Do Fiocchi .380s have hard primers?

[FunYet]

Anyone know if Fiocchi .380 ball ammo is prone to light-strikes? Do they have unusually hard primers? Asking because I've been having issues with this with one of my pistols. Trying to narrow down possible causes.

Thanks

 

[AMBASSADOR]

primers

What brand of pistol are yiu talking about?.

 

[sidheshooter]

I literally just walked in from an 8-hour "defensive pistol X" type class. One of the ladies there had a Kahr p380 that was getting a lot of failures to fire (indented primers, no go on the round). After the class, I offered to give it a try for her (she was pretty beat, and I was one of the more experienced people in the class) with some of my ammo (cci blazer brass and fiocchi US xtp jhp). Both worked flawlessly.

That's hardly any conclusive experiment, but I can say that the Fiocchi lit off a lot more reliably than the stuff she was using (whatever that was).

Probably a bit case-by-case on these things, but there's my (very fresh) .02 on the subject.

My bersa lit off the fiocchi just fine, as well, FWIW.

I should add that, while I assume that the primers from ball to jhp in .380 would be the same, I don't know if that's the case from US to Euro loads... that could make a difference...

 

[KevininPa]

Yes. Those and S&B. The Euro stuff is hotter also. Just did this in another thread. Good stuff actually. I always liked it till I reloaded. Now my stuff is hotter.

 

[FunYet]

Good info. The gun I'm having problems with is also a Kahr P380. Been back to Kahr 3 times now. I'm trying to narrow down or eliminate my ammo as the culprit. Thanks.

 

[rhinoh]

I've not had any problems with Fiocchi 380 FMJ in my Sig p238. I have several 380's, no Kahr in the bunch though. The p238 has a very light dimple in the primer with any ammo, much shallower than my 2 P3ATs, an LCP and a Bersa. If the primers were hard I would expect the problem in the p238. So far so good.

 

[wrench]

I've fired several hundred Fiocchi's in my Ruger LCP, no failures.

 

[surfinUSA]

I don't kow about their 380 primers, but I do know that their 357 magnum and 12 gauge shotgun rounds do have very hard primers that occasionally relult in the type of misfire you describe.

I also know that their 357 mag and shotgun loads are hotter than the usual American stuff.

 

[Joistman]

I have fired 100 rounds of Fiocchi through my P380 and had 3 failures to fire.
I have not had this problems with any other brand of ammo in about 1500 rounds WWB, Magtech, Prvi Partisan, CCI Blazer, Double Tap, Speer Gold Dots.... I think the Fiocchi may have nickel primers. I read somewhere that Hornady had a similar problem recently

 

[pink_talon]

Kahr P380 and Fiocchi primers

I just fired-in a brand new Kahr P380 (w/ it's CA design). I had half Blazer and half Fiocchi ammunition, both recently purchased. I experienced so many light primer hits on the Fiocchi ammunition that I had to stop using it out of complete frustration. No problems with Blazer. It seemed like a fourth to a third of the Fiocchi didn't work unless I fired them again (more tap-rack-bang practice than I had intended). The rounds which fired from both brands had nice deep Glock-like strike dents and the ones which didn't seemed only lightly polished by the pin. I'm planning on calling Kahr to see what they've experienced or what I should do if anything. Next range trip, I'll be using the premium ammo for reliability testing. Pretty disconcerting. None of my handguns (and I've many but only one .380) ever experienced this kind of repeated failures to fire. Thanks for posting the question! At least others have noticed it too.

 

[Ben86]

It works fine in my Ruger LCP. But then again it is hammer fired and less prone to light strikes.

 

[x_wrench]

every one i have loaded into my lcp or kel tec has gone bang, every time. so ????? they work for me, and my guns. if you have a bunch that do not work, just send them my way. if you want, i can even return the empties

 

[5-SHOTS]

I shot only Fiocchi out of my Colt Government 380 MK.IV and never a problem. You can try Fiocchi Top Target 100gr CPRN with "gold" coloured primers that are supposed to be softer.

 

[gofastman]

Yes. Those and S&B. The Euro stuff is hotter also. Just did this in another thread. Good stuff actually. I always liked it till I reloaded. Now my stuff is hotter.

I thought I read Fiocchi is known to have very soft primers in thieir .380 stuff.
S&B is suposed to be pretty hard

 

[kokapelli]

I have had problems with Fiocchi 9mm in the past in a couple of pistols so quit using it.

 

[ErikO]

All 50 of the 95gr I fired went bang and made a hole in the paper.

Primers were 'gold', entire cartridge was godl tone. I didn't see any issues.

 

[Dogguy]

Recognizing that this thread originally started in November 2009, I will add that I have had some difficulty with failures to ignite using Fiocchi .45 ACP Extrema ammo in my Glock 30. Rounds that did not fire in the Glock would fire in a Ruger P345 or Colt Officers ACP. I have not tried any of their .380 ammo.