A reminder to check your EDC

[The Courier]

Maybe you ended up with a bad box but it should look the same as the critical defense.

View attachment 578079

Hmm... maybe I should send Hornady an email with pictures and lot codes of my ammo I purchased, I'd be interested to see what they say.
The .380 ammo has virtually no crimp the edge of the case mouth is very defined which may be why it popped out.
I wonder if pressure would have spiked if I hadn't checked and the hammer got dropped.

 

[The Courier]

True and excessive OAL (or a short chamber) that allows the bullet to engage with the rifling can cause this to happen - even with jacketed or plated but it is less likely.
Lead no doubt compounds problems - especially in semi autos and in this day and age of plated bullets lead should never be used in semis.

Oops. I read that wrong and thought you were saying plated bullets should be avoided.

 

[RVTECH]

Hmm... maybe I should send Hornady an email with pictures and lot codes of my ammo I purchased, I'd be interested to see what they say.

I would. This ammo is not right - improperly crimped and what appears to be excessive OAL.
Next box you get open it up and inspect every round!

Oops. I read that wrong

Glad you caught it!
I have been a fan of plated ever since they became widely available.
In some cases they are LESS expensive than plain lead.
They can't be loaded to jacketed velocities but can be a bit higher than plain lead so that is a huge advantage.

 

[CDAT]

I liked these rounds because every LEO I talked to said they carried FMJ in their .380 and to a certain extent I agree with them (not endorsing FMJ for defense) but when I saw that flat nose lead seemed to get better results then standard ball I was drawn to that bullet type.
And I noticed the deformed nose as well, they went from magazine to chamber without a fuss but it's clear now this combo would be unwise to continue carrying.

As a "retired" Federal Leo ("retired" as I work a on call LEO gig when I feel like it) I have always used Hollow Points, currently in my pocket .380 I am using Critical Defense (not saying it is the best/must carry). Now I know that some have different thoughts, one place I worked for years ago required us to carry HP so that we did not have over penetration issues, and same area I know of a different organization that required FMJ so that it did not look like they were out to kill someone when it when to court. I am a believer in HP, but as long as it is quality ammo, carry what you are comfortable with. I also shoot my duty ammo for qualification so that one I have new ammo in my magazines and two what I train with is the same as I would use in an emergency.

 

[leadcounsel]

OP seems to have two issues.
1. Using a gun that is picky with ammo for a SD pistol. I'd ditch that option and get something totally reliable with all ammo. "Picky with ammo" and "my carry gun" are not in the same sentence.

2. THREE instances of this?! I've never had it happen, nor heard of it happening. That includes 2 decades of gun ownership, most of that involving carrying a gun, much of that racking and unracking rounds, and 4 combat rotations where we constantly racked and unracked rounds. And a decade or more of regular online forum discussions. Never seen or heard of this problem. So your gun and/or ammo choices are jacked...

My recommendation: You need a new more reliable carry gun and more reliable jacketed hollow points.

 

[zenbreath]

Another worry....if the cartridge has the seal broken, will moisture enter and kill the round?
I rotate and test fire my chamber round every 1 or 2 months, and the rest of the magazine once each year.

 

[3putts]

Daughter has one and has never had an issue like this. She lives in CA and needs to renew her CC license every 2 years, (I believe). Has to qualify for each renewal. Uses only factory ammo.

 

[Oohrah]

I liked these rounds because every LEO I talked to said they carried FMJ in their .380 and to a certain extent I agree with them (not endorsing FMJ for defense) but when I saw that flat nose lead seemed to get better results then standard ball I was drawn to that bullet type.
And I noticed the deformed nose as well, they went from magazine to chamber without a fuss but it's clear now this combo would be unwise to continue carrying.

 

[Oohrah]

Every department does not carry FMJ ammo One that I'm associated with carry .40 S&W Speer Gold Dots 165 Grs. You could have a number of things going on from a rough feed ramp to maybe just a through cleaning. I wouldn't carry it until you find out. Either a respected Gunsmith or the factory. I have corrected a rifle (.22) that had been shot with mixed ammo of shorts, shot, and long rifle. It was cleaned thoroughly, and if you looked carefully there was a problem just forward of the chamber causing the shells to not chamber fully and fire. A few hours of a product called JBs paste was used to where repeated soaking with lead solvent dislodged that lead that built up over the years. Like yours, a live round before this was done would show up as scuffing around the bullet head. Once cleaned not a problem. Told the owner if it shoots all three or not, use the one with the longest case, and don't shoot shot shells in it. A lot of work, but a fix. I suspect maybe some kind of a build up in your pistol barrel maybe around where the rifling starts in the chamber area or the feed ramp itself has a problem. Something is distorting the bullet head when you chamber a round. It's worth taking it to a professional who can better tell you its fixable or should be sent to the factory. Usually repeated chambering of the same cartridge it will shorten, and chamber pressures will also be greater. Too long of a cartridge can stick the bullet in the rifling and when you extract the round, the bullet stays and powder dumps down into your mag...a mess.

 

[Joly]

I liked these rounds because every LEO I talked to said they carried FMJ in their .380 and to a certain extent I agree with them (not endorsing FMJ for defense) but when I saw that flat nose lead seemed to get better results then standard ball I was drawn to that bullet type.

Seems the leos you talked to carried FMJ (full metal jacket)...not bare lead; you might consider trying FMJ 380 ammo. Also, if you like the flat nose, Browning makes a round I have shot extensively without fail in my 380. Also, I have read from different sources that for a 380 pistol a round or flat nose bullet is better than a hollow point; they say for better penetration. Also, for a leo, a 380 is probably a back-up pistol.

Looks like a repeating problem having to do with rechambering a soft nose bullet, plain lead. I also agree you might want to go to the range more... even more often than you do a pocket 'dust bunny' check.

Stay safe and have fun.