Need to resolve FTF issues

5383 Views 29 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Ooben, Jan 11, 2009

maximus83

Discussion Starter · Jan 6, 2009

Hi, I'm new to the forum, just ran across it today.

I've had my LCP for a few months, and it's been back for the recall. I like the pistol a lot, but the problem is I'm still getting FTF's in the form of light primer strikes. The ammo will always fire on a second try, if I reinsert into a mag. Have noticed that I only get the FTF's when I load up the mags with a full 6 rds. If I use 5 rds, no FTF's.

After searching the forums today for related posts, I think I've narrowed it down to the most likely possible causes for the light primer strikes:

1. The ammo itself. Although I don't think this is it, because it does always fire on the second attempt, and I've gotten some misfires with both Magtech FMJ, and with DoubleTap (90Gr Gold Dot JHP). Just ordered some Win White Box FMJ, and will try this next time at range to test a 3rd ammo type.

2. The magazines. As noted, I could MAKE the issue repro if I loaded 6 rds into a mag. And it seemed to happen equally on 2 mags that had the Kel-tec extensions, and the new Ruger mag with OEM extension. Although to be safe, after reading the forum today, I removed my Kel-tec mag extensions. Question: Do the Ruger mag extensions cause any issues?

3. Short-stroking the trigger. I don't THINK I was doing this, but will check it out next time at the range.

Any other tips or suggestions of things I should check?

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Ooben

· #21 · Jan 6, 2009

DesertPunisher425 said:
Alright... got it! No more confusion. I was either reading things wrong or something, but it seemed like everyone was saying something a little bit different.

No problem DP....I think I was using my Idaho slang and who knows what slang jocko was using.. ;D but we were saying the same thing...sort of, well kinda....anyway I told you we would confuse you

Mike

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jocko

· #22 · Jan 6, 2009

Ooben said:
DesertPunisher425 said:

Alright... got it! No more confusion. I was either reading things wrong or something, but it seemed like everyone was saying something a little bit different.

Click to expand...

No problem DP....I think I was using my Idaho slang and who knows what slang jocko was using.. ;D but we were saying the same thing...sort of, well kinda....anyway I told you we would confuse you
Mike

used to bowhunt in Idaho, u weren't the guy that burned my tree stand was u?????

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Ooben

· #23 · Jan 6, 2009

jocko said:
used to bowhunt in Idaho, u weren't the guy that burned my tree stand was u?????

Yep, that was me, I got your deer first then burnt your stand.... ;D

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maximus83

Discussion Starter · #24 · Jan 8, 2009

OK, I eliminated some variables tonight. I do not believe it is the recoil spring. It has good tension, and the slide always snaps strongly and fully into battery. There was not any kind of weirdness going on with my trigger pulls. And finally, I eliminated the mags as a factor. Tried several mags, with 6rds in each, with or without mag extension. I would still get light primer strikes, but it could be on any round, and any mag. The ONLY consistent thing about the light primer strikes is they occurred when using Magtech ammo.

I put numerous rounds through the gun, probably 40 to 50, of my carry ammo which is JHP Gold dots, loaded by DoubleTap. Not a FTF in the bunch: perfect. Also, looking back at my records, I realized that this DoubleTap ammo has NOT had a misfire since the gun came back from recall. It had a few before, but not since. Yet in a similar number of Magtech rounds fire tonight, I got 3 more FTF's. All had good, strong dimples on the right place on the primer, which looked just like the dimple on other rounds that successfully fired.

Putting all this together, including the fact that since the recall, ONLY the Magtech ammo has been involved in misfires, I have to think the Magtech ammo is the prime suspect. I have a box of Win White Box ammo coming in, and will use that along with the DoubleTap ammo as a control group to establish whether it's the Magtech causing the light strikes.

If it turns out not to be the ammo, I give up, and will send back to Ruger or ask for a replacement.

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Ooben

· #25 · Jan 8, 2009

Sounds like you got it, bad ammo. If the primers that didn't fire have the same size dimple as the ones that did, can't really call it a light strike, good to get it narrowed down anyway!

Mike

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maximus83

Discussion Starter · #26 · Jan 8, 2009

Ooben said:
Sounds like you got it, bad ammo. If the primers that didn't fire have the same size dimple as the ones that did, can't really call it a light strike, good to get it narrowed down anyway!
Mike

I guess that's a good point. But what bothers me is, on 2nd attempts, EVERY single Magtech round that I've ever had an FTF with, works. So what does that mean exactly? Not sure. But whatever it means, the combination of the primers being used in the Magtech lot of FMJ ammo I bought, and the level of force on my LCP's firing pin, are apparently not a good combination. My firing pin appears to be right on the threshold of what it takes to ignite the Magtech primers. Most of the time it works, but sometimes if you don't hit it just right, it fails.

Here's a question I would really love to find an answer to, but have scoured the web and cannot find much info:

Are any other LCP owners having fail-to-fire issues with Magtech FMJ?

Ruger told me they don't recommend the stuff, but wouldn't tell me why or give any technical specifics. Not very convincing.

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Merlinspop

· #27 · Jan 8, 2009

maximus83 said:
Ruger told me they don't recommend the stuff, but wouldn't tell me why or give any technical specifics. Not very convincing.

I'm sure their lawyers have something to do with that.

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RugerShooter

· #28 · Jan 8, 2009

I put 1bx (50) of magtech through my LCP, no problems with it.

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jocko

· #29 · Jan 8, 2009

never had one issue with mag tech ammo, never , in my kt's or lcp, goes bang every time. I think Ruger is pushing their possable issue off on the ammo. Mag tech is good ammo IMO.

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Ooben

· #30 · Jan 11, 2009

maximus83 said:
I've had another thread here recently describing a problem I've had with repeated failures to fire with Magtech ammo (about 2 to 3 per 50 rounds) since my LCP had its recall work done. The only other type of ammo I had the chance to try since the recall was my carry ammo--Speer Gold dots loaded by DoubleTap--and those have fired perfectly with no issues.

Tonight, I had a chance to try some Win white box ammo. Put 100 rounds through it, and again everything ran perfect.

So basically, I've got two types of ammo where I have no issues (DoubleTap JHP and Winchester WB). And then I have Magtech FMJ, where I get repeated failures to fire. But other people here say they have no issue with Magtech. In fact, I have yet to hear of anyone else who gets failures to fire with Magtech, AFTER the recall work.

What should I try now? I can't trust this thing enough to carry it yet. But I'm not sure Ruger will take it back if it only misfires with one ammo type. Would the reasonable thing be to just keep test-firing, and if I get no failures with other ammo types, just start carrying it after awhile and forget the Magtech?

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