DPX issue at range today....

spud · Post by **spud** » Sun May 06, 2007 4:17 pm

Talk about being scared

Took my monthly trip to the range today to play long distance hole punch in some targets. Everything went great with the XD 45 (As always, love that gun.) untill it was time to shoot my P3AT. I figured it was time to change out my carry ammo (Corbon DPX) witch I do every 2-3 months. The gun has had the same clip of amm and 1 in the chamber for 2 months now. Ready to save my life if need be.

Took aim at target,
Squeeze trigger,
Pop?
Wha? No boom?
Drop the clip, rack the slide to eject the brass.
Look down barrel....
Hello DPX half way down the barrel.

There is power all over the gun, was all over the place. Almost like it didnt ignite...

Either way, If it was a a problem arises situation, I would be on my way to the coroner's office right now.

Since I have never had this issues, Im not real sure what I should do. I need the bullet removed from the barrel. Then is it still useful? Or should I retire it and replace it? Then comes my issues with DPX. Should I call them ? Im not sure I want to carry it anymore. Not even in the 40 and 45.

Has anyone else had any issues with DPX? Or was something else to blame?

Any input would be great.

Thanks.

DSARGE · Post by **DSARGE** » Sun May 06, 2007 4:23 pm

I know Federal used to give you a free box of .22's if you sent in a misfired round. I did this several times as a kid. Funny thing--all I shot was Federal because of that reason. Give it a try!

gregthehand · Post by **gregthehand** » Sun May 06, 2007 4:26 pm

You really need to call them, and let them know about it. If you still have the box, they will probably want to know the batch that it came out of. For sure a good example of how thing can go to crap really fast. If it had been a shooting situation that gun would have been primarily useless. If it's half way down the barrel I would leave it as such and see if Corbon will pay to have a smith get it out, and then make sure the barrel is still in good working order.

spud · Post by **spud** » Sun May 06, 2007 4:26 pm

Memories! I have done that a time or too. I remember when I got a brick from them. Was great.

But my main concern is the integrity of my barrel, and the likelihood of this happening again...

Post by **Charles L. Cotton** » Sun May 06, 2007 4:44 pm

I keep a "squib rod" for removing bullets. Actually, I keep two, one for .45's and one for .355's and up. A "squib rod" is just a dowel rod cut to about 7" or 8" long that you can use to drive the bullet out of the barrel.

Chas.

spud · Post by **spud** » Sun May 06, 2007 4:57 pm

Someone on the Kel-Tec forum pointed out that it could be caused by my gun oil? So how do I keep the gun oiled while at the same time keep the ammo dry?

Liberty · Post by **Liberty** » Sun May 06, 2007 5:30 pm

spud wrote:Someone on the Kel-Tec forum pointed out that it could be caused by my gun oil? So how do I keep the gun oiled while at the same time keep the ammo dry?

You really don't need much oil on any gun.. A very light film at most. I only a very light film on the inside of the barrel.. every thing else only gets the slimy silicone rag treatment. What are you using for oil? Does the powder seem clumpy or unusual?

spud · Post by **spud** » Sun May 06, 2007 5:48 pm

The power was very clumped up all over the inside of the barrel and magwell.

Liberty · Post by **Liberty** » Sun May 06, 2007 6:33 pm

spud wrote:The power was very clumped up all over the inside of the barrel and magwell.

Modern powders shouldn't clump. It sounds to me like oil got into the cartridge. although it could be moisture. Penetrating oils or real lightweight oils like WD40 really try to soak through the tightest crack.
How old is your ammunition.?

You provide good proof that we should rotate our ammo every once in a while. Thanks for sharing this experience.. I think its time for me to rotate my carry ammo.

spud · Post by **spud** » Sun May 06, 2007 7:39 pm

I agree. Everyone should change their carry ammo today. And get on a schedule of swapping it on a regular occasion. Im SO glad it happened at a range.

I will post back when I talk to Corbon about this situation.

cyphur · Post by **cyphur** » Sun May 06, 2007 7:41 pm

Get on the phone, start calling folks - start with Corbon. They should be very interested into getting to the bottom of this.....

spud · Post by **spud** » Sun May 06, 2007 8:44 pm

I knocked out some of the remaining powder from the barrel and ignited it.

It burned very slow and green. Dont know if that helps anything?

BrassMonkey · Post by **BrassMonkey** » Sun May 06, 2007 9:11 pm

Sounds like saturation to me...

NcongruNt · Post by **NcongruNt** » Mon May 07, 2007 2:52 am

spud wrote:I agree. Everyone should change their carry ammo today. And get on a schedule of swapping it on a regular occasion. Im SO glad it happened at a range.

I will post back when I talk to Corbon about this situation.

But I just put mine in last week!

S&B lacquers the primers and the joint where the edge of the case meets the bullet so that moisture/oil can't get in. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like they make JHP in .380. The alternative would be to do this yourself to whatever carry ammo you use. I've run across places that sell lacquer for this purpose this in the past, but can't seem to find it at the moment. My guess would be that any model lacquer would do the trick, applied with a very fine paint brush. One of those little $3.00 1/2 ounce bottles should be more than enough. I might try this with some of my ammo and see how it works.

HankB · Post by **HankB** » Mon May 07, 2007 7:28 am

Unless you're really soaking the rounds in Hoppes or WD40, modern ammo shouldn't be inactivated by solvents and lubes. And besides, for what they charge, CorBon ought to seal the rounds against oil & moisture anyway.

This is yet another reason why I don't use CorBon . . . every once in a while, their ammo seems to come through with questionable QC . . . more often than from other manufacturers.

This sounds like it may be another instance of that.

Lucky it took place on the range, and not when you really needed the pistol.