Rim Lock Questions

[wbond]

I've heard that auto loaders of cartridges that have rims or semi rims can have rim lock, which means the cartridges won't feed due to the rims getting to imtimate with each other.

At least I think that's what rim lock means.

I shoot a lot of .32 ACP in my Firestorm(s). I've read that .32 ACP is a cursed round and that rim lock is one of the reasons it's cursed. I read that this makes the .32 ACP unreliable for feeding.

However, I've never had any feeding problems with my Firestorm .32 ACP. Never any jams or malfunctions of any kind. It was reliable from the first shot. Never the less, I'm feeling a bit paranoid about this.

Does anyone have any input?

Also, I'm very interested in the .38 Super. I don't think its the ideal gun for me since I'm very recoil sensitive with arthritis, but I just think it's super cool and a friend of mine wants to get one.

So just as a matter of interest, I began doing some research on the .38 Super. It is said to have a semi-rim. However, it doesn't look like a rim to me. Not much of a rim.

However, one of the articles I read said the .38 Super can experience rim lock failure to feeds or jams. None of the other articles I read ever mentioned that about .38 Super.

So now I'm really curious about semi autos and rim lock.

In particular, I'd like to know about the .32 ACP because my life may depend on it.

I'd also like to know about the .38 Super, but that's just a curiosity thing and because a friend of mine wants to get one.

Rim lock thoughts, advice, history?

 

[scbair]

I've experienced rimlock when firing JHPs through my KelTec P32. Apparently, during recoil, the top round in the magazine "bounces" and the rim snags the rim of the second round. Prepare to wrestle mag from pistol and replace to continue firing. Then fiddle a bit to clear the jammed rounds . . .

I've read that the shorter OAL of the JHPs is the causative factor; I've never experienced rimlock with FMJs, any brand, from the P32 or my late father's old FN M1910.

Frankly, with the .32ACP, I'd use FMJ exclusively, even for defensive carry, as I'd want all the penetration the little round could muster.

 

[ABBOBERG]

I've had my P32 rim lock on me once - it was after I had been carrying it a while. I guess the rounds just got jostled up. I also had my Kahr PM9 do the same thing after carrying it a while. The gun was locked up so badly that I had to drop the floorplate on the magazine to clear it. This also happened with the replacement mag Kahr sent me. From what I have learned, most people posting here simply do not empty the magazine that they had carried a while into a target at the range. If they did, you would hear a lot more about rimlock. Basically, if the magazine is poorly designed, you can get rimlock with any cartridge. The only solution I have is to shop wisely. Load a magazine with non-firing dummies before buying the gun. When the magazine is full, make sure that the first and second round in the mag are parallel. If they are pivoting away from each other ("jawing open"), then the flanges can catch on each other causing rim lock.

 

[MICHAEL T]

WB this apears to be mainly a Kel Tec issue and HP issue due to OAL of round verses ball . I belive because of light weight recoil a little snappy and causes the problem I never heard in happening on a PPK or a Bersa/Firestorm Colt or any of the larger 32's. . to avoid for sure carry HP in chamber and 1st round up in mag. Rest of mag Ball and no rim lock That should keep your Firestorm appy.

 

[MICHAEL T]

WB this apears to be mainly a Kel Tec issue and HP issue due to OAL of round verses ball . I belive because of light weight recoil a little snappy and causes the problem I never heard in happening on a PPK or a Bersa/Firestorm Colt or any of the larger 32's. . to avoid for sure carry HP in chamber and 1st round up in mag. Rest of mag Ball and no rim lock That should keep your Firestorm appy.

 

[wbond]

May I suggest Corbon PowerBall Ammo to solve rim lock?

Someone's post said that rim lock only occurs with JHP, not with ball.

Well then how about shooting Corbon PowerBall? It is a hollow point with the shape of ball ammo due to a plastic ball in the hollow point cavity.

Low recoil I'm told. Lots of smack on target. Seems like a good solution to me.

I was previously unaware that rim lock only happened to JHP, but not ball ammo. Now that I know that, I'm even more fond of Corbon PowerBall than I already was.

 

[EddieCoyle]

Rimlock can occur only when there's enough room in the magazine for the second round from the top to move forward, and leave a gap behind it big enough for the rim of the top round. That's the reason for the emphasis on proper (long enough) OAL.

Many hollowpoints are short enough to allow rimlock. You can use hollowpoints and avoid rimlock by installing a spacer in the back of the magazine that takes up enough of the free space to prevent the gap. I load my own now and load the HP's a bit longer than normal.

 

[kirkcdl]

All you'll ever need to know about Rimlock: http://www.1bad69.com/keltec/rimlock.htm