LC380 Ejected Casing and Cartridge in the Same Cycle?

[kcofohio]

Was having my wife try out our new Ruger LC380 today, when I seen a casing and a live round eject at the same time when she fired. The casing ejected to the right as usual. The live cartridge ejected to the left. At first I didn't know what I had seen, til she pulled the trigger and nothing happen. The chamber was empty. Found the cartridge on the ground.
I had taken it to the range by myself, put 70 rounds though it, and hadn't had this happen before, though they were different loads.
Would the magazine be the chief suspect? We only have 1 magazine for it as of now. The magazine is a reworked LC9 that has a built up back plate so you can't put a 9mm in it.
I have not had this happen before with any of our semi's.
Thanks!

 

[rcmodel]

Would the magazine be the chief suspect? We only have 1 magazine for it as of now. The magazine is a reworked LC9 that has a built up back plate so you can't put a 9mm in it.

Say What now?

Is this the original Ruger mag that came with the gun??

Regardless the feed lip geometry of a 9mm mag is not nearly the same as a .380.
As they are to completely different diameter cartridges at the case head.

And that's what controls cartridge release from the mag feed lips.

I think what you need is a real LC380 magazine, or three.

rc

 

[kcofohio]

Sorry for the confusion from my end. It is a LC380 magazine, it is just like the LC9, only with a plastic strip that the headstamp butts up against. And yes, I do need to get a coupe more.
When comparing magazines between the 2 calibers, the lips are the same length, but they are stamped on the sides for proper caliber.

 

[Nick Burkhardt]

Was she using Winchester White Box 380 truncated flat points?

 

[kcofohio]

Nick, no, they were reloads with 95 gr. LRN using HP-38 @ 3.0 gr. set at OAL of .970".

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Spitting a live round out of the gun is usually a magazine issue, but - and I don't mean this in a bad way - the use of reloads makes me suspicious. Is this the only ammo that has ever been shot through it? I'd pay the admittedly high price of some factory .380 ammo and try it before saying anything is wrong with the gun or magazine.

 

[kcofohio]

LH, yes I have some factory loads, will give them a try next time out. The LGS ordered me two spare mags yesterday. Hopefully they'll be here for the next range visit.
Thanks for the responses.

 

[wally]

Spitting a live round out of the gun is usually a magazine issue,

That, possibly aided by a weak grip that lets the gun move out from under the round (inertia) before the slide is moving forward.

Does it do it when you shoot it with this ammo? If so, probably a bad magazine, possibly just a weaker than normal spring, or perhaps too hot an reload.

 

[kcofohio]

Wally, she usually has a good grip when firing, though this is narrower that most guns she fires. Comparing this mag to the LC9 mags, the 380 spring is weaker. When the new mags come in it, I'll be able to compare it to them.
Just picked up some 100 gr. bullets to load. That and some factory ammo should tell me if the original reloads are part or all the problem. Thanks!