Hornady Critical Defense ... What happened here?

M

MZ84

New member
So I sidle up to the firing line with my brand new (to me) Ruger Security Six loaded with six Hornady Critical Defense 125-grain .357 magnums.

After firing three rounds, the gun jams (a revolver? jam?). When I open the cylinder, I see that the primer in the round I just fired was pushed almost entirely out of the case.

I should have stopped there, but I fired another cylinder of these things, and it happens again. This time, when I examined the shell the primer fell out! :eek:

I'm curious if anyone has had this experience with a revolver cartridge before? What causes it? And is there any chance this this could have damaged my gun?

It's been a long time since I've fired full-power .357 loads, but they didn't feel any hotter than I was expecting. And I didn't notice any difference in the defective rounds when I shot them.

The guy at the shop where I bought them was even more startled than I was. He gave me new ammunition (not Hornady) and said he was going to send the box back to the company.

Thoughts?

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I've also heard of entire boxes of the stuff not firing at all in automatic loads! I don't think it hurt you're gun at all, just look to see if it damaged or dented the striker or pin, if not then I don't see how that could hurt much... I also don't claim to be an expert so I suppose it is what it is. sorry for your misfortune:)
 
I seem to remember a recall on a batch of Critical Defense with primer problems and/or bullet to casing flex? I think they changed the color of the primer to tell the difference between the old rounds and corrected ones. I could be all mixed up though. Do a Goggle search, I know they had problems with them.
 
A primmer popping like that can mean overpressure. I would contact Hornady and tell them.

I shoot CD rounds in 9mm,380,38spcl and 357 and have never had any problems. they are a reduced recoil round so if you were expecting a bigger bang then usual not gonna happen

Edit: i just checked. My auto rounds have silver primmers and 38-357 have gold primmers.
 
I bought a box of the very same stuff. I was shooting it in my Coonan and it worked fine. That said I have read enough bad reviews that I no longer buy this ammo (I still use Hornady for reloading how ever).
 
I've shot a few boxes thru my j-frame with no problem... I'd give Hornady a call. They will ask to to send back for inspection.
 
I have shot alot of Critical Defense with no problems. Looks like you got a bad batch though. Call Hornady and see if they'll replace it.
 
I only shoot Hornady CD and Wilson as carry ammo, with no problems.

I did just reject a box of .45 ACP from Monarch, the brand from Academy Sports. One of the rounds had the bullet compressed way down into the case.

I look at every bullet before it's transferred from the store box to a plastic storage case. The above particular bad bullet was the first I've caught in years.
 
A primmer popping like that can mean overpressure.
Click to expand...

That's a classic sign of over-pressure.
Click to expand...

More like UNDER pressure.

The primer is set back but the pressure is not high enough to stretch the case and re-seat the primer.

Since the firing pin hole in the breech face is the only unsupported brass it fails.

High pressure usually causes 'blanking' or the primer.
The firing hole in the breech face turns into a hole in the primer and lets gas escape.

Fire just a primed case in most revolvers and you will lock up the cylinder in short order form primers backing out.
 
I use only CD in all my SD guns, .45, 9mm and .38 and have never had a problem in any way. I also have never read any articles critical of the ammunition; can you provide links or sources?
 
Likely out of spec primer pockets. Incorrect charges is far less likely.


Hornady critical defense sucks. Buy Winchester Ranger Bonded or Federal HST. Or even some Barnes XPB if you have the cash.
 
Last year I bought some CD in 9mm. Three rounds out of twenty didn't fire even with extra strikes. It was going to be my defense round if it proved reliable. Anyway I get home and Google to see if anyone else has had any problems and there were numerous people. It's no joke that their defense ammo should be avoided.

I was pretty upset about spending over a buck a round that could get me killed and swore I'd never buy anything that Hornady made again. It's been a while now and I can forgive the terrible ammo quality but would buy a Hornady product because of the positive words many people have to say about other products they make. They owe me 25.00 bucks though.:rolleyes:
 
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