Reliable Carry Ammo for the LCP Max

[HIkayer]

First post.

After searching, I found a lot of posts on LCP reliability with FMJ ammo, but nothing for defensive carry ammo.

I found a good deal on Hornady American Gunner Defense Ammo. It was BOGO. That made even less expensive than practice FMJ. So I decided to see how it did in my LCP Max.

The answer is... terrible. About 40% failure to feed. I'm glad I tried it out, anyway.

That ammo and Hornady Critical Defense (90g FTX) and American Gunner (90g XTP) bullets are each long truncated cones. Both make 1000 fps at the muzzle. The FTX has a plastic plug in the hollow point, but otherwise appear identical. The XTP and the FTP bullets are longer than the FMJ bullets and they both get hung up on the way into the chamber of my LCP. Most of the time they would seat after a good rap on the slide, but that's no solution.

This LCP is 100% with the 5 or 6 brands of FMJ I've tried. I blame the difference on the longer OAL related to the longer truncated cone ogive of the Hornady ammo. Total round count through my LCP Max is more than 500 but less than 1000 rounds. So despite the sterling reputation of these Hornady bullets, they won't feed for me. I can't see where more rounds through the barrel would solve this problem.

Those of you who have Ruger LCPs, what have you found to be reliable cycling defensive ammo?

Any other ideas?

I'd trade reliability for terminal performance at this point.

 

[rammerjammer]

I prefer Fiocchi Extrema but it also uses the XTP bullet.

I'd recommend trying some Speer Gold Dot if the XTP bullets are a problem for your Max.

 

[Cholo]

Did you try a different magazine? I bought two new 12 round magazines for mine and the follower just fell out of one of them. Of course my LGS just exchanged it and all's good.

My go-to .380 brand is Speer Gold Dots. I couldn't find any so I bought several boxes of the Hornady Critical Defense. Three of us helped break it in without a hitch.

So, if your problems persist with a different magazine, a trip back to Ruger is in order. Just make sure you start with a clean gun when checking to see if a different magazine might work.

 

[HIkayer]

Two different mags, both 12 rounders. I have another 10 rounder that came with the LCP. Presentation through the mag wasn't the problem, the noses were stuck tilted up, against the top wall of the chamber. Rounds don't go into the chamber. A good rap on the back of the slide seated them, but 4-5 times a mag? Not for me.

I called Ruger. They said they consider Hornady their go-to ammo. It usually works when nothing else does, but not for me.
Their advice--try three different makes of defensive ammo. If all three fail, send it back to them. I expect they will either polish the chamber or replace the barrel.

OTOH. Fastest answer to a customer service number I ever received. Once through all the menu choices, two rings and got a pickup.

 

[hittman]

I wonder how much money is reasonable to spend on ammo to see if a gun will work.
Three boxes of self defense ammo ( in 25 round boxes ) probably be almost $100.
Even a $300 gun should work right out of the box without the customer having to double that cost trying to find out what will cycle.
I'd never trust that gun,

Oh yeah …. And if you spend another $100 on ammo and it STILL don't work .…. Then we'll try,
No thanks,

 

[HIkayer]

That's one way to look at it.

Another way is, "What is my life worth?"

If my carry ammo is unreliable, I want to know before I need it.

Carry ammo is very specialized. Defensive bullets are specifically designed for controlled penetration, usually between 12 and 18 inches in test medium. They are designed to penetrate wall board, denim, layers of clothing, and leather jackets, and still expand. Many times this results in bullet shapes and or bullet weights considerably different from FMJ ammo. Often the powder charge and the recoil is heavier as well. Sometimes the loads are +P .

But as you say, sometimes it's the hand gun. I called Ruger today and they told me that Hornady is their goto ammo. But not for my LCP.

It's not at all surprising that some hand guns have trouble with some carry ammo.

That's one cost of carrying an autoloader. If you don't want to have to test your ammo, consider carrying a revolver.

How many auto loaders have you bought for potential carry? I've got a few. There's cost there, too.

It's pretty common for firearms to be picky about their ammo. 22 rifles are well known to prefer one brand over another for accuracy. My friend's Springfield XD shot factory ammo just fine, but wouldn't cycle my hand loads that worked with all my 45 acps. I had a Win 1866 clone for Cowboy shooting (38 Spec) that was very demanding about bullet shape and OAL. My Beretta 21a is picky about its ammo.

Part of my reason for posting this thread was to call attention to the need for testing one's carry ammo. This was the first time I had my defense ammo and I learned that what I had been carrying wasn't reliable.

The reason I thought to do this was because my local Range USA had Hornady American Gunner on special for BOGO. Turned out it was cheaper that way than buying their FMJ range ammo. I put 50 through my LCP mainly because it wasn't feeding and I wanted to see if I could figure it out.

That same ammo was fine in my Kimber Micro and a Sig 365 .380. I divided one box between the two of those. Since they cycled it, I saw what I needed right away. Total cost for all that was 27.00.

And I shot 2 boxes of FJM after that also.

 

[hittman]

Your life is worth owning a gun that functions without fail. Every time. Void of these expensive experiments to see what'll make it work.

