Question for gun experts?

Question

I was at the range today, and put 66 rounds through my XD-45 service model. Then, the gun locked up with a round in the chamber. It wasn't a stovepipe jam, or anything like that. I tried to pull the slide back, but it wouldn't budge. I gave it to the range officer who tried to get it unlocked, but he couldn't do it either. Finally, the owner of the range who is also a gunsmith, was able to get the gun unlocked, after 10 minutes of messing with it. He told me he has never seen that before, especially in a brand new Springfield XD. What could have possibly happened?

Answer 1

If it locked up with a live round it was most likely an ammo problem

If not the problem would duplicate itself with every in spec round you chambered

Ammo is machine loaded and there is always a chance that some will be out of spec and that some of that will be missed by QC

I have seen the problem more  with thin walled rounds like 45Colt and 44-40

Answer 2

Probably over expansion, keep trying, with with new ammo.

Answer 3

Hm. The round could have been faulted. If it wasn't a jam or anything like that it would be my best guess. Check your magazine and take apart your gun to see if you notice anything abnormal.

Answer 4

Did it lock up with a live round in the chamber, or did the fired round not extract?  From what you've said it sounds like a live round that didn't fire? Right?  

Was the primer dimpled?  

Sorry...but it could have been lots of things.  I wouldn't be too concernned unless it keeps happening.  Use good quality American Ammo (FMC, Winchester, or Remington).  

Answer 5

Chris-

I have seen this happen with a few models of pistols.  This was probably due to the type of ammunition you purchased.  Now before you say "No Way", let me explain a little bit here, just so you know what the scoop is.

My guess is that you may have purchased some of the Russian Ammo, like Wolf or another brand that is a Steel Case with a Green Lacquer Finish.

Sig Sauer, Glock, H&K and Beretta all have the same problem.  Their chambers are made and held to tighter tolerances than say Ruger, Taurus or a few other makers.  What is happening is the Lacquer is getting hot then melting, the it cools slightly just before the slide goes into battery.  This locks the pistol up because now you have a live round that is almost chambered, then the Lacquer re-solidifies and causes the slide to stop, because the spring cannot seat the round properly.

Now how many pistols have I seen do this????  I used to be a machinist for a local gunsmith in my area, we used to get the pistols into the shop all of the time with this problem.  This is a fairly common problem with thie type of ammunition.  

Do not run this cheap ammo through your firearm.  Just bite the bullet and buy the cheapest possible Winchester, CCI Blazer, or any other cheap brass cased ammo for your firearm.  All of the Russian junk is exactly that junk.  It is designed for firearms that have very loose chambers, such as soviet made weapons, that were originally designed for the Steel Case Berdan Primed Cartridges.

I have a Ruger Mini-30, which takes the 7.62x39 AK-47 Cartridge.  I also have an SKS, which takes the same cartridge.  I do not use the Wolf or any of the Russian Brands in my Ruger.  It has also locked up on the Lacquer Finished Cases.  So I just purchase the Winchester Power Point ammo for it.

Anyhow, the next time this happens, you can take a soft mallet and tap on the rear of the slide to get the pistol into battery, make sure that you have an empty magazine in in the pistol, as some of them are equipped with a Magazine Disconnector.  Tap the slide into battery, and discharge the weapon.  This is the only way to get the pistol unlocked.  Either that or flood the barrel with cleaning solvent and let it sit for an hour ot two.  In the shop, we would tap the slide into battery, then discharge the firearm into our Bullet Snail.  

After you do this, you are going to need to completely clean the firearm.  

Anyhow, change your ammo type, and should not have any more issues.  

Good Luck and happy shooting.

Answer 6

Did the slide fail to go completely into battery?

If so, try this test.  If you still have the cartridge that jammed your pistol, disassemble the pistol, remove the barrel from the slide and see if the cartridge seats flush with the chamber mouth.

I once bought some commercial reloads that were put up isn IMI submachinegun ammo brass.  They just would not fit into the chamber of my Colt Officers' ACP.

Good Luck.

Doc