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A couple strange issues at the range today

2K views 12 replies 10 participants last post by  chiefjason 
#1 ·
The last couple of range trips I've started trying to change things up a bit like forcing myself to shoot left handed despite being right handed, etc. That part went well. I found I can shoot pistol/revolver without much accuracy loss, though the mechanical movement I still need to work on to get the draw and reload down. Rifles, not so much. I think I hit the target once at 20 yards after 30 rounds with the 22 and maybe 2 or 3 times with the AK47. But I digress...

The first issue I ran into is very disconcerting. Since I got my Keltec PF9, I've shot it with a variety of ammo including Winchester PDX1 defensive ammo, without any issues. Satisfied with its performance, I've been walking around with the PF9 loaded with the PDX1 in 7+1. I haven't unloaded it in several weeks, leaving it in the pocket holster sitting in the bedside vault. Decided to shoot it today (right handed only), with the already loaded PDX1 and some Blazer aluminum cased stuff. With the PDX1, I'd take a shot, and the next round would jam. Happened every time. No issues with the Blazer ammo. I'm glad I decided to shoot it today... had I needed it, I'd have been up the creek without a paddle.

Any idea as to the root cause? I was thinking it might be the fact that I've left it loaded, but I haven't had the same issue with the same brand of ammo when left in my Glock 30 for similar time frames. And since the problem wasn't exhibited with the Blazer ammo which has less kick than the PDX1, I was thinking it could have been my own failure to hold on well enough. I didn't begin shooting the PF9 until after about an hour into my range time and was getting a bit worn out from all the rifle time.


Second issue, and not really an issue but an odd occurrence, happened while shooting the second magazine of ammo on my AK. I was smelling ammonia pretty heavily. I only noticed the smell when I took a shot. I've never noticed that before, but I haven't had the gun for that long and don't take it to the range every trip. All the ammo I have for it is "Herter's" branded steel case FMJ and some SP which all comes from Tula Cartridge Works. I didn't notice if the second mag had FMJ or SP. I had loaded them up a while ago, and they were sitting in a plastic ammo can with the boxed ammo up until I left for the range. At first I thought maybe one of the cats had peed on the gun or maybe the magazine, but both have been put away between trips to the range and the empty magazine and open action on the rifle don't really give off any ammonia odor. I've been shooting FMJ only up until today, with one of the two 30 rounders loaded with at least 20 SP rounds. Maybe its an odd batch of gun powder in the SP rounds.
 
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#2 ·
Leaving a weapon loaded is not going to cause it to malfunction, so that should not of caused the PF9 to malfunction.

How many rounds of PDX have you put through it before?
 
#4 ·
I've not chronographed 9mm Blazer but the small amounts of .38 Special, .357 Magnum, and .45 ACP Blazer I've checked over the chronograph shows lower velocities than other loads with bullets of similar weight. Perhaps 9mm is perceived to have less recoil due to the fact that it is loaded to a slightly lower intensity. Don't take that to the bank by the way.

I'm unfamiliar with the Winchester PDX1 but it is apparent that it gives your particular PF9 heartburn. The pistol may not care for the shape of the bullet's nose or cartridge length could be a factor. Compare the length of the PDX1 to the length of the Blazer ammo that is working for you. It's a cinch that you need to load with Blazer until you determine the cause.

I have a brother-in-law who has had a PF9 for some years now and it is a really decent shooting pistol. I've mostly shot it with FMJ or his cast bullet handloads but it always gives good function any time I see it come out to play.

I wouldn't be concerned with the odor of the 7.62X39 ammo. It is likely just the nature of the beast. Any of the Russian stuff I've fired up has always had some sort of strong odor.

You might try to obtain some snap caps and practice dry-firing the AK. I'm guessing its trigger is fairly heavy and maybe creepy too. Unless you were shooting at a really tiny target, the rifle ought to easily group well at that distance. Were the sights wildly maladjusted?

It really sounds more like trigger control to me. Have you tested it from a rest?
 
#8 ·
You might try to obtain some snap caps and practice dry-firing the AK. I'm guessing its trigger is fairly heavy and maybe creepy too. Unless you were shooting at a really tiny target, the rifle ought to easily group well at that distance. Were the sights wildly maladjusted?

It really sounds more like trigger control to me. Have you tested it from a rest?
I had the same result from the Marlin 60 as well, so I'm definitely not blaming the gun on this one :) I'm right handed, and today was the first day I've shot either rifle left handed. Body stance and trigger control was probably the culprit. But in my defense.. it was only a 5 1/2" Shoot N'C target and my eyesight is crap.
 
#5 ·
Probably not as much as I should! I'm fuzzy on how much I shot in which gun, but out of the 4 or 5 boxes of PDX1 in 9MM I've gone through a higher percentage of it has been in the Keltec. I went through quite a bit of PDX1 in 45ACP, so when I started shooting the PF9 and the PDX1 and every other brand of FMJ I tried in it, I figured a few boxes was enough.
 
#7 ·
If the gun jams with PDX1 but shoots another ammo just fine, look into a new SD ammo. PDX1 works find in my Kahr. Recoil is noticeably harsher using PDX1 than whatever FMJ I bought this week (WWB). But if it doesn't work in your gun look into something else and test it. Did the PDX1 always work before? I'd look into new HP's. Buy a few boxes and run them through until you're confident in them working reliably. My pistols are always loaded. I don't think that's the problem.

I was on my last box of UMC today. Never had issues with UMC before (only 1 stovepipe and one failure to lock back out of 1500-2000 rounds using UMC), but it was affecting both my Glock and Hk today. I had 4 or 5 separate failures to lock back on both guns, for just one box of 250. Must have been a bad batch or something. UMC is some weak stuff. I've recently switch to PMC Bronze. Have one dud round thus far. It's tough to find reliable cheap ammo that isn't reloads.
 
#10 ·
Don't worry about the ammonia smell, it is pretty common for surplus stuff and new ammo loaded with similar powders. I've noticed it mostly with Eastern European stuff and older NATO ammo. You probably just didn't notice it before because your nose was on the other side of the gun, try shooting some of the russian stuff through a DI AR and you'll really get a good whiff of it.
 
#12 ·
The KEL-TEC PF9, mine did that... and the mag would literally "drop" after each shot... the mag release wasn't holding. They did have a recall on those and I sent mine in to be done. What I got back, was a whole new gun.... everything on it was replaced except for the barrel and the old serial number was stamped on the new frame. You've got me as to what else they found wrong, as there was no explanation.

But, like you .... I had never had an issue and had been carrying it, and ..... zing.... all the problems occurred the next time I was out shooting it.
 
#13 ·
Maybe try polishing the feed ramp. JHP's sometimes hang up on my P3at. Or did, until I polished it. Now it's just bad for hanging up the first one into the chamber when I slingshot it. Runs fine when firing though.
 
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