Ljutic
11-20-2011, 06:20 PM
I picked up a used PM40 last weekend. Before breaking it down I noticed a hitch in smoothness when working the slide. When cleaning I discovered the recoil spring was put in backward. Other than that it looked fine and operated smoothly when cleaned, lubed and reassembled.
At the range today I ran through most of a box of Fed 155 grain Hy-Shoks and half a box of 180 grain Hy-Shoks without issue. Probably 78 rounds in all. Then I switched over to Fed 155 grain HSTs and the problem started. Loading 5+1, the gun now fails to fully extract the 5th empty case and the 6th round is still in the magazine. It's like there is an incredible drag on the slide on the 5th shot so the 5th empty sits 3/4 of the way extracted as the slide runs out of inertia. This problem repeated several more times with the 155 and 180 grain Hy-Shoks as well as another try with the 155 grain HST.
Popping the 6th unfed round out of the mag, I can see the bullet is very deformed on the slide stop side of the bullet. Not the bottom from contact with the feed ramp, but literally the side of the bullet. I've done some trials here at home and just can't see how the bullet is getting deformed.
So, if you've seen this before please let me know what you found to be the cause. I really like the way this gun shoots and it's a heck of a 5 shooter, but ideally I would like to be able to get though all 6 rounds.
I came home and cleaned the pistol and will try again now it's clean again. Hate to think it starts acting up after only 50 rounds, but if that's the case then I can live cleaning it every 50 rounds.
At the range today I ran through most of a box of Fed 155 grain Hy-Shoks and half a box of 180 grain Hy-Shoks without issue. Probably 78 rounds in all. Then I switched over to Fed 155 grain HSTs and the problem started. Loading 5+1, the gun now fails to fully extract the 5th empty case and the 6th round is still in the magazine. It's like there is an incredible drag on the slide on the 5th shot so the 5th empty sits 3/4 of the way extracted as the slide runs out of inertia. This problem repeated several more times with the 155 and 180 grain Hy-Shoks as well as another try with the 155 grain HST.
Popping the 6th unfed round out of the mag, I can see the bullet is very deformed on the slide stop side of the bullet. Not the bottom from contact with the feed ramp, but literally the side of the bullet. I've done some trials here at home and just can't see how the bullet is getting deformed.
So, if you've seen this before please let me know what you found to be the cause. I really like the way this gun shoots and it's a heck of a 5 shooter, but ideally I would like to be able to get though all 6 rounds.
I came home and cleaned the pistol and will try again now it's clean again. Hate to think it starts acting up after only 50 rounds, but if that's the case then I can live cleaning it every 50 rounds.