Best FEEDING 9mm JHP

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FranklyTodd

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Ok, for a slightly finicky 9mm :(, what brand/style JHP ammo have you found feeds most reliably?

I've been using Winchester Ranger +Ps b/c I can get them for $21/50 (and thus practice with them extensively). They feed fine until my gun gets dirty (say, 200rds). I know I won't shoot 200 rounds in a defensive situation :what: but I'm still contemplating a switch to something else if it gives me even better reliability...

I know about (but haven't tried) Pow'R Ball from Corbon. A good solution, perhaps, but for this question I'd like to hear suggestions of standard hollowpoints...

Thanks for the help!
 
Don't use 147gr if you're having trouble. They're longer and more cylindrical.

Does your gun have a humped feed ramp? If you can get a smith to polish that flat you could have better luck.
 
Thanks for the response, Belus. The +P Rangers are 124gr.

The gun is a Sig P239. Consistent Ranger feed issues out of the box. Went back to Sig and the smith polished it. Upon return, I put 150+ of the Rangers through no problem.

The other day I shot a bunch of WWB first, so the gun was dirty, then decided to put 50 Rangers through (I was out of the WWB and still wanted to shoot a little!).

It jammed probably 4 times, each time hung up on the feed ramp.

It's kind of bumming me out - I got it to replace a Glock 26, which I didn't like (for me) for a number of reasons, but it ate EVERYTHING. The Sig was a smooth $350 more than the Glock. :banghead: I'm not complaining about the $$$ - I like the 239 a lot, but I hate having even a tiny bit of mistrust...

I just finished cleaning/lubing it. I'm going to put 100 Rangers through tomorrow without shooting anything else before, and see if there's a problem. If if it will do that a few times (clean - 100 more - repeat x3), I guess I'll be OK, as I always carry it clean and lubed, of course. I still have a case and a half of the Rangers, I'd hate to give up on them, but I may...

EDIT: Just to add, I've probably put 500rds of FMJ through it without a hiccup, so it's definitely the hollowpoint making the difference...
 
This is one of the most resourceful websites I've found when considering 9mm guns:
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/9mm_hi_power_ammo_selection.htm

He has a picture on that page comparing the profile and hollow point cavity of a number of 9mm rounds. My best guess at the most reliable (read FMJ like) would be Federal 115-gr. JHP and Hornady 124-gr. TAP (XTP).

edit: also, might your magazine or recoil springs be worn and weak?
 
Whoops. Here's another page dealing exclusively with the Federal 115gr.
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/HiPowerFederal115.htm

In 10% ballistic gelatin, the round penetrated about 13" after passing through the dreaded 4-layers of denim and the recovered bullets expanded to between 0.58 and 0.64"... You will usually find this stuff averaging from about 1140 to 1180 ft/sec, depending upon lot number and the gun it's being fired in.

I think that's pretty good considering that the cartridge has another very nice attribute: feed reliability. Several years ago, Federal changed the bullet's ogive such that it's very rounded and almost always feeds even in "picky" pistols.
Click to expand...
 
Might be worth having a look at Federals EFMJ (Expanding Full Metal Jacket).

No front cavity to cause feed issues and uses mechanical not hydrostatic pressure to expand, so can't fail to expand (like a JHP) can if the cavity gets plugged with material.

efmj-4.jpg
 
might your magazine or recoil springs be worn and weak?
Click to expand...

I wish... :p That would sure be a convenient fix!

I bought it NIB at the end of June with 3 mags, and the issues happen with all three of them. I suppose the recoil spring could have a problem, but not likely worn out.

Thanks for that other info everallm & belus, I will check those out!

FT
 
XTP's and Golden Sabers both feed very well in my experience. I have also had good luck with Zero JHP's as well, and they are usually cheaper.
 
I shot hundreds of rounds of Ranger T in my 239 between cleaning with no issues. Off hand I can not think of any other brand that I shot a large quantity off without cleaning in between.
 
Ccw weapons seldom have the barrel length to speed up a bullet to a point where a FMJ bullet passes through the body of an attacker. Should that happen most of the energy was lost inside the body, with slow exit speed. I'm carrying 9mm FMJs loaded close to +p level and I'm fine with that. Because my Star Firestar is accurate I will try to make several hits at the heart of the attacker, no matter what the distance. FMJ feed the best and have the best accuracy. What are you insecure about?

They are Georgia Arms 9mm 124 gr LUGER NATO, if you wonder. 50 for $11. What a deal. Almost +p.
 
Frankly Insecure?

What are you insecure about?
Click to expand...
I have a small willy, my hairline is receding, I have a spare tire around the middle... :neener:

I have no idea what you are talking about when it comes to firearms or ammo though... I don't feel like insecurity has anything to do with my post or situation. I paid a lot for Sig "To Hell & Back Reliability" and it's been a POS so far. What's to be insecure about?

