break in period

[darrell]

I purchased my P64 a couple years ago but haven't gotten a chance to shoot it. I finally got out to the range to shoot it some more. The pistol appeared to have been shot very little if at all when I got it. It initially didn't cycle well, but after a 50 or so rounds, cycles well on FMJ. It will also cycle okay on 94 grain Silver Bear but would not even fully chamber Hornaday ammo. I believe this is due to the smaller hollow point on the Silver Bear. Is the Hornaday likely to cycle after more break in? I also shot my CZ-52 with 9 mm barrel. No mis-feeds with 9 mm FMJ or 9 mm Winchester Silver hollow points. A good investment. I did not do anything to the 52 but drop in barrel.

[gunneyrabbit]

Several of the folks here at the forum have mentioned problems feeding Hornady JHP ammunition. I fired a box of it through my P-64 and had no problems and I can't tell you why. My guess is that more rounds through the pistol won't make a difference, you might want to PM NORMSUTTON to get his input; if any one will know the answer it would be him. I'll put in my two cents worth and say stick with the Silver Bear, it is great ammunition and works well with all of my 9x18 pistols.
Good luck,
G.R.

[blinddog]

All of my P-64's feed well using Hornady, but, I have polished the feed ramps on all of them which I think makes a big difference. However, every pistol is different in its own rights.

[commandercob]

My P-64 does not like the Hornady JHP either. I tried yesterday, hoping that past troubles would be non-existent. I was wrong. First rack resulted in the slide not going into full battery, I had to drop the magazine and essentially "force" the ammo by hand. After that first round the next 5 shot well. Just not well enough to risk my life with.

[normsutton]

commandercob

if the last five feed alright and the first one didn't it sounds like you are riding the slide or not pulling the slide back far enough and just letting go



NORM

[darrell]

I could not get any Hornaday to chamber. I suspect that it is the bullet design. The Hornaday has a larger opening and that maybe why it doesn't feed. The Silver Bear feed much better. I think that the Silver Bear will feed 100% when I put some more rounds through the gun. I keep my gun loaded with one hollowpoint in the chamber and 6 FMJs in the magazine and then feeding is not an issue.
Feeding is pretty much an individual gun thing. My CZ-52 gobbled up 9 mm Wincester SXT which it certainly wasn't designed for but feed flawlessly.

[papabear]

darrell,

I haven't had any problems with Hornady 95gr JHP/XTP or Corbon's Power "R" Ball ammo, in any of my P-64's. I did have to really clean them inside and out when I first got them, plus I polished the feed ramps, but I have gone through probably three and half box's of the Honnady JHP and not a single glitch. Norm's suggestion of riding the slide or not pulling the slide back far enough and just letting go might be the problem too, I had that problem from time to time even with FMJ when I first got a couple of my P-64's, just my $0.02 worth.
BTW, in my 9x18 pistols, I still prefer FMJ for self defense, I want penetration not expansion in a slower moving round.


papabear

[barnett3006]

My P64 isn't very fond of Hornady XTP ammo. Actually its the only ammo that I have shot in it and had problems with misfeeds. Gold Dots and Silver Bear HPs (both 94gr and 115gr) as well as any FMJ I have ever fired feed 100% of the time. Try different brands of HP ammo to find what your gun likes the most.

If you are going to carry a gun for defense it is very VERY important to shoot ALLOT of the ammo you intend to carry (especially in an autoloader) to reduce the chance that these kind of problems will happen should you end up in a SHTF situation.

[kempin]

Greetings, gents.

Been some time since I have posted, mostly because I haven't had a lot to say. My p-64 and I have settled in to a nice, long-term relationship. The more I shoot it, the better it seems to function. I suspect that part of the reason the Makarovs got such a reputation for reliability is the fact that most of them had thousands of rounds put through them. I would give the pistol a good, long, break in period before I made any judgements on the ammo.

I have personally never had a lick of trouble with Hornady ammo, but I haven't bought any in several years. Most of the function problems I have had seemed to deal with the overall length of the cartridge. Is it possible that Hornady has "tweaked" their specs to give the round a bit more power? Don't know. The more the pistol is broken in, though, the more it will take variance.

Whatever you do, don't give up on it! It's good to have practice clearing jams, anyway.

God bless, and straight shooting,

-Kempin

[nbender]

Not having a lot to say doesn't hold some people up Kempin. I appreciate the sentiment.

I haven't tested recent Hornady for power. Your post is an incentive to maybe put some more of their recent offerings over a chronograph.

[normsutton]

I believe this the reason that most Hornady bullets don't work in the PA -63 & the P-64 the 365 Diameter of the bullet


Hornady XTP Bullets 9x18mm (9mm Makarov) (365 Diameter) 95 Grain Jacketed Hollow Point

Speer Gold Dot Bullets 9x18mm (9mm Makarov) (364 Diameter) 90 Grain Jacketed Hollow Point

MSF (9x18 ) (363 Diameter) 95 Grain Jacketed

Winchester (9x18 ) (363 Diameter) 95 Grain Jacketed

don't know what others are

the last Hornady XTP Bullets 9x18mm bullets I bought were 364 dia.

and worked fine even in my BR -61 but were hand loaded

NORM

[grayfox]

Thats why I like pow-r-ball, BIG hollow point covered with a poly ball, feeds like a FMJ. And of course I really love my silverbear. Just remember, your not ever going to be in a self defense mode at a long distance....more like 7 to 10 ft.