# PPK/S jam with Speer Gold dot



## oldguy (Apr 1, 2010)

Bought a new S&W PPK/s last month with CTC grips. I really like it. But, I had a problem at the range today. using Speer Gold Dot, The second round jammed. (Failed to load) When I inspected the round, one of the copper wedge shaped jacket segments was crimped slightly. I fired the rest of the mag allright and then another without problems. I have fired about 150 rounds since I bought the gun with no problems, but most have been ball range ammo. It likes the ball. I have only fired two mags of HP prior to today. I clean the gun and lube it after every use. 
I mention the crimped jacket because I had a similar problem with my Ruger LCP just before firing the Walthe. Both are .380, I used Speer in both. In the LCP the second round jammed and when I inspected the round, one of the wedge shaped jacket segments had actually bent back enough to feel how it was lifted.
I haven't had any problems with either gun until this incident. Both guns are cleaned and lubed after every use and I'm not a limp wrist shooter.
Any one had a similar problem or have any sugestions? I'm loading with ball for carry at present because I can't get Cor Bon or Hornady or Federal in .380 around here right now. In fact I got the next to the last box of ball in the area.
oldguy

4/2/10 After thinking about it, I now believe the tearing of the jacket on the hollow point occured when the round failed to load and the slide jammed the point against the top of the breech. I remember the jam, it happened the same way in both guns. The slide stuck half close and I could see the round tilted upwards and jammed against the top. But I've shot a lot of ammo over the years and never saw a jacket segment bent out and lifted off the sub layer. That didn't happen in the Walther, it just crimped the jacket slightly. Maybe gun, Maybe ammo, who knows. I'll just have to try some more brands when I can get it.


----------



## dondavis3 (Aug 2, 2009)

I own a PPK/S and have never had any problems shooting any hollow points.

I also own a Ruger LCP and it will not load any of the hollow points that I've tried so far.

I've been told to try some Corbon Pow'rball ammo or Glaser Safety Slugs [Blue Tip] or Speer Gold Dots or Magsafe 60gr prefrags.

I guess the Gold Dots you've had problems with may not work in mine either.

:smt1099


----------



## oldguy (Apr 1, 2010)

*thanks Don*

I think the problem may be the ammo. The crimping of the jacket worries me. If it were just on of the guns, I would suspect tghe gun, but I got a crimp on both. I've gotten the same answer about the walther from many others and both guns love the ball ammo. I've also been advised to try Hornady Critical defense.


----------



## VietVet68 (Jan 10, 2010)

I bought a NIB Walther PPK/S last October and I've decided that this gun, when new, has an extended break-in period. In the last 4-5 trips to the range I beleive It's finally performing as advertised but I went thru a lot of changes with ammo and magazines. 
This gun likes lubrication, probably a bit more than normal. Also, I found out it doesn't like aftermarket mags. I have 2 from Walther and I bought another two from Mecgar and the gun doesn't like them. I compared the two and there's a slight design difference with the feed lips. For ammo I use WWB at the range and my carry ammo is PowRBall, no problems with either. One suggestion for ammo- stay away from S&B, mine just flat out doesn't like it. 
It's all a bit of trial & error to get the right mixture but, that's the fun of it, right? How boring it would be if you took a brand new gun and never had any kind of problem? Actually, I have one of those, it's my Kimber Pro Crimson Carry in .45 auto.

Good luck


----------



## oldguy (Apr 1, 2010)

*Thanks vietvet*

You're right. That's the fun. I continue to try. Hard to get .380 though to try with. Haven't been able to any hollow point at all. Well, I still got a box of ball and it feeds without a hitch.
Oldguy- Danang Marble Mountian 67, 69.


----------



## VietVet68 (Jan 10, 2010)

oldguy said:


> You're right. That's the fun. I continue to try. Hard to get .380 though to try with. Haven't been able to any hollow point at all. Well, I still got a box of ball and it feeds without a hitch.
> Oldguy- Danang Marble Mountian 67, 69.


About 2 weeks ago I hit the ammo jackpot when I went to Meijers and they just received 10 boxes of 50 count WWB in .380 for $17.99 a box. I took them all. 
USMC,Danang 68, Capt. Charles Robb was our CO. He was LBJ's son-in-law. Hill 52.


----------



## oldguy (Apr 1, 2010)

*What do you think of FMJ .380 Vietvet*

I've kind of come to the conclusion that with a load like a .380, penetration will be the problem, if you have one, not expansion. So maybe FMJ is the way to go anyway. I can get it and it feeds everytime. Any thoughts.
Small Navy site between the mountain and Echo Company.It was good to have you guys out there.


----------



## VietVet68 (Jan 10, 2010)

oldguy said:


> I've kind of come to the conclusion that with a load like a .380, penetration will be the problem, if you have one, not expansion. So maybe FMJ is the way to go anyway. I can get it and it feeds everytime. Any thoughts.
> Small Navy site between the mountain and Echo Company.It was good to have you guys out there.