I shot hundreds of rounds of Ranger T in my 239 between cleaning with no issues. Off hand I can not think of any other brand that I shot a large quantity off without cleaning in between.
Click to expand...
Ok, now you are just rubbing it in... ;)

I took it out at lunch, freshly clean, freshly lubed, shooting only Rangers. Jammed on the 12th shot (and then 3 more times) out of 40 total fired. I couldn't even finish the whole box I was so disgusted. :barf: The range guy felt sorry for me and wouldn't even charge me... :eek:

Not sure what I'm going to do. I know changing ammo will probably solve the problem, but I might rather take the gun back and start over with something else...

BTW Orange, I thought NATO load meant that it exceeded SAAMI; in other words I think you are shooting +P+ - read that somewhere...
 
While I do carry Hornady TAP FPD (with the XTP bullet) I'd say they don't look much like a FMJ.

I also have some Remington Golden Sabers on hand and those resemble an FMJ quite a bit more. Both are 124gr.

Ammunitontogo.com has Golden Sabers for a reasonable price.
 
The federal 9BP 115gr JHP has a nice round profile.

They are well known to feed in anything that will cycle ball. One of the better choices out there for 9mm defensive ammo as well.
Will
 
Hornady. I've put many Hornady XTP/JHP through a subcompact with out a single malfunction.
 
Sig 239

Not to be a wise gun, but have you ever thought it might be you! has any one else tryed firing this Sig? maybe you are inducing some of the jams. these are smaller weapons you might try really holding it tight in a sort of death grip and see if that might better for you. Good luck
 
Limpwristing?

No offense taken, and a reasonable suggestion. I haven't had anyone else shoot it, but I've shot a heck of alot of other stuff (including brand new Glocks, Kahrs, Tauruses (Tauri?) even a little Ruger LCP with no jamming), and with the Sig, after the first few jams today, I did the death grip locked arm, etc., suspecting limpwristing myself, and still had 2 more...

One weird thing I noticed, my one run of non-jamming was with factory grips - the jamming occurred with Hogue rubbers. They are soft, so could conceivably add to a "limpwrist" phenomenon, but c'mon, they certainly shouldn't make the difference.

I'm going to shoot it one more time, with the factory grips. If it still jams, I'm going to jump up and down and hold my breath until the store takes it back for a full refund...
 
239

man that really sucks. i would take it back now. who wants a pistol that is picky about ammo. you never know if you will be limited to a certain brand, type and the gun not function. if you didn't like the glock, i don't like them myself, then try the xd. they are very good shooters and have the grip angle and safety like a 1911 and are not at all picky about ammo. that is my take on it.:cool:
 
if you didn't like the glock
Click to expand...

It's so funny - I hated so much about the Glock - grip angle & trigger, for the most part, blockiness I could live with.

Now that the 239 is barfing, I've literally thought about getting another 26! (I'm sure I'll get over it, though)

As my mind wanders, I think: I'll just go Glock whole hog get a 26 & 19 etc....

But trust me, I'll be able to fight that urge... ;)

I have an unflappable j-frame, so I'll be ok until I figure this out...
 
Many if not most feeding problems are caused by magazines. The P6's are a used gun with used magazines. Examine the mag lips and make sure they're not bent or cracked. Remove the follower and spring and clean out the mag tube, use a little dry graphite lube in it. Pay attention when you reassemble it so that the leading part of the spring is to the front of the mag to keep the follower and rounds in the nose up position.

See if you can get a new spring from Wolf and replace a potentially tired old mag spring. If you have more than one magazine mark the one you get a jam with, then shoot the other to see if it does better. See if you can get a new magazine as that will often solve feed problems.

Ccw weapons seldom have the barrel length to speed up a bullet to a point where a FMJ bullet passes through the body of an attacker.
Click to expand...

Check out Brassfetchers site http://www.brassfetcher.com/Hollowpoint%20Versus%20FMJ.htmlshooting WWB 115gr FMJ from a 4", 16" penetration will put em clean though most people.
 
Many if not most feeding problems are caused by magazines. The P6's are a used gun with used magazines.
Click to expand...

He has a NIB P239. The surplus P6s are the discontinued P225.

I would really be curious to see what happens if someone else shoots it. Even though you've tried to correct for limpwristing and all that, some pistols are just peculiar about grip and maybe you only need to make a small adjustment. It's also possible you were unlucky and got a lemon. SIG has a well-deserved reputation because they make great firearms. I'd raise a holy terror until they make it right!

You did say they polished the feed ramp, right?
 
If it will not feed the Federal 9BP (my personal favorite load as I know it will work in everything), something is very wrong.

Also, have you tried any other JHPs besides the Ranger? If there is another load that will go 200 rounds without a stoppage, I would use that and simply avoid Rangers. While a SIG should feed anything, I can forgive sensitivity to a particular load, if it is reliable with others.
 
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