Mis feeds brand new Hellcat. Normal break in?

[Chomps]

New, 1st time gun owner.

I shot my brand new Springfield Armory hellcat 9mm for the first time today. My first three clips produced three or four misfeeds of the hollowpoint ammunition I was using.

I was shooting Speer Gold dot. 118 grain and 124 hp. Both types produced misfeeds loading from either of the 13 round clips I was using. Both clips are Springfield Armory original OEM clips, one that came with the pistol another I purchased separately at the range. I also used the 11 round clip with some FM J reloads I Purchased at the range those did not misfeed at all. The accuracy of the weapon seems ok!


The fellow at the range said this was normal for a new gun first few times you fire it,… I was wondering if that is true?And also if anyone else was having similar issues with the hellcat 9mm and hollow point ammunition?

At what point if this continues should I start to worry that something with the weapon is defective? After 100 rounds,.. 200? When would you consider the weapon to be "broken in " and expect consistency from the feed?

TIA from a nervous newb!

(....last handgun I fired was my Service issued, Korean era 1911 .45 APC and that was 40 years ago.

[BillSWPA]

My experience has been that if a gun works, it works right out of the box.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[HeavyDuty]

I’ve had more than a few that bobbled in the first hundred rounds before smoothing out.

Chomps, did you field strip, clean and properly oil the weapon first? I think I’d try to find a few hundred rounds of decent practice ammunition to run through it first - I personally like Speer Lawman 124g TMJ. Even bulk “white box” type 115g will work, but is lower power and may be a pain.

[HCM]

New, 1st time gun owner.

I shot my brand new Springfield Armory hellcat 9mm for the first time today. My first three clips produced three or four misfeeds of the hollowpoint ammunition I was using.

I was shooting Speer Gold dot. 118 grain and 124 hp. Both types produced misfeeds loading from either of the 13 round clips I was using. Both clips are Springfield Armory original OEM clips, one that came with the pistol another I purchased separately at the range. I also used the 11 round clip with some FM J reloads I Purchased at the range those did not misfeed at all. The accuracy of the weapon seems ok!

The fellow at the range said this was normal for a new gun first few times you fire it,… I was wondering if that is true?And also if anyone else was having similar issues with the hellcat 9mm and hollow point ammunition?

At what point if this continues should I start to worry that something with the weapon is defective? After 100 rounds,.. 200? When would you consider the weapon to be "broken in " and expect consistency from the feed?

TIA from a nervous newb!

(....last handgun I fired was my Service issued, Korean era 1911 .45 APC and that was 40 years ago.

Modern guns should not require “break ins” and should work out of the box, especially silly with good quality ammo such as Speer Gold Dot.

Contact Springfield for a return authorization tag and have them fix it.

Side note.

I understand why new shooters are attracted to Springfield XD variants like the Hellcat, they are usually accurate and have nice trigger pulls. However, the XD series guns have consistently demonstrated durability and reliability issues when shot regularly. There is a reason there are no significant LE/GOV or military organizations using them outside their country of origin, Croatia. This is a clue.

Springfield’s marketing does everything they can to use their bane to imply the XD series are “American” guns with the implication that they are military /duty grade products, which they are not.

Other makers you might want to consider include: Glock, SIG, S&W, HK, CZ, Walter

[RJ]

New, 1st time gun owner.

I shot my brand new Springfield Armory hellcat 9mm for the first time today. My first three clips produced three or four misfeeds of the hollowpoint ammunition I was using.

I was shooting Speer Gold dot. 118 grain and 124 hp. Both types produced misfeeds loading from either of the 13 round clips I was using. Both clips are Springfield Armory original OEM clips, one that came with the pistol another I purchased separately at the range. I also used the 11 round clip with some FM J reloads I Purchased at the range those did not misfeed at all. The accuracy of the weapon seems ok!

The fellow at the range said this was normal for a new gun first few times you fire it,… I was wondering if that is true?And also if anyone else was having similar issues with the hellcat 9mm and hollow point ammunition?

At what point if this continues should I start to worry that something with the weapon is defective? After 100 rounds,.. 200? When would you consider the weapon to be "broken in " and expect consistency from the feed?

TIA from a nervous newb!

(....last handgun I fired was my Service issued, Korean era 1911 .45 APC and that was 40 years ago.

Warm welcome from Tampa FL. We are glad to have you.

I don't think that advice from the salesman sounds right. For any new gun, I would indeed to expect it to work "out of the box". However, having said that, it might be worthwhile to eliminate some things, though. The Operator Manual for the Hellcat indicates the points of lubrication, on page 26:

60950

Did you perform this step? Or did the salesman do this prior to you receiving the pistol? If not, it would be an idea to do this service prior to your next range session. For lubrication, follow the manual and use "any quality firearm lubricant". (I use Slip 2000 EWL).

