Taurus TCP 738 Not wanting to feed hollow point

[Guest rlowe]

I just recently purchased the Taurus TCP 738 pocket pistol. It's chambered for .380 semi auto. I purchased 2 boxes of ammo with it, some ball ammo and Hydra Shock. The ball ammo feeds perfect with no problems. The Hydra Shock does not feed so good. On the initial loading(Pulling slide back and letting it fall) the Hydra Shock hits the feeding ramp and jams up. I have to take my hand and "bump" the back of the slide to get it to feed. Per Taurus, there's a break in period of 250 to 500 rounds for it. Anyone ever heard of this?

[Jonnin]

Many semi-autos will struggle with various types of ammo, often hollow points choke up. Polish the feed ramp, it helps sometimes, and try another brand or three if it still will not take the federals.

Also, many guns do require a few boxes to break in, which polishes the parts (feed ramp being one of the parts that gets polished by use), that is normal as well. Often, the break in can be done by taking the gun apart to polish the important moving parts in the critical areas if you prefer that to buying 10 boxes of ammo (380, which is pricy..). Depending on where the rough areas are, racking the slide 500 times can help, or shooting snap-caps, etc.

Even after break in some guns just will not take some ammo, so do try another type.

Note: polish means polish. Not grind. Not sand. Polish. Whatever you use should leave a surface like a mirror, for example, diamond dust on a damp cloth.

[Guest rlowe]

Thanks for the info. What would you suggest to use to polish the feed ramp with?

[Jonnin]

a cloth wheel on your dremel tool with light polishing compound of some sort (car wax/polish? diamond dust? jeweler's rogue? etc?), or the very finest "sand paper" (the very very fine grit stuff), or the like. Again, anything that will leave it looking like a mirror; if you can see scratches, it will feed rough.

[peejman]

Just try different ammo. Smaller guns tend to be picky with what they'll feed reliably. Google a bit and see what other TCP owners use. Lots of .380 people just use ball ammo for the (potentially) increased penetration.

[LazyAce]

Check over at www.taurusarmed.net There is a lot of info there on this problem.

[Jonnin]

There is a good discussion on the buffalo bore ammo site about using hollowpoint ammo in weak rounds (specifically the makarov and 380 "calibers"). They give you a dissertation on it, then let YOU decide if you want their hollowpoints or the solid stuff.

I use hornady's critical defense in my 380, but its a different gun and may or may not feed in your gun.

You cannot search the taurus site without login, which I didnt care to make (I have a 709 but I don't really want to talk about it all day... its not *that* interesting to me...) but the quick answer I found in their sticky posts said that individual guns vary a lot in what brands work, no one brand works in all of those guns so you have to try a few types to see what works in your specific gun.

Edited February 22, 2011 by Jonnin

[Oh Shoot]

... the Hydra Shock hits the feeding ramp and jams up. I have to take my hand and "bump" the back of the slide to get it to feed....

If it's only the first round, try feeding it from slide lock release rather than racking.

Kahr's are well known for this, it's even in the manual to feed first round this way.

- OS

[JReedEsq]

I had the same issue with my P3AT for the first 50 rounds. I had one FTF during the second 50 rounds (using Tula) and by the next 80 rounds of Remmington UMC I had no issues at all. The LCP I traded away fed everything as long as it was clean. I got rid of it just because I didn't enjoy shooting it and then decided I should have kept it since my Glock 26 is too heavy to carry while running/cycling. Personally, I think any pocket .380 will probably finicky. I'm not even planning to mess with JHP for now in the P3AT. It is a very specific use gun for me. It's only for times when I wouldn't otherwise carry. If I want to pocket carry for EDC I just move up to my Glock 26 and avoid tight pants.

[JeffL]

When I had one of those, it fed Speer Gold Dot and Hornady hollow points no problem. I would try different ammo before you bust out the dremel.

[7mmvol]

My new Taurus TCP 738 is a little hesitant on initial chambering of the Hornady Critical Defense, but shoots and cycles them find. I just have to 'help' it a little to get the first one in. I really like this little fellow, I am a slender guy who has a hard time concealing anything because I am so thin, but this one I can hide...

[Caster]

My wife has one. It feeds and cycles perfect. Granted it only has a grand total of 50 rounds through it. She shot two boxes of Cor-Bon DPX when she first came home with it. It was surprising actually. I watched closely and it didn't cough fart or belch. We got her a few more boxes of the DPX and called it good. The round count for the life of this pistol will likely not exceed a few hundred in it's lifetime. She'll shoot it a few times a year maybe.

I did notice one thing. The unsupported chamber makes a HUGE swollen spot on the brass. It visually noticeable right away. They are unsuitable for reloading. Which is fine no more than it'll be shot. I am curious if ya'll's do the same thing?

[Jonnin]

My wife has one. It feeds and cycles perfect. Granted it only has a grand total of 50 rounds through it. She shot two boxes of Cor-Bon DPX when she first came home with it. It was surprising actually. I watched closely and it didn't cough fart or belch. We got her a few more boxes of the DPX and called it good. The round count for the life of this pistol will likely not exceed a few hundred in it's lifetime. She'll shoot it a few times a year maybe.

I did notice one thing. The unsupported chamber makes a HUGE swollen spot on the brass. It visually noticeable right away. They are unsuitable for reloading. Which is fine no more than it'll be shot. I am curious if ya'll's do the same thing?

Check it with normal ammo. The higher pressure stuff probably makes the problem worse, whereas normal ammo probably just has a small deformation that can be ignored or reshaped.