Bad Day at Range for Semi's - The Firearms Forum

tonygrz · 03-04-2011, 04:31 PM

Hi all,

Finally made the time to go to the local range. I had some pistols that I hadn't fired in some time. All were semi-auto and there's where the trouble began.

First one was a Kel-tec 32. I carried (last day was yesterday) this pistol everyday. When I fired it, it failed to feed the second round. The second round failed to enter the chamber and stuck in an upward angle. I tried several magazines and all performed the same way. Now it's gun show material.

Second one was the 380 Kel-tec. This one was different. It failed to chamber the third round out of every magazine. No matter how many times I fired it, it would not chamber the third round. Same as above, the round failed to chamber and stuck in an upward angle. More gun show material.

Third one was the Kel-tec P11. No pattern to it failing to chamber some rounds. Sometimes it was the second round or the third. At least one round per mag. Off to the sale barn.

And the last semi-auto was a Ruger P90. The mag holds 10 rounds but I couldn't feed that many so I just loaded seven rounds. With every mag, the last round would not chamber and also stuck with an upward angle. I thought maybe it was that I loaded seven rounds so I just loaded five and the same thing happened on the last round. This one I'll keep.

This is enough to make a grown man cry. Maybe I should just stick with wheel guns. The Fed 327 mag and the 44 special worked just great. All cylinders fired as promised.

Moral - my new carry gun is a Ruger LCR.

Tony

Big ugly · 03-04-2011, 04:39 PM

I am wondering on that Ruger if it is not due to a bum magazine spring. I dont have any experiences with the Kel Tech's so I can't offer no opinion on those.

Helix_FR · 03-04-2011, 04:57 PM

sound like the kel tec mags kept dropping out.

JLA · 03-04-2011, 05:05 PM

or the feed lips were stretched out from staying loaded for carry. Try squeezing the mag together at the lips with a pair of pliers and see if it dont help...

I agree the ruger mags are just a spring issue. Take the mags apart and stretch the mag spring out...

All in all tho, that would be enough to make me not wanna buy a kel-tec. Dont really much care for them anyway, but still.

Rocketman1 · 03-04-2011, 05:53 PM

Man, I guess you did have one heck of a time. Thats almost enough to make you want to give up on the sport of shooting. It also tells me that I should not buy a kel-tec.

Since you had problems with all of the guns, maybe it has something to do with the type of ammo. I have found that some ammo works in certain guns, and some dosen't.

Are you using re-loads?

retired grunt · 03-04-2011, 06:23 PM

Could it be a grip problem? I.E. One is not gripping it correctly/strongly enough?

jlloyd73 · 03-04-2011, 06:28 PM

I believe JLA and Ugly are correct on the P90.......mine used to do that too.

hakasaw · 03-04-2011, 06:29 PM

I had a simular problem with a P90, it turned out to be a ammo problem.

CampingJosh · 03-04-2011, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retired grunt

Could it be a grip problem? I.E. One is not gripping it correctly/strongly enough?

With the same problem from four different autoloaders, limp-wristing was my first thought, too.

retired grunt · 03-04-2011, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CampingJosh

With the same problem from four different autoloaders, limp-wristing was my first thought, too.

My experience has been ..The smaller the gun the bigger the hold.

tonygrz · 03-04-2011, 11:19 PM

Thanks for all the great replies. I tend to believe that I might have been limp wristing the small Kel-tecs. Just because of their size. Now I have a good excuse to go out and burn more ammo to see if your ideas were correct.

Thanks,

Tony

shorter260513 · 03-04-2011, 11:37 PM

I dont know if I would blame the guns I have owned a kel tec p-11 for about 10 years fire it quite often and have never had any feeding problems it even digests the cheapest of steel case ammo with ease I would agree with it being a mag problem if you think its just the size of the gun kel tec has mag extenders that add that extra little something to hold on to at the base I beleive they are fairly inexpensive and slip on the bottom of your mag

