Help! Duty ammo won't function!

[WR Moore]

If that's the Speer on the right, the hollow point is significantly larger than the others. When you send it back, specify the exact ammunition, including lot number, that's causing you problems and emphasize that it's your duty weapon.

I didn't want to bring this up earlier, but simple geometry suggests that the bottom of the feed ramp of a 5 in barrel/slide will sit higher than a 4 1/4 inch. IF the dimensions of the barrel underlug is the same. Might be just enough to cause a problem with this specific ammunition.

 

[Bobafett]

If that's the Speer on the right, the hollow point is significantly larger than the others. When you send it back, specify the exact ammunition, including lot number, that's causing you problems and emphasize that it's your duty weapon.

I didn't want to bring this up earlier, but simple geometry suggests that the bottom of the feed ramp of a 5 in barrel/slide will sit higher than a 4 1/4 inch. IF the dimensions of the barrel underlug is the same. Might be just enough to cause a problem with this specific ammunition.

I just want to clarify, in my pic that is left to right;

115gr Win Silvertip, 115gr Win Ranger +p+, and 124gr Speer GD +p

The OP is running 147gr of the same brands. I don't know what the OAL of the 147 loads are.

 

[DanRod_LA]

Does it feed when you shoot it?

Yessir the ammo feeds just fine when shooting. Only gets caught up when loading, reloading etc. and I have to cycle the slide by hand. Only does it in my 5 inch, and none of the other officers at work have the issue. Must be what was mentioned above, geometry is off just enough that the new round will hiccup if there's any inconsistencies. Got caught up at work last night on a sexual assault case (16 hours, most of it booking evidence) so I couldn't get back to you guys right away sorry.

 

[Muss Muggins]

I would work the slide to load it with a little more purpose and see what that does . . .

Yessir the ammo feeds just fine when shooting. Only gets caught up when loading, reloading etc. and I have to cycle the slide by hand. Only does it in my 5 inch, and none of the other officers at work have the issue. Must be what was mentioned above, geometry is off just enough that the new round will hiccup if there's any inconsistencies. Got caught up at work last night on a sexual assault case (16 hours, most of it booking evidence) so I couldn't get back to you guys right away sorry.

 

[Fastbolt]

Since it doesn't happen during live-fire & cycling ...

Does it happen if you release the slide via the slide stop when reloading a fresh magazine?

If not, then I'd wonder if your technique of manually releasing the slide might be unintentionally slowing the instant acceleration of the slide's run forward.

If this is only any issue with the combination of the specific ammo's long OAL (and wide mouth JHP cavity), and the longer & heavier slide and longer barrel geometry ... and releasing the locked back slide manually ... I'd look a bit more carefully at your method of manually releasing the slide (overhand, right?).

It may be a matter of an unrecognized initial "slow start" involved in easing the release of the locked back slide to cause an interference with the "timing" of the slide picking up the top round.

If it's not occurring during the normal cycling and "rebound" of the slide to return via recoil spring ... and doesn't happen if you release the locked back slide via depressing the slide stop lever ... then it would seem to indicate something about your style of manual release of the slide may be involved.

This is all speculation without being able to be there and observe you manipulating and shooting the gun, and examining it.