Magtech QC declining?

[Sero Sed Serio]

Has anyone noticed an increase in issues with Magtech ammo? It has been my go-to for a few years now because it is readily available, competitively priced, and has always been drama-free.

Over the past few months I’ve noticed a few issues—I’ll occasionally get rounds that throw a lot of sparks out of the muzzle, and I’ve had a few that have felt like they had a noticeably light powder load.

My last range session I shot 150 rounds of their 115 gr. 9mm. I had one malfunction that locked up my training G19 and took quite a bit of effort to clear: after firing, the slide was about a quarter inch out of battery, and would only move about a quarter inch. After some forceful tugging, I was able to cycle the slide and eject the round, which had a slight dent in the case.

I handed the round to an RSO for disposal, and he decided that the smart play was to try and fire it in his G19. He cleared the pistol, locked the slide back, dropped the round in the chamber, and dropped the slide. He got the exact same failure to return to battery that I did.

Same shooting session I had a powder-puff load that short-stroked the slide and didn’t even start to strip the next round from the magazine. I tap-racked, and as I fired I thought to myself that I probably should have checked for a squib, but the pistol functioned normally.

Wondering if anyone else has noticed anything similar, and if there’s a similarly-priced alternative out there that has shown better QC as of late?

[45dotACP]

Haven't noticed it last time I shot a box...They're usually my go to for a nice accurate practice round for my Berettas

Sent from my SM-A326U using Tapatalk

[spence]

I have not noticed any appreciable issues with Magtech, and it’s been one I’ve had a lot of. I bought 750 rounds of Federal Champion a while back and had two failures to go into battery (in five rounds) with a P365, and it put a heck of a horizontal dent in the projectile. Not sure where it impacted to do that, but then a little later had the same exact issue with another round in my 92. I chalked it up to a bad box, and perhaps the projectiles were not seated straight in the case. No other issues in the case.

To your original question, as far as function, most recently I’ve also run Fiocchi (sans my own potential accuracy question with it, but it’s run flawless), Belom, PMC, and Lawman. Probably one of the most common loads I’ve shot has been PMC. Stuff works flawlessly, though not loaded very hot.

[FNFAN]

I wish I would have seen this thread before ordering a case of 44 Spl and .40! Hopefully they can't flub revolver ammo and I have plenty of .40 before I'll break into the new stuff. We'll see!

[SCCY Marshal]

I wish I would have seen this thread before ordering a case of 44 Spl...

The cowboy load? I've had one dead primer in the last 100 rounds fired. Fluke or trend, I do not know. Other than that, it has been an accurate load with a well-designed bullet profile and moderate recoil. The bullet's meplat is wider than any non-wadcutter .38 I've come across while still featuring a slightly rounded ogive for loading in chamber mouths.

[Jamie]

I can't speak directly to current production brass cased Magtech, but I picked up a 50 round box of the 115gr steel case 9mm last December (Targetsports member here). While accurate enough out of my G17 & G19 it would shower sparks about every 3rd round...like a miniature roman candle...it functioned fine, but that's pretty distracting to me. I'll not be purchasing any more of it (steel cased).

A few years back, before my bride passed, I picked up a couple of K of Magtech .380 for her Shield EZ. Excellent ammo, but again, that's been a few years ago.

FWIW I've had excellent results with the New Republic 155 and 124 gr 9mm Target Sports carries. Easy to hit steel plates at 25 yards and functions well in my Glocks and LCR. Good quality brass for reloading unlike Geco and Norma.

[FNFAN]

The cowboy load? I've had one dead primer in the last 100 rounds fired. Fluke or trend, I do not know. Other than that, it has been an accurate load with a well-designed bullet profile and moderate recoil. The bullet's meplat is wider than any non-wadcutter .38 I've come across while still featuring a slightly rounded ogive for loading in chamber mouths.

It's the 240gr FMJ marketed as low recoil. I'm also going to order some of the Underwood full wadcutter 200gr when they get back in stock. That would probably be a carry load if the gun ever comes into play for social purposes.

[1911Nut]

I've been shooting their 9mm 124 gr. FMJ load a lot recently, and just last week ran a bunch of that ammo through:
Atlas Hyperion 2011
Wilson Combat 1911
STI 2011
Springfield EMP4

All of it functioned perfectly, as it has in several IDPA matches I have used it in over the past couple of months. Ejection from different guns matches patterns of other brands of ammo used in those same guns. Accuracy has been very good, and it shoots very clean. I haven't run any of it through a chronograph, though.

[spence]

I've been shooting their 9mm 124 gr. FMJ load a lot recently, and just last week ran a bunch of that ammo through:
Atlas Hyperion 2011
Wilson Combat 1911
STI 2011
Springfield EMP4

All of it functioned perfectly, as it has in several IDPA matches I have used it in over the past couple of months. Ejection from different guns matches patterns of other brands of ammo used in those same guns. Accuracy has been very good, and it shoots very clean. I haven't run any of it through a chronograph, though.

Finally got a new chronograph not too long ago. Have to sort out the Magtech in the lot, but the 115 has been a bit over box velocity from both my 92 Centurion and P365.

[SeriousStudent]

Greg Ellifritz had mentioned a similar issue in his newsletter recently. I gave him some Federal .32 JHP's to play with when we talked at TacCon this year. I'll see if he has any more feedback on the Magtech stuff.

I have a couple of cases of the older 115 grain 9mm stuff upstairs. I'll see how it shoots this weekend, I'm breaking in a new Glock.