03-04-2011, 04:31 PM	#1
tonygrz V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Cross Plains, Tx Posts: 90	Bad Day at Range for Semi's Hi all, Finally made the time to go to the local range. I had some pistols that I hadn't fired in some time. All were semi-auto and there's where the trouble began. First one was a Kel-tec 32. I carried (last day was yesterday) this pistol everyday. When I fired it, it failed to feed the second round. The second round failed to enter the chamber and stuck in an upward angle. I tried several magazines and all performed the same way. Now it's gun show material. Second one was the 380 Kel-tec. This one was different. It failed to chamber the third round out of every magazine. No matter how many times I fired it, it would not chamber the third round. Same as above, the round failed to chamber and stuck in an upward angle. More gun show material. Third one was the Kel-tec P11. No pattern to it failing to chamber some rounds. Sometimes it was the second round or the third. At least one round per mag. Off to the sale barn. And the last semi-auto was a Ruger P90. The mag holds 10 rounds but I couldn't feed that many so I just loaded seven rounds. With every mag, the last round would not chamber and also stuck with an upward angle. I thought maybe it was that I loaded seven rounds so I just loaded five and the same thing happened on the last round. This one I'll keep. This is enough to make a grown man cry. Maybe I should just stick with wheel guns. The Fed 327 mag and the 44 special worked just great. All cylinders fired as promised. Moral - my new carry gun is a Ruger LCR. Tony -->

03-04-2011, 04:39 PM	#2
Big ugly Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Knoxville Tennessee Contributor Posts: 2,603	Re: Bad Day at Range for Semi's I am wondering on that Ruger if it is not due to a bum magazine spring. I dont have any experiences with the Kel Tech's so I can't offer no opinion on those. __________________ "You say the Devil made do it with a smile. Raisin' hell and howlin at the moon. Well I'm gonna put your @$$ back in line. I'm gonna scare the Devil out of you." BlackBerry Smoke Song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R513dA4peMg Nothing is "proof" against a truly talented fool. Swanshot

03-04-2011, 04:57 PM	#3
Helix_FR TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Imperial, MO Posts: 3,621	Re: Bad Day at Range for Semi's sound like the kel tec mags kept dropping out. __________________ Only cowards shoot with their eyes closed.... helixgunsmith.com

03-04-2011, 05:05 PM	#4
JLA TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Heart Of Texas Contributor Posts: 17,315	Re: Bad Day at Range for Semi's or the feed lips were stretched out from staying loaded for carry. Try squeezing the mag together at the lips with a pair of pliers and see if it dont help... I agree the ruger mags are just a spring issue. Take the mags apart and stretch the mag spring out... All in all tho, that would be enough to make me not wanna buy a kel-tec. Dont really much care for them anyway, but still. __________________ It takes 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 3 for proper trigger squeeze. The latest caliber or gear is no substitute for experience and skill. Rifles and cartridges don't make hits -- shooters do. Fact of life: After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF!

03-04-2011, 05:53 PM	#5
Rocketman1 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 1,097	Re: Bad Day at Range for Semi's Man, I guess you did have one heck of a time. Thats almost enough to make you want to give up on the sport of shooting. It also tells me that I should not buy a kel-tec. Since you had problems with all of the guns, maybe it has something to do with the type of ammo. I have found that some ammo works in certain guns, and some dosen't. Are you using re-loads? __________________ There is no such thing as a gun accident. Irresponsible gun owners cause so-called gun accidents. Last edited by Rocketman1; 03-04-2011 at 05:53 PM.. Reason: Spell

03-04-2011, 06:23 PM	#6
retired grunt V.I.P. Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Northern NY Posts: 416	Re: Bad Day at Range for Semi's Could it be a grip problem? I.E. One is not gripping it correctly/strongly enough? Last edited by retired grunt; 03-04-2011 at 06:26 PM..

03-04-2011, 06:28 PM	#7
jlloyd73 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Contributor Posts: 1,931	Re: Bad Day at Range for Semi's I believe JLA and Ugly are correct on the P90.......mine used to do that too.

03-04-2011, 06:29 PM	#8
hakasaw Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Central Ga Posts: 11	Re: Bad Day at Range for Semi's I had a simular problem with a P90, it turned out to be a ammo problem.

03-04-2011, 11:19 PM	#11
tonygrz V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Cross Plains, Tx Posts: 90	Re: Bad Day at Range for Semi's Thanks for all the great replies. I tend to believe that I might have been limp wristing the small Kel-tecs. Just because of their size. Now I have a good excuse to go out and burn more ammo to see if your ideas were correct. Thanks, Tony

03-04-2011, 11:37 PM	#12
shorter260513 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Tennessee Posts: 262	Re: Bad Day at Range for Semi's I dont know if I would blame the guns I have owned a kel tec p-11 for about 10 years fire it quite often and have never had any feeding problems it even digests the cheapest of steel case ammo with ease I would agree with it being a mag problem if you think its just the size of the gun kel tec has mag extenders that add that extra little something to hold on to at the base I beleive they are fairly inexpensive and slip on the bottom of your mag Last edited by shorter260513; 03-04-2011 at 11:40 PM..