So today I got out to the range for pistol day. My main goal was to work up some alternative target loads in 9mm Makarov and test out my brew brass catcher since the steel cased Russian pipeline is drying up. The 700x loads worked but nothing exciting, the brass catcher was great and I not only didn’t hit anyone else on the line with hot Makarov brass but also recovered all of my brass.
So that’s the long prelude to my bigger story. I was warming up by shooting a few older carry loads. I had a mag of older carry loads for my PA 63 and decided to shoot those first. Fired two just fine and on target. Then the third made a little “pufft” sound and didn’t cycle. I cleared the action and flake powder poured out. I knew something was wrong so I took the slide off and sure enough a bullet was in there just past the chamber.
Thankfully, I’d had a squib before so I knew what it was and it was just annoying in the end. I managed to finish my load tests with the vz 82 alone.
Thw kicker was these were my carry mag loads. Granted I haven’t seriously carried the FEG since I got my Shield a few years back. The ammo was Hornady XTP Custom that I picked up about 10 years ago. I shot the rest up and it was fine, and more importantly it’s all gone so I don’t have to worry about it anymore and can use the brass.
I was surprised at the squib with a relatively new load. My last squib was a 38 special that was probably reloaded by my great grandfather when the last Republican President was Herbert Hoover. I expected a squib there, but the 12 year old Hornady factory load was an eye opener.
I guess the moral of the story is to buy a new box of carry ammo regularly and shoot off the old stuff.
So that’s the long prelude to my bigger story. I was warming up by shooting a few older carry loads. I had a mag of older carry loads for my PA 63 and decided to shoot those first. Fired two just fine and on target. Then the third made a little “pufft” sound and didn’t cycle. I cleared the action and flake powder poured out. I knew something was wrong so I took the slide off and sure enough a bullet was in there just past the chamber.
Thankfully, I’d had a squib before so I knew what it was and it was just annoying in the end. I managed to finish my load tests with the vz 82 alone.
Thw kicker was these were my carry mag loads. Granted I haven’t seriously carried the FEG since I got my Shield a few years back. The ammo was Hornady XTP Custom that I picked up about 10 years ago. I shot the rest up and it was fine, and more importantly it’s all gone so I don’t have to worry about it anymore and can use the brass.
I was surprised at the squib with a relatively new load. My last squib was a 38 special that was probably reloaded by my great grandfather when the last Republican President was Herbert Hoover. I expected a squib there, but the 12 year old Hornady factory load was an eye opener.
I guess the moral of the story is to buy a new box of carry ammo regularly and shoot off the old stuff.