Would you tolerate this from a new pickup? TV set? Microwave oven?

Lotsa folks trust their lives to a cheap entry level gun. Many have wonderful luck with them.

 

[9x19]

From a short barrel (low velocity), we are asking a lot to expect a JHP to expand.

I think the flat nose FMJ that Winchester offers is probably just as good as most JHPs out of my LCP Max.

 

[Sam Summey]

Two different mags, both 12 rounders. I have another 10 rounder that came with the LCP. Presentation through the mag wasn't the problem, the noses were stuck tilted up, against the top wall of the chamber. Rounds don't go into the chamber. A good rap on the back of the slide seated them, but 4-5 times a mag? Not for me.

I called Ruger. They said they consider Hornady their go-to ammo. It usually works when nothing else does, but not for me.
Their advice--try three different makes of defensive ammo. If all three fail, send it back to them. I expect they will either polish the chamber or replace the barrel.

OTOH. Fastest answer to a customer service number I ever received. Once through all the menu choices, two rings and got a pickup.

I wouldn't waste any more time on "different" brands of ammo. Send it back with an admonishment to make it work with Hornady ammo, better yet all brands of JHP ammo.

 

[Joe Chartreuse]

Though not normally a Federal ammo user, their Punch Defensive ammo seems to work out very well for LCP

 

[firesubie]

I use the Hornady Critical Defense in mine. I ran 200 rounds of cheap fmj through mine without a hitch, then 2 boxes (25 each) and no stoppages. I guess I got a good one. I haven't tried any other defensive ammo yet. To be honest, there are so many opinions on what works best for defensive use, it makes my head spin. I hope I never have to find out.

 

[HIkayer]

These are photos inside my LCP Max barrel. I was getting failure to chamber with both Hornady Critical Defense and American Gunner carry ammo, They were stopping nose up, part way into the chamber at about 4-5 rounds per 12 round magazine.

Note the recessed band at the top of the chamber wall. I believe my ammo noses are hanging up on it. That's about how far in they are when they stop.

This LCP is 100% feeding FMJ practice ammo. (Different ogive and meplate configuration.) I've got about 500-700 rounds through it.

So, LCP owners, have a look in your own chambers, Do you have a similar recess in your chamber? Or is my barrel faulty?

The innermost ring, of course, is the case mouth stop for headspace.

The edge of that recessed ring could probably be smoothed a bit, and that might fix my problem. But if it has to go back, I don't want to void my warranty.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Thanks.

 

[firesubie]

Mine does have a very slight line but not as pronounced as on your barrel.

 

[Sam Summey]

These are photos inside my LCP Max barrel. I was getting failure to chamber with both Hornady Critical Defense and American Gunner carry ammo, They were stopping nose up, part way into the chamber at about 4-5 rounds per 12 round magazine.

Note the recessed band at the top of the chamber wall. I believe my ammo noses are hanging up on it. That's about how far in they are when they stop.

This LCP is 100% feeding FMJ practice ammo. (Different ogive and meplate configuration.) I've got about 500-700 rounds through it.

So, LCP owners, have a look in your own chambers, Do you have a similar recess in your chamber? Or is my barrel faulty?

The innermost ring, of course, is the case mouth stop for headspace.

The edge of that recessed ring could probably be smoothed a bit, and that might fix my problem. But if it has to go back, I don't want to void my warranty.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Thanks.





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Eye balling it I would say "that ain't right"! The chamber looks like it never got past the "rougher reamer" and never saw the finish reamer. Send it back to Ruger. Every once and a while someone screw up. A tight patch, some JB Bore paste, electric drill should make it better but I am sure Ruger would not be proud of that chamber.

 

[9x19]

Neither of mine have a rough chamber like that... I'd send it back, if they did.

 

[HIkayer]

Ruger took it back.

Replaced the barrel and slide. Now it operates much smoother than the original.

Before and after photos in the Update post.

Very pleased with how Ruger handled this.

 

[Deadeyeborg]

Mine does not like any of the cone nosed ammo, I use ordinary open hollow points, or flat nosed ammo for 100% reliability.

 

[ImDrRich]

I deliberately bought one box of every .380 auto ammo I could find and the Ruger LCP Max never had one single hiccup. I have the 13 lb spring in there as well as a as guide rod but it is the most reliable gun I own and is 1 of 2 EDC guns I have.

 

[OMCHamlin]

Well, shoot, I have an original LCP Custom and an LCP Max (and a KelTec P3AT), and they all seem pretty reliable with everything I stuff in them, except I had a bad run in a few years back with the mid case crimped Fiocchi .380. It was just too big to feed reliably in several of our carry .380s. I got rid of it in my little Browning 1910, which had no problem with it. As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure I have XTPs in two outta three of those...

 

[beentheredone]

I've never owned an LCP, but I do own three other .380's -- Beretta Pico, Sig P365, and Bersa -- and all have been 100% reliable EXCEPT with Hornady Personal Defense. That stuff is pure poison in all three, will not run a full mag without at least one jam. How they claim 1000 fps is beyond me. Lack of recoil alone indicates a powderpuff load.