P40c, Glock 30SF or SR9c.

 

[barstoolguru]

the reason why I say they might have been damaged (smashed) is when the machines are set ( and loaders know this) the bullet dept and crimp are auto and down the line there is a check of weight and bullet dept. at that time all bullets are rejected before boxing