Beretta PX4 ammo question

[Thunderchicken]

i got a new (to me) PX4 full size in 9mm. It runs great with several kinds of cheapie ammo. Never a failure.

This morning I thought I'd try it as a carry gun, since I've put 400 rounds through it and just got a new Alien Gear holster (pretty nice, by the way). So, I load the magazine with Hornady Critical Defense (which I've used for three years in my LC9) and it won't even chamber a round. (Yes, I know I should try the ammo before carrying it, but I didn't think of that quickly enough). The round just gets jammed sloping up towards the chamber. I tried three different rounds and they all acted the same way.

Critical Defense is constructed with what I'd describe as a conical bullet, which is the only thing I can imagine being significant about it (without measuring and so forth). My question to everyone: should I expect this gun to run with this ammo or should I just search around for a decent personal defense round it will work with? I'd especially like to hear from anyone that DOES use Critical Defense in 9mm in their full size PX4. I thought that being a full-sized gun that's apparently intended for the law enforcement and military markets, it'd run with pretty much anything, (This probably reflects my naive nature). I really like the gun otherwise--I prefer a hammer-fired DA/SA pistol with a decocker, but maybe I should go with a 92 instead.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[JTQ]

The PX4 has one of the straightest feed paths I can think of in a semi auto pistol and haven't heard problems with any ammo. However, on a 1911 forum the Wilson Combat Rep posted problems they've experienced with either Critical Duty or Critical Defense, I can't remember which, with the polymer tip sticking on magazines, feed ramps, barrel hoods, etc. This was early production of the round, so I don't know if they've changed them since then.

 

[lemaymiami]

Lots of choices for good quality defensive ammo.... I wouldn't waste a moment on any round that doesn't feed properly in that pistol... Whatever you do choose make a point of running it through a clip or two to make sure it feeds properly and works right... At that point I also like to run a mag or two that carries mixed ammo (a specific pattern of hardball, hollow (or soft point) ammo, etc. Once again I'm looking for any sign of problems (and with a specific pattern in the mix I'll know immediately if Gold Dot, Hydro-shok, or any other particular round causes the slightest problem...

I also do that on other mag-fed weapons. I currently have an old carbine (a commercial one - not a GI original) that I recently picked up. It won't go into service until I know exactly what it will feed properly (initially it will all be hardball, then soft point, then a mix of the two). I want to use it with soft point ammo but not until I know it feeds properly, cycles properly, etc. That carbine is intended for the exact same purpose it was originally designed for....