[nedave]

So I have a bad ammunition experience to relate to today. Background: I posted before about me purchasing recently a new S&W Shield 9mm and a near new Ruger P95 9mm. I fired them both once before, and today I took them both again to the range. I used three kinds of ammo, Blazer Brass 124gn FMJ, Federal 115gn FMJ, and Magtech 115gn FMJ, all standard pressure (no +P).

First up was the Ruger P95 with two mags (30 rds) of the Magtech. Almost immediately I started running into problems. From about the fourth round and continuing to the end I was experiencing a lot of failures to eject and stove-piping, about 8 rounds, and 3 failures to fire (light primer hits?). The three misfires all were reloaded and fired the second time. 60 more rounds with the other two ammo kinds went fine with no issues. While once or twice could be a gun related problem, I am certain this many times had to be an ammo problem. I have used Magtech before without issue, maybe this was a bad batch.

I then fired 15 rounds of the Magtech through the Shield with no problems. This is the third Ruger P95 I have owned before, they have a reputation for digesting anything, though this gun may be still in a break-in period (when purchased it may have had only 50-100 rounds put through it by the previous owner and I had only fired 90 rounds through it myself). I have had light primer hit problems before with striker fired guns but never with a robust hammer fired gun like this. Again I am believing this is an ammo problem though it is rattling to experience so many failures right out of the starting gate (11 issues out of 30 rounds).

 

[Lmstncwby]

The Ruger may have a heavier-than-normal recoil spring. Check out EFK Fire Dragon for a replacement (probably the only place that does have them).

I would also try a different lubricant after a thorough cleaning of the rails on the frame and the grooves on the slide.

 

[nedave]

Thanks. It doesn't have any problems with other ammo, only the Magtech, though I will have to fire a few hundred more rounds to be sure. The gun was thoroughly scrubbed before this and lightly lubed, though lube on the rails should not be an issue since the P95 is unique in having the steel slide ride directly on polymer rail guides. Also, no explanation for the misfires.

 

[rollin thunder]

Magtech is known for their hard primers.

Googlefu: Magtech & hard primers

 

[olfarhors]

AHH , when you are given lemons , make lemonade!
look at this as an opportunity to practice your clearance drills!
some pistols just dunt like some ammo, thats why we should test our weapons with various ammo.

 

[nedave]

Magtech is known for their hard primers.

Googlefu: Magtech & hard primers

Ahhh, did not know that. Thank you.

 

[Aberdog1]

Ahhh, did not know that. Thank you.

There is a unlimited amount of vast knowledge on this forum. At times it can boggle the mind. Seek and you will find. Give it a try. Ask anything...

 

[BC605]

FWIW, I reload my own ammo and 4.1 gr of AA#2 under a 115gr RN plated bullet works great in all of my bottom feeders EXCEPT a P94DC. In that gun 1 or 2 rounds in every magazine will have the kind of FTE and stove-piping problems you're describing. Upping the charge to 4.2gr fixed the problem.

I chalked it up to that big, honkin, HEAVY, stainless-steel slide. So in addition to the hard primers, the MagTech ammo may be loaded a bit on the lighter end of the scale too. If the other ammo reliably cycled the slide on your P95 that would reinforce the probability of that being the issue.

 

[RKBA4LIFE]

I have a gen one p95 and it has eaten everything I have put in it since 1998. Lol Out of all the high end guns we have, the p95 is the one me and the wife chose to use during our CCW class. I would say you should try different ammo seeing as the range of issues you had, but it is odd especially with how few rounds have been through it.