[Chuck66]

This is going to be a long post so grab a drink and settle in.

As of the other night I had 350 flawless rounds of Remington UMC 230g MC through my Warrior SOC. Cleaned and lubed before ever firing it and cleaned and lubed after every 100 rounds. I took my son shooting (his S&W 617) the other night and bought two boxes of Federal white box (waiting on my Freedom Munitions delivery still). The box the other night went down range like a charm so I'm 400 into break in and feeling good. Cleaned and lubed her up last night to shoot today.

Hit the range today and bought another box of Federal white box so I could shoot 100 rounds. First box was perfect. Now it gets strange. Open up the second box and load my Kimber mag and two WC mags. Pop one in and damn if it didn't fail to chamber the round. Switched mags and same thing. All three mags did it. Once I removed the one round it ran flawlessly. Reloaded the mags and tried again. All three mags did the same thing. I tried racking the slide and using the slide stop release. As long as I had one less round than capacity it was perfect. She is smooth as silk to shoot.

So now I'm aggravated and go out to the counter and buy two boxes of PMC. Sure enough... Same thing. Seems odd because absolutely no FTF or FTE at all once I get the first one chambered. Side note. All mags have been left loaded in the safe so in theory the springs should be broken in. So as long as I had one less round in the mag than capacity, it's was perfect.

I had half a box of UMC in my bag so I dug it out. You know what's coming... Loaded the mags to capacity and no problems at all.

Outside of the obvious... I'll be buying a lot of UMC...any thoughts?

 

[Insta-Gator]

One thought: Hope the FM ammo performs better than the white box. Especially since we both have a few hundred rounds headed our way.

Curiousity: did the rounds feel different? Did they feel like they had lube on them vs the UMC? Only reason I ask is that I've read in some of the manuals that ammo should be free of oil or lubricating spray.

 

[PorscheVille]

I've used PMC once. UMC a few times but now try to use Fed American Eagle consistently. Out of 1500 rounds, I've had 1 FTF. (@750 rnds. With stock mag.) Was it when I was using PMC? Don't remember. May have been. Coulda been the recoil spring wearing out. I know the first 300 or so were American Eagle. Have kept a count of rounds fired but not by brand.

I'd try sticking with one brand of ammo you know works but load the mags full. If you're smooth, sounds like it was the PMC the ammo and not mags. Whatever it is, you shouldn't have to shoot with one less round in your mags. That's jus wrong!

 

[Chuck66]

One thought: Hope the FM ammo performs better than the white box. Especially since we both have a few hundred rounds headed our way.

Curiousity: did the rounds feel different? Did they feel like they had lube on them vs the UMC? Only reason I ask is that I've read in some of the manuals that ammo should be free of oil or lubricating spray.

The rounds all felt the same. That's what's strange to me. Its incredibly smooth regardless of the round. Its just getting the first one in the chamber with the other ammo.

Its the engineer in me coming out. If I have problems getting the first one in the chamber with a particular ammo, logic says I should have a few problems with that ammo while shooting... but I don't.

One of the many things I've learned on this forum is to find what works for your particular gun. I guess I've learned. Now that I'm past the break in period, I'll try some defense loads and come up with a plan.

 

[Chuck66]

After I cleaned and lubed tonight, I went in the back yard and loaded each magazine to full capacity with UMC and chambered a round. Did it with each mag 5 times. Perfect every time.

I guess my SOC is like a woman... Once you figure out what she likes, just ride it.

 

[v35b]

It is possible that the rounds that did not chamber have a different crimp on them added to the increase spring tension of a full mag and it drags on the feed ramp. by the way leaving a mag loaded does nothing for spring strength the movement of the spring is what weakens it.

 

[Chuck66]

It is possible that the rounds that did not chamber have a different crimp on them added to the increase spring tension of a full mag and it drags on the feed ramp. by the way leaving a mag loaded does nothing for spring strength the movement of the spring is what weakens it.

Thanks. I feel confident that its an ammo problem so I can do some experimenting now without the fear that I have a gun or mag problem.

I've heard that it helps to leave new mags loaded for a week or so to "train the spring". I mentioned it in my original post just as info that they weren't brand new magazines.

 

[Insta-Gator]

If you'd gone shooting with us today, it would be all fixed.

 

[Chuck66]

Just a follow up. Posted this in a new thread but shot my SOC today with 100 rounds of Freedom Munitions 230g. Flawless! Convinced it was just and ammo issue.