Glock 43 failing to feed HP

[Doc Holliday 1950]

My G43 likes Lawman clean 124 gr. FMJ for practice and either Gold Dot 124 grain or Federal HST 124 grain HP for SD. It seems the the G43's likes certain ammo vs. the 17 or 19 which will shoot anything from the Russian garbage to the high end American ammo. Once again, I will advise to use American made ammo at all times. Our ammo is the best IMHO. If I'm going to spend $500 to $1500 on a revolver/pistol, I don't want to cheap out with foreign ammo since I do not reload.

[RSKENT]

Since my measurements show that the 147gr round has a rim that's 0.004" wider than the rim of every other 9mm cartridge

Have you measured any 147gr Hydrashoks from a different lot?

[divil]

I've measured them from different boxes but those boxes all came form the same shelf.

[bbqncigars]

My 43 has been flawless with mixed brass reloads as well as the Federal HST carry loads. FWIW, I've got the same mags.

[divil]

I discovered something new and interesting! The problem is related to the magazines. What happens is that when I grip the gun, my pinky pulls back a little on the bottom of the mag. There's some play that allows the mag to tilt, reducing the feed angle. With most ammo it makes no difference, but with the 147gr Hydrshok, it's enough to make it jam. If I don't touch the pinky extension on the mag, the problem never happens. I can make it happen with the flush mag, but only by deliberately making it tilt forwards. It's not something that would happen by accident. I bought a brand new pinky extension mag and the problem is exactly the same with that one.

This is a pretty big problem because if the extension is there then I can't really not grip it. Even if I try not to, I don't want something sticking out of my gun that can cause a jam so easily. So what's at fault? It can hardly be the mags with 3 of them behaving this way. I'm not holding the gun in a weird or unreasonable way so I'm not willing to accept that it's me. That leaves the gun. Maybe a tighter fitting magazine catch would fix it? Even then, the extra leverage that's available from the bottom of the magazine might still be enough to make it move easily.

[tangolima]

That's interesting. Didn't think of that at all. You have a special situation. Normally no such tilting force is ever exerted on a magazine as a mag is always inside the grip.

I'm afraid there are not many options but to avoid that particular type of ammunition. Possibly the mag's feed lips can be fitted so that the cartridges have more of a "nose-high" attitude.

-TL

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[RSKENT]

Do you know anyone that has a G43 you can try your mags and ammo in?

[Hal]

I discovered something new and interesting! The problem is related to the magazines. What happens is that when I grip the gun, my pinky pulls back a little on the bottom of the mag. There's some play that allows the mag to tilt, reducing the feed angle. With most ammo it makes no difference, but with the 147gr Hydrshok, it's enough to make it jam. If I don't touch the pinky extension on the mag, the problem never happens.

hehe Ironic..

I was going to suggest that you put a db of hot glue on the front face of the magazine to keep it from possibly tilting "down".

My Ruger Mark II has the exact same problem - the nose of hollow point (just slightly shorter than 40 grain solids) ammo hangs up exactly like your Glock.

The hot glue trick was suggested to me here by another poster.

I also found this which seems to confirm a lot of what I found regarding the case dimensions of the 147gr Hydrashok.

THAT - - is a fabulous find!
I agree 110% with what the author says about the tapered case - - and then some!
I am an accuracy fanatic. I mean a serious, serious, serious, fanatic.
It always consumed me that the 9X19 required an expensive platform, like a Sig 210 to be a real "Tack driver".

As well as my CZ75b performs, it's no match at all for my stock, out of the box, S&W M19 revolver - or any other stock revolver I own.

My 1911's are all more accurate - as well as easier to work up an accurate load for - than any 9X19.

I came to the conclusion - the tapered case - of the 9x19 is the root of the accuracy problem.

It's nice to see someone else picked up on that idea.

I never mentioned my suspicions - pretty much because of the complete ridicule that guy is taking.

[TunnelRat]

Since the 147 gr Hydrashok seems to be the problem, why not use a different JHP? Such as one of the ones you tested that work. The Hydrashok itself is an older design. Federal now has HST which to my understanding is an acronym for Hydrashok Two. From what I've seen Federal HST, Speer Gold Dot, and Winchester Ranger or Extreme Defender all perform better.


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[divil]

Since the 147 gr Hydrashok seems to be the problem, why not use a different JHP? Such as one of the ones you tested that work. The Hydrashok itself is an older design. Federal now has HST which to my understanding is an acronym for Hydrashok Two. From what I've seen Federal HST, Speer Gold Dot, and Winchester Ranger or Extreme Defender all perform better.

Well I definitely won't be carrying 147gr Hydrashok in anything now. But I still want to get to the bottom off the issue and find out who/what is at fault - the ammo, the gun, the magazines or me. Otherwise I don't really know anything. I know that the problem seems somewhat less likely to happen with other rounds, but how less likely? I'm not comfortable just letting it go until I know what's wrong.

[TunnelRat]

My point is while the ammo might not be the sole culprit, it certainly seems to be one of the biggest if not the biggest contributing factor given the failure rates you report on the previous page. You say somewhat less likely but you have failure rates of 0%, multiple of them, as opposed to 40-80% for the Hornady Hydrashok. While there is reason to know why that ammo failed, that I grant you, to me if you have a cartridge that works reliably that's the main goal here.

[divil]

I was at the range and they had a G43 among their rental guns. It had the pinky extension mag so I thought it would be interesting to see how it compares to mine with this problem. I loaded up a mag with 147gr HS, gripped the gun with a full grip and racked the slide - and it hung up on the first round. So I tried again, and again - same thing. Then I tried with the 2 finger grip, and it worked just fine. Exactly the same issue as mine. This was with their magazine. I noticed that their mag was a tighter fit but it clearly made no difference. I'm not sure what to do next. I don't know if I want to own a gun that doesn't feed common off-the-shelf ammunition by design. I will give Glock another call now that I know it's not just my gun that's the problem and see what they say.

I'd be interested to hear from anyone else who has a G43 and Federal 147gr Hydrashok ammo!

[TunnelRat]

I don't know if I want to own a gun that doesn't feed common off-the-shelf ammunition by design.

It doesn't seem to feed one of a number options and even then only in a certain bullet weight. Again, at some point you have to decide how important it is for the pistol to feed 147 gr Hydrashok especially as now you seem to have even more evidence that ammunition is the culprit. The reason people are advised to test defensive loads in their pistols is there is not guarantee that every pistol will function flawlessy with every bullet and cartridge design. Again I'd point out that Hydrashok isn't even a particularly well performing hollowpoint compared to newer options.

[Kevster]

I never had that issue with my Glocks but have with other guns. Found that it went away when I changed ammo. Switched from 115grain to 124grain hp (both Hornady custom)and no problem afterwards. Might be the ramp like others have said but thought I'd share my experience.

[divil]

I picked up a box of Federal HST since that was one type I hadn't tested with yet. Same problem! So now that's 2 types that cause the issue. I still think I need to do a lot more testing with other types before I'd be confident with them. The investigation continues...

[otasan]

Originally Posted by otasan

This feed jam occurs because the bottom of the hollow point hits the bottom of the feed ramp. You need a new follower in your magazine.

Took the words right outta my mouth.