Thoughts requested

Since it is still covered under warranty, sending to the maker is the best option.

This allows the maker to not only figure out what the problem is, but also to figure out how it got there. Since the gun is malfunctioning with factory ammo, its the gun, for sure. IF the gun ran flawlessly on factory ammo but choked on your handloads, then its your handloads, not the gun.

What is the approximate round count on the gun? (just curious)
 
44 AMP said:
Since it is still covered under warranty, sending to the maker is the best option.

This allows the maker to not only figure out what the problem is, but also to figure out how it got there. Since the gun is malfunctioning with factory ammo, its the gun, for sure. IF the gun ran flawlessly on factory ammo but choked on your handloads, then its your handloads, not the gun.

What is the approximate round count on the gun? (just curious)
Click to expand...
I have had bad factory ammo. Have a pile of Remington 380 I had to fix by running through a fail safe die.
 
Factory ammo is the "gold standard" but yes, there have been batches that are "Fools gold".

There is also some factory ammo that is a problem in "gun A" but runs fine in guns "B through Z".

Knew of a guy who had one brand of factory stuff choke in his Walthers, but it ran fine in every other gun it was tried in.
 
44AMP said: "What is the approximate round count on the gun? (just curious)"

I bought it in 2019 and I'm guessing about 250 rounds because I have 5 other handgun calibers to play with when I go to the range. It was flawless until recently.

I'm headed to an authorized Browning gunsmith this morning.
 
I just returned from the gunsmith. I had an interesting conversation that closely mirrored what has been said here. He couldn't offer anything definitive until he checks it out, but he did bring to my attention that I should not keep the magazines fully loaded at all times because it can weaken the spring to the extent that it can explain why the last cartridge locks up and won't chamber. Of course, that creates a dilemma if the gun is used as a defensive carry piece, so I didn't pursue it further.

Concerning the failure to fire, he addressed the headspace ledge regarding cases that may be too short and the force of the bolt closing can push the case a bit deeper toward the ledge, effectively moving the primer far enough away from the firing pin that all one gets is a light primer strike and misfire. With the recommended case length being 0.670-0.680," I assured him that I try to keep the case length as close to 0.675" as possible and I discard those cases that I found are less than 0.670" because even resizing often does not stretch them enough. He warned me that primer pockets can enlarge with multiple uses and that cleaning with electric tools can remove some brass so that the primer seats deeply enough to misfire due to primer failure to strike effectively. He related an experience with some Hornady cases that failed to fire because the pockets were larger than SAAMI specs and he brought that to Hornady's attention to no avail because their response was the cases are within Horndy's specs.
As a result of their rather brash response, he will not use or sell Hornady cases.

I'll update this when I hear the final "diagnosis" and if it's too late I'll post a new thread.
 
Thanks for telling us you'll be back with more information. I (and I think a lot of others) lurk and appreciate being told the rest of the story.

The thing about leaving magazines loaded has been discussed A LOT with several different opinions that all seem (to me) to be credible. For myself I bring no actual expertise to the discussion so I just picked the opinion I liked...I'll do me and you can do you.

Here's a link to one of the discussions:
https://thefiringline.com/forums//showthread.php?t=252693

If you want more Google is your friend.
thefiringline.com: leaving magazines loaded
will give you more results.
 
The people who make springs will tell you that modern springs do not weaken from being left fully compressed. OVER COMPRESSED is a different story. Springs weaken (shorten and wear out) from compression cycles. Compressed, relaxed, compressed, over and over, over time. This is the natural service life of a coil spring.

I have personal experience with a .45ACP magazine that sat over 10 years fully loaded. Worked flawlessly when it was finally fired.

I have a couple of 9mm mags I loaded over 20 years ago, am doing a "test" with them, might fire one at 30years loaded to see how it works. :D

My Grandfather was most emphatic about NEVER leaving his Ithaca shotgun cocked, and, NEVER snapping it. That gun he bought in 1909, and had a way to lower the hammers without snapping them. I always treat that gun the way Papa taught me.

100+ years ago, it was fairly common for springs to take a set, if left compressed. ITs been UNCOMMON for that to happen for more than a half century, and these days, a spring that takes a set is considered defective.

Make no mistake, springs will wear out, but they don't (or shouldn't) weaken from just sitting, compressed, or relaxed.
 
On the other hand, you will hear, even from manufacturers, that one should leave a new magazine loaded for a week to squash its spring into normal operating range. Or to pump it up and down with a stick, although that is more a case of Internet Expertise.
 
cdoc42 said:
Tangolima, I appreciate and look forward to the reason for your opinion. Please provide details.
Click to expand...
Sorry I should have elaborated. I was in a hurry.

May he had, your smith didn't seem to ask the key information from you. If I were him, I would ask for the exact rounds that you had problem with your pistol. Also the info you gave you, didn't sound relevant, or even questionably correct.

Just my gut feeling based on your descriptions.

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
 
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tangolima, thanks for your response. I did, in fact, bring along and left with him, the cartridges that jammed and those that failed to fire, revealing the misplaced primer strikes, as well as 40 or so of my handloads. I also left the 10 dummy rounds I made with fired and new brass. I didn't report all the elements of our discussion because, as I said, much of what was said on this thread by all the participants was repeated by him. I just wanted to bring up what I thought was controversial.
 
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