I try not to get distracted by all the statistical data that gets tossed around. I bought my PPK/S for 2 reasons:
1. "007"
2. It's concealable.
I'm convinced a .380 round can provide an equal amount of self defense as my G19 (9mm) or my Kimber (.45), shot placement! I just read what I wrote & I know that some 1911 nut is going to jump down my throat but, my thinking is that the presence of ANY gun will cause the bad guy to take a second look.


----------



## oldguy (Apr 1, 2010)

*I got mine because everything else hurts*

I know that sounds facetious, but it's true. I just like the feel of the PPK/S. All metal and solid. And the recoil is managable for old hands with tendon problems. I bought a Taurus 709 slim first, but I couldn't control the darn thing and it hurt. Traded it on the PPK/S with Crimson Trace grips. I can put five where ever I want them to go day or night. I like the LCP also. Even as light as it is the recoil is still managable and with the CT laser guard, very accurate out to 20 feet. Don't expect to be using it beyond that anyway. So--I guess what I really like is the .380. I couldn't handle the 9mm, .40 or .45 anymore, especially at the range firing 50 or 100, but I can fire the PPK/s and LCP all day. (if I could afford to do so.) And I suspect that five on target rapid fire will do the job. Trouble is, mine is an uninformed opinion, so I continue to gather all the info on .380 performance I can.Thanks for your input
Oldguy:smt024


----------



## VietVet68 (Jan 10, 2010)

oldguy said:


> I know that sounds facetious, but it's true. I just like the feel of the PPK/S. All metal and solid. And the recoil is managable for old hands with tendon problems. I bought a Taurus 709 slim first, but I couldn't control the darn thing and it hurt. Traded it on the PPK/S with Crimson Trace grips. I can put five where ever I want them to go day or night. I like the LCP also. Even as light as it is the recoil is still managable and with the CT laser guard, very accurate out to 20 feet. Don't expect to be using it beyond that anyway. So--I guess what I really like is the .380. I couldn't handle the 9mm, .40 or .45 anymore, especially at the range firing 50 or 100, but I can fire the PPK/s and LCP all day. (if I could afford to do so.) And I suspect that five on target rapid fire will do the job. Trouble is, mine is an uninformed opinion, so I continue to gather all the info on .380 performance I can.Thanks for your input
> Oldguy:smt024


Oldguy,
I'm with you 100% an all steel gun just feels right, maybe I'm just too old to change my thinking. I bought the C.T. laser grips for mine when I bought it in Sept. '09 but today I took them off and went to the range and had great success. I think I've got the picture burned in my brain now so that I don't need the laser. Besides that there are down sides to the laser, it greatly interferes when I'm trying to pull the slide back because it covers the grooves on the right hand side and, I was always worried about having lubricant seep down into the grip.
I'm surprised you have had difficulty with 9mm recoil, I have a Glock 19 & it recoils less than my PPK/S. I'm like you in that I just keep reading and learning about all my guns.http://www.handgunforum.net/images/smilies/033.gif


----------



## oldguy (Apr 1, 2010)

*I agree about the laser*



VietVet68 said:


> Oldguy,
> I'm with you 100% an all steel gun just feels right, maybe I'm just too old to change my thinking. I bought the C.T. laser grips for mine when I bought it in Sept. '09 but today I took them off and went to the range and had great success. I think I've got the picture burned in my brain now so that I don't need the laser. Besides that there are down sides to the laser, it greatly interferes when I'm trying to pull the slide back because it covers the grooves on the right hand side and, I was always worried about having lubricant seep down into the grip.
> I'm surprised you have had difficulty with 9mm recoil, I have a Glock 19 & it recoils less than my PPK/S. I'm like you in that I just keep reading and learning about all my guns.http://www.handgunforum.net/images/smilies/033.gif


Been out of town for a while. I'll take a chance you might browse by this thread again.
I know what you mean about the laser. And it worries me. The slide is really hard to work with the laser in the way. I'll keep it on there for a while becasue it is really helping my grip. Each time I fire with the laser, the movement of the gun gets less and less. It's neat being able to see what happens to the impact point as your pull the trigger. And the corrections is getting automatic now. I may eventually try the LaserLyte sight mounted laser. 
The 9mm and .40 I've only tried in light frames. And that's probably why the recoil hurts. I'm looking at a Sig P226. They have a rental at the range, so I think I'll try it out and see how I handle it.
Oldguy


----------



## VietVet68 (Jan 10, 2010)

oldguy said:


> Been out of town for a while. I'll take a chance you might browse by this thread again.
> I know what you mean about the laser. And it worries me. The slide is really hard to work with the laser in the way. I'll keep it on there for a while becasue it is really helping my grip. Each time I fire with the laser, the movement of the gun gets less and less. It's neat being able to see what happens to the impact point as your pull the trigger. And the corrections is getting automatic now. I may eventually try the LaserLyte sight mounted laser.
> The 9mm and .40 I've only tried in light frames. And that's probably why the recoil hurts. I'm looking at a Sig P226. They have a rental at the range, so I think I'll try it out and see how I handle it.
> Oldguy


Is the LaserLyte a front mount? I'm sure you'll get to where I am with the laser but I do really like it for being able to get the gun on target very quickly when you don't have time to aim. At the range I practice picking it up off the table and firing without aiming and the laser really helps that way.


----------

