Fiocchi FMJ 95 gr in a P380 FAIL

[Bill]

Just a heads-up for P380 owners. Went to the range again with a couple different guns including my EDC P380. She fired a mag of Speer Gold Dots just fine, ran through half a box of WWB and PMC and a few rounds of Remington generic target stuff but absolutely under no condition could she even come to battery with Fiocchi FMJ 95 gr. I have around 400 rounds through this little gun now and she is flawless after the first hundred with everything but these Fiocchi's which just refuse to chamber! Also, my wife's Colt Pony Pocketlite has the same issue while the father-in-laws Kel-Tec runs through them like BUTTER! Go Figger??? Notice the crimp marks around the case. Don't know as I have noticed that on other rounds...

http://www.kahrtalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=11288&thumb=111290

[berettabone]

I have seen this problem in a past thread. I shoot Fiocchi all of the time, mostly 9mm and .45. I have never had a problem with Fiocchi ammo. Dirty like the rest of them, but never any feeding or ejecting problem. I also, have never seen crimp marks on any ammo that I have purchased, but someone on a past thread, had pics of ammo with the crimps. I do know, that they are a tad longer than the Fed HST's that I carry.

[wyntrout]

I bought a few boxes of this Fiocchi. It's headstamped G.F.L. .380 Auto and I chambered one in my P380. It went into battery easily.

I measured the O.A.L. of an S&B 92-gr FMJ and the the case length of both. S&B: OAL 24.67mm and Case 17.30. The Fiocchi 95-gr FMJ is 24.47 OAL and 17.18mm Case length.

I don't recall shooting any Fiocchi .380, but I've used all of my other pistol calibers in their ammo with no problems. Most Fiocchi, MFS, and Herters are made by Fiocchi in Ozark, MO, as this is.

I would check measurements and the headstamp.

Wynn:)

[Jollyrogers]

There is a reason it won't chamber… see post #13 http://www.kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?23620-P380&p=301382#post301382

[wyntrout]

Dropping one into my P380's chamber is a very limited test, but it cleanly fell into position and then I put one in a magazine and chambered it. The slide easily went flush with the frame. I think it would fire just fine.

I couldn't read the headstamps in those pictures to see if they were the same. I know that there have been some too-long cases found in at least one box of .380's that appeared to have been Makarov 9mm length.

Wynn:)

[wyntrout]

I used my digital caliper to measure the diameters of the S&B and the Fiocchi. I used the thick flat part of the calipers, not the thin tips, for the measurements. On the PostIt I tried to put lines to the areas measured, basically the center of the top pf the case, the crimped area(base of the bullet for the S&B), middle of the case, and the edge of the case just above the groove on the rims.

Wynn:)

[happypuppy]

I used my digital caliper to measure the diameters of the S&B and the Fiocchi. I used the thick flat part of the calipers, not the thin tips, for the measurements. On the PostIt I tried to put lines to the areas measured, basically the center of the top pf the case, the crimped area(base of the bullet for the S&B), middle of the case, and the edge of the case just above the groove on the rims.

Wynn:)

Different than the other one I would call the manufacturer to see what they say

If it's out of spec i would replace with another box


Get a bicycle. You will not regret it if you live. --Mark Twain

[divotmaker]

I have the same exact experience with my p380. It will choke completely on the Fiocchi ammo in the blue box pictured above. The ammo does have that strange crimp, and acts as if the case diameter is too large. Apparently wyntrout measurements reflect this.

My son has a SW 380 BG, and the ammo feeds in that pistol.

I mostly shoot 45 and 9mm pistols. Is factory 380 ammo known to be more inconsistent in specification compared with other common calibers?

[ltxi]

Quality gun? Use quality ammunition.

Crimp on straight semi-auto round....:rain:

[Bill]

There is a reason it won't chamber… see post #13 http://www.kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?23620-P380&p=301382#post301382

Followed the link... That just about explains it doesn't it? Thanks Jollyrogers

And Wynn, thanks for the photos.
Bill

[2tango2]

That stuff ran awful in my CW380. ...jamomatic

[spud]

That stuff ran awful in my CW380. ...jamomatic
Fiocchi doesn't work well in my P380 either. Unfortunately I have 800 rds of the stuff to try to get through of find someone that can use it. I bought 1000 rds before I read the posts explaining the issues with Fiocchi in Kahrs.

[2tango2]

I bet you'd find a buyer for it. 380 still a little scarce.

It made my range time last though...I was reduced to 1 shot loaded at a time lol

[bobandmikako]

Good info. Thanks. I use Fiocchi FMJ in .32 and 9mm all the time. It's some of my favorite range ammo. I probably would have ordered some in .380 if I didn't see this.

[TheLastDaze]

Quality gun? Use quality ammunition.

Crimp on straight semi-auto round....:rain:
nonsense.... fiocchi is fine ammo, not sure how this got produced and past QC, but alot could be said about kahr's QC as well...

I digress....

the crimp marks you see are on a lot of +P ammo, in and of itself provides more pressure...

[shlike]

Interesting how these little guns seem to all have different "personalities". My CW380 LOVES Fiocchi ammo, both the 95gr. FMJ (with the crimp) and the Extrema XTP JHP which I use for carry ammo whenever I can find it (it's hard to find so I carry Hornady Critical Defense as an alternate). I also buy Fiocchi for use in my CW9 and CW45. My experience is that it is good, reliable ammo at a very reasonable price. I do not know why it works in some Kahr P380/CW380's and not others. The very tight tolerances in these little guns may have something to do with it.

[berettabone]

After using Fiocchi ammo in 9mm, .40 cal, and .45 cal.............in semi auto and revolver..................IMHO.....I just think that they are a tad bit long for the short loading area in Kahr small firearms. The only issues I ever have with their ammo, is when shooting it out of my Kahr. An occasional misfeed, or fte. My carry ammo is a bit shorter, and have never had an issue with it.