Mixing different ammo in a magazine.

3

357MagFan

Moderator
Can this potentially cause a problem?

I have 2 13 round magazines for a Glock 21.

20 200 grain corbon JHPs
12 Speer JHPs "I lost the box, they are old, I don't remember what weight the bullet is"

I don't have enough Corbons to fill up both magazines and am missing a round for the Speer magazine. I don't want to have to buy a whole new box of Corbons and pay 30 bucks just for 1 bullet, so I was wondering if it would be a potential problem to throw a Corbon in with the Speer load?

Not a good idea? Or ok?
 
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I have seen it stated more than once in print, in respectable publications, by respected authors that mixing different types of ammunition (different loadings, different bullet styles, etc.) can cause malfunctions in otherwise reliable pistols.

I do not understand why that would be true and I have never experienced it. I do not claim to have done extensive testing but I have, on occasion, fired a magazine full of mixed loads without issue.

Here is a thread on the topic with some information from Denis Prisbrey (DPris) who has had malfunctions from this issue.

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=274868

My general feeling is that there is sufficient evidence to suggest that it can cause problems, enough that I wouldn't load a gun for self-defense with mixed loads in the magazine.
 
I see no compelling reason at all to mix ammo (within a magazine). Now, loading one mag up with JHP and another with FMJ (or whatever)....that I have no issue with. But, again, mixing ammo together within the same mag? Unnecessary and IMHO, not recommended.

Besides, do both mags need to be loaded to max capacity? No.

For various reasons, I keep my double stack mags (13 round capacity) downloaded to 10 rounds each. Do I feel less prepared? Nope.

Just load 10 Corbons in each mag, keep the Speer around as spares and then....buy some more ammo.
 
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10mm is to weak,get a 50 BMG.

On topic tho, :)
I kinda mix my ammo,that is my first round in every gun is a FMJ to save on ammo and setback as i seem to repeatedly load and unload my weapons going to the range.
But after that first round that in the chamber the mags always have the same ammo.
My 1911 can ruin any round in 2 chamberings,CorBon was great enough to replace a box of .45 for me that 50% of them had setback after just 3 months of owning them,they paid shipping both ways also.
Props to a good company!

Ive also ruined about 10 .380 speer GolDots while hand cycling testing my small 1911 style Sig p238,i know they are pretty unrelated but the design is more similar than you may think internally.Those Golddots have a very soft nose,after 3 cycles the smashed flat almost closing up the hollow point making it look like a semi wad cutter.

Sorry to ramble,but its the most info i have about different types of ammo in the same gun.
 
If they both function, what's the problem???

Of course you can mix them.

I don't have enough Corbons to fill up both magazines and don't want to have to buy a whole new box of Corbons and pay 30 bucks just for 1 bullet,
Click to expand...

Yeah you deffentantly dont want extra ammo laying around the house.
 
I don't know why mixing different ammo in the same mag should cause any problems. But I did have one automatic pistol that would jam when I did this.

I can't remember the details; it was a long time ago. I seem to remember it was a .40 S&W, I was trying to use hardball, Blazer aluminum-cased hollowpoints, and brass-cased hollowpoints, and it would jam with any combination of those three, but function perfectly with any one of them alone.

Puzzled the heck out of me, but it happened. I haven't had it happen with any other pistol before or since, but I still wouldn't mix brands in a mag if I meant to carry it for self defense. I have no problem doing it on the range, of course.
 
I read the other thread JohnKSa referred to. I can accept the fact that mixing ammo will cause more feeding issues but have trouble understanding why this happens. The only reason I can think of is that in rapid firing, the shooter gets into a rhythm and, that by mixing ammo type, the rhythm is somehow mismatched and causes problems similar to limp wristing. Just a theory, though, without any evidence.
 
When I'm at the range plinking away, I dont worry about it. I've never experinced any failures from mixing ammo. For carry, I'd stick to one type of ammo.
 
I'd say that mixing isn't a good idea...

The problem I would see with mixing is that they could have different recoils and make it a lot more difficult for you to stay on target if you had to use them for self defense. Find a round you can be happy with after some practice and keep 10 in each magazine or 13 if you don't worry about the spring setting.
 
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