Bought a few boxes of Federal hydra-shocks at Walmart the other day. yesterday I got out and shot some of it. I was disappointed. Fired about 26 rounds from my wife's Browning .380 BDA. had two failure to feeds... one in each mag. I don't shoot this gun very often, but I had just cleaned and oiled it prior to going to the range just to make sure it was oiled since it hadn't been fired in a while. thought maybe it was the gun or a mag problem but then I shot about 50 rounds of Win White box without a single failure. Then tried Hydra shock 9mm 135 grain in my cz75b... fired about 25 rounds and had one FTF....actually more like failure to go into battery. the round hung about half way into the chamber and the slide just failed to close entirely. I have never ever had any type of failure with this gun. afterwards I fired almost 100 rounds of Win white box cheap ammo and no further problems. I'm going back to Speer Gold dots in my carry weapon and I still have several boxes of the hydra-shocks in 9mm, .380, and .40 cal which I am going to take to the range and burn up just to see and to satisfy myself that this was just a bad day. just wondering if anyone else has had problems with hydra-shocks.
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FTF Federal Hydra-shocks
- Thread starter WSH-SA
- Start date
I also use Federal Hydra-Shok's exclusively. Never, ever
had the first problem. Guns and calibers ranged from a
American made Walther PPK .380 up to and including a
West German produced Sig-Sauer P220A in .45 ACP.
I have also owned and tested several makes in 9m/m,
never experiencing a problem; from gun or ammo.
Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
had the first problem. Guns and calibers ranged from a
American made Walther PPK .380 up to and including a
West German produced Sig-Sauer P220A in .45 ACP.
I have also owned and tested several makes in 9m/m,
never experiencing a problem; from gun or ammo.
Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
Federal Hdra Shok FTF probs...
I had similar experiences with my CZ40B and Hydra Shoks. The bullet would kind of stick on the feed ramp, and the slide would not return to battery. Lightly pushing on the slide would free it from whatever bind it was in, and all ow it to return to battery and fire normally.
I think it has something to do with the design of the hydra shok, either the lead/copper edge on the tip can get enough friction against the feed ramp to resist the spring of the pistol, or it is a little too short, which allows it to get pinched in that position. Since I could return the slide to battery with a light tap on the rear, I think that a little beefier spring may also help.
When I told CZ about the problems, they recommended a polishing of the feed ramp.
Also: I noticed that the amount of oil I used on the gun did affect this FTF. the CZ40B was new, and it was my first pistol... I was a little overzealous with the CLP, I'll admit, and the thing fairly leaked oil when I was firing it. After I cleaned it up, and tried the hydra shoks again, this time with a lighter application of oil, there were fewer FTF's.
I don't think I'll ever be 100% confident using hydra shoks in the CZ, or any pistol, but so far I'm very confident about the FMJ stuff, and I don't CCW, anyway.
Gepzo
I had similar experiences with my CZ40B and Hydra Shoks. The bullet would kind of stick on the feed ramp, and the slide would not return to battery. Lightly pushing on the slide would free it from whatever bind it was in, and all ow it to return to battery and fire normally.
I think it has something to do with the design of the hydra shok, either the lead/copper edge on the tip can get enough friction against the feed ramp to resist the spring of the pistol, or it is a little too short, which allows it to get pinched in that position. Since I could return the slide to battery with a light tap on the rear, I think that a little beefier spring may also help.
When I told CZ about the problems, they recommended a polishing of the feed ramp.
Also: I noticed that the amount of oil I used on the gun did affect this FTF. the CZ40B was new, and it was my first pistol... I was a little overzealous with the CLP, I'll admit, and the thing fairly leaked oil when I was firing it. After I cleaned it up, and tried the hydra shoks again, this time with a lighter application of oil, there were fewer FTF's.
I don't think I'll ever be 100% confident using hydra shoks in the CZ, or any pistol, but so far I'm very confident about the FMJ stuff, and I don't CCW, anyway.
Gepzo
MarineTech
New member
I use Hydrashoks in .40 and .45 for carry purposes, and I have not had a problem with either of them in my guns.
The only gun that I have had a problem with them is my Detonics Pocket 9. The 9mm HSHKs just would not feed in it. The nose of the round would hang up on the feed ramp and the stout recoil spring on the gun would literally mash the nose of the bullet flat.
Some gun just don't "like" the Hydrashoks.
Normally with a new gun, I try out about 7 or 8 different types premium self defense ammo to see what's the most accurate. Then I take the top 3 performers and run 200 rounds of each through the gun. The round that dosen't have any failures becomes the carry round.
Right now, I use Federal .40 cal 155gr. HSHKs in my Glock 22 and Walther P99 and I use Federal .45cal 230gr. HSHKs or Remington 230gr. Golden Sabers in my Kimber Compact. My Detonics Pocket 9 takes Winchester 147gr. SXTs.
The only gun that I have had a problem with them is my Detonics Pocket 9. The 9mm HSHKs just would not feed in it. The nose of the round would hang up on the feed ramp and the stout recoil spring on the gun would literally mash the nose of the bullet flat.
Some gun just don't "like" the Hydrashoks.
Normally with a new gun, I try out about 7 or 8 different types premium self defense ammo to see what's the most accurate. Then I take the top 3 performers and run 200 rounds of each through the gun. The round that dosen't have any failures becomes the carry round.
Right now, I use Federal .40 cal 155gr. HSHKs in my Glock 22 and Walther P99 and I use Federal .45cal 230gr. HSHKs or Remington 230gr. Golden Sabers in my Kimber Compact. My Detonics Pocket 9 takes Winchester 147gr. SXTs.
python1340
New member
WSH-SA -
What C.R.Sam said. Try some other brands of defensive ammo.
What C.R.Sam said. Try some other brands of defensive ammo.
Rickmeister
New member
Funny... I have never had any trouble with Hydra-Shoks.
Ok, I did have a couple of FTFs in my CZ-75 PCR once, but that was mostly due to the fact that I didn't clean the magazines the way I should have when I first bought them. A good wipe and a drop of Hoppes #9, and now it's plinking away like there's no tomorrow.
I use the 135 gr cartridges, which are very reliable and accurate. My two other 9mms (P-99, G-17) absolutely love them. But if your gun won't budge, then, as you say, Gold Dots may offer the best alternative for the buck.
- Rick
Ok, I did have a couple of FTFs in my CZ-75 PCR once, but that was mostly due to the fact that I didn't clean the magazines the way I should have when I first bought them. A good wipe and a drop of Hoppes #9, and now it's plinking away like there's no tomorrow.
I use the 135 gr cartridges, which are very reliable and accurate. My two other 9mms (P-99, G-17) absolutely love them. But if your gun won't budge, then, as you say, Gold Dots may offer the best alternative for the buck.
- Rick
thanks for all of the helpful replies. and don't worry I always run a whole bunch of the ammo I intend to carry before it becomes the primary round for my carry guns. Just wondering if anyone had similar experiences with the hydra shocks. I think GePZo probably hit the nail on the head.... probably a combination of the shape of the round and I also tend to be pretty liberal with the CLP, except on my glock. but on the others I get carried away with the stuff sometimes. Thanks for the input from everyone. WSH-SA