I did a range outing with my son this morning. My SP5K started to choke, which was odd. After a bit of screwing around, I realized that a round was not extracting from the chamber. I was getting double feed after double feed. The extractor wasn't grabbing it, AND the primer did not have an indentation from the firing pin. I removed the magazine. Rack the bolt, squeeze trigger, click. Repeat repeat. Same deal. It wouldn't come out or fire! HUH?

I finally looked real close in the chamber at the headstamp and realized what was up. I had to poke a rod down the barrel to get it out. The shorter case allowed the rim to be too far into the chamber for the extractor to grab it or for the firing pin to hit the primer. A stray casing must have gotten mixed into my brass when I was reloading subsonics. I never even noticed. I've gotten some of those damn 9mm Makarov before (can't miss that in a press), but never a .380.

The boy still seemed to have a good time.

Usually(?) the .380 pop out of my Dillon shell plate when seating a primer and keep that from happening. Least not that I know of.

I've had it happen before at the range, a .380 round getting mixed up in the 9mm ammo. I couldn't imagine a Hk Sp5 choking on anything else, as they are a robust gun.

You and your son are lucky as that 380 would have surely been overcharged. I’m glad the gun choked on it and you guys are safe..

I had similar problem with my G-19 one time. Loading a 9mm mag with 380 was - in retrospect - a bad move.

I now keep the ammo and mags far apart when loading up before a trip to the range.

quote:

Originally posted by usncorpsman:
You and your son are lucky as that 380 would have surely been overcharged. I’m glad the gun choked on it and you guys are safe..

That's what I was thinking, too. Almost +50% the bullet weight compared to what the .380 case should have had, in addition to the extra powder load that was intended for 9mm. I'm glad the firing pin couldn't make contact.