Hornady FTX and the PM40

[peashooter]

I've finally got the bugs worked out of my PM40. About 400 rounds through it, and it shoots quite reliably now with standard FMJ and JHP ammo.

But it still hangs up occasionally on the Hornady Critical Defense ammo. I'm guessing it's because of the conical shape of the bullet. This ammo is my usual "go to" self defense ammo, and until I get this resolved, I can't possibly consider this gun as reliable for a carry piece. (Not to mention that at about a buck per round, it's getting expensive trying to confirm its reliability.)

I guess I could consider some other SD ammo, but I'm not too worked up over a self defense gun that is this picky about ammo.

Anybody use Hornady Critical Defense or Critical Duty ammo in their PM40? Any problems?

[warbird1]

Never tried it in my Kahr but I can recommend Corbon Pow'rBall.

[kahrnut1]

i find critical duty is more reliable in my pm9 than critical defense. the critical duty bullet is longer than crit defense and seems to feed better.

[garyb]

I've finally got the bugs worked out of my PM40. About 400 rounds through it, and it shoots quite reliably now with standard FMJ and JHP ammo.

But it still hangs up occasionally on the Hornady Critical Defense ammo. I'm guessing it's because of the conical shape of the bullet. This ammo is my usual "go to" self defense ammo, and until I get this resolved, I can't possibly consider this gun as reliable for a carry piece. (Not to mention that at about a buck per round, it's getting expensive trying to confirm its reliability.)

I guess I could consider some other SD ammo, but I'm not too worked up over a self defense gun that is this picky about ammo.

Anybody use Hornady Critical Defense or Critical Duty ammo in their PM40? Any problems?


I have a PM40 too. Never had any real bugs with it. I only tried a couple of SD ammo and never had any problems there either. Never tried the Critical Defense or Critical Duty in my 40 but use Critical Defense in our 380. In my PM40 I use Win Ranger T's mainly because I liked the expansion talons and the price per unit. You can purchase 50 rds for almost the same price as 25 Hornady. The T's are known to come apart in certain unusual situations (like shooting through windshields)...but I can live with that. I say unusual because it is not likely I'll encounter this situation. Even so, they perform very well through windshield glass. The Win PDX is the same thing, only bonded. You may want to try them. Being they are the same bullet and maybe even better than the T's, I would guess they will cycle the same and work just fine for you. I don't see your situation as being an issue that would deter me from carrying your PM. They are a tight gun with close tolerances. Some SD ammo may not cycle well...but, who cares. You wasted a little money on that box of ammo to find out you need to try something else. If you get stuck on your PM not shooting a certain SD ammo that you think you must use, but it won't work....you got yourself in a dilemma.


What's a dilemma - Well...an illustration may help. If you laying in a really big bed with a beautiful naked young woman on one side of you, and a gay naked man on the other....Which one are you going to turn your back on?


In other words, don't turn your back on a good SD ammo that WILL cycle reliably (as recommended above) in your PM40. If you do, you got yourself a lemon. If you don't turn your back on another good SD ammo that WILL cycle properly and reliably, you got yourself a good carry gun.
Problem solved.