Regarding the reloads, you said that they did not misfeed? Typically Speer Gold Dots are some of the best most consistent ammo out there. That is indeed strange!

If it were mine, I would do a simple field strip, perform an inspection (just look for anything unusual), lubricate it per the manual, and re-try with good quality brass case new ammunition. If you don't find it 100% (and by that I mean every single round should go bang, every single time) from any of the magazines supplied with the pistol, inside a couple boxes of ammo, I would be getting in contact with SA customer service to discuss your results.

Good luck!

[sickeness]

Springfield has some real good marketing. My dad who has never owned a gun in his life, who's never shot a gun outside of military service was looking for a pistol and comes and asks me where he can buy a hellcat.

Interestingly enough I took a class earlier this year with a well known trainer which included a couple Springfield reps who brought out hellcats for students to try out. Most people were not impressed and the reps privately admitted to us that they knew the gun was a turd.

[Swandog]

Make sure your wrists are locked and grip it high and hard. Try it that way with some Winchester White Box or Speer Lawman FMJ. If it still fails send it in. I have to have granular grip tape to shoot such small pistols.

[cyberiad]

I've had more than 1 brand new semi-auto fail in some way in the first 100 rounds or so and an new S&W revolver broke before I even fired a shot. I think in some cases things just need to 'wear in' a bit together. Smaller guns are less forgiving of technique, especially with full power ammo. If it were my gun I would make sure it's properly lubricated and keep shooting it before getting concerned.

[O4L]

First maybe you need to switch from clips to magazines [emoji1] and secondly...well maybe hellcat wasn't the best choice. [emoji51]

(Just some good natured ribbing)

Sorry you're having new gun troubles.

[Chomps]

Warm welcome from Tampa FL. We are glad to have you.

I don't think that advice from the salesman sounds right. For any new gun, I would indeed to expect it to work "out of the box". However, having said that, it might be worthwhile to eliminate some things, though. The Operator Manual for the Hellcat indicates the points of lubrication, on page 26:

60950

Did you perform this step? Or did the salesman do this prior to you receiving the pistol? If not, it would be an idea to do this service prior to your next range session. For lubrication, follow the manual and use "any quality firearm lubricant". (I use Slip 2000 EWL).

Regarding the reloads, you said that they did not misfeed? Typically Speer Gold Dots are some of the best most consistent ammo out there. That is indeed strange!

If it were mine, I would do a simple field strip, perform an inspection (just look for anything unusual), lubricate it per the manual, and re-try with good quality brass case new ammunition. If you don't find it 100% (and by that I mean every single round should go bang, every single time) from any of the magazines supplied with the pistol, inside a couple boxes of ammo, I would be getting in contact with SA customer service to discuss your results.

Good luck!


Yup,.. I did lube the gun according to the manual first.

Went to a second range after writting this and I purchased some different ammo. Federal 147 gr HST. I finished firing both the Gold dot ammo (30 rounds) from the 13 round mags. without any problems.

Next I loaded them with the federals and I wound up experiencing even MORE misfeeds than the first time. I even started getting a few mis fires! Primer was struck but round didn't fire. (...misfire mostly occurred with the fmj reloads. But once with the federal 9mm also).

I noticed the slide is not cycling and seating fully forward. It's shy about 1mm and this isn't resetting the trigger. When I release the "MAGAZINE" ;) the slide moves forward the rest of the way with the misfed round in the chamber. This happened several times with all types of ammo.

I didn't have any trouble with misfeeds or misfires with the range's rental Hellcat. Pretty sure the weapon is defective. But im going to disassemble, clean, lube and reassemble it and see if it works any better.



Btw,.. I reloaded one of the misfires. It had a firing pin strike mark on it but it did fire the second time.

[Caballoflaco]

Yup,.. I did lube the gun according to the manual first.

Went to a second range after writting this and I purchased some different ammo. Federal 147 gr HST. I finished firing both the Gold dot ammo (30 rounds) from the 13 round mags. without any problems.

Next I loaded them with the federals and I wound up experiencing even MORE misfeeds than the first time. I even started getting a few mis fires! Primer was struck but round didn't fire. (...misfire mostly occurred with the fmj reloads. But once with the federal 9mm also).

I noticed the slide is not cycling and seating fully forward. It's shy about 1mm and this isn't resetting the trigger. When I release the "MAGAZINE" ;) the slide moves forward the rest of the way with the misfed round in the chamber. This happened several times with all types of ammo.

I didn't have any trouble with misfeeds or misfires with the range's rental Hellcat. Pretty sure the weapon is defective. But im going to disassemble, clean, lube and reassemble it and see if it works any better.



Btw,.. I reloaded one of the misfires. It had a firing pin strike mark on it but it did fire the second time.

With the current cost and scarcity of ammo I wouldn’t waste anymore hoping problems work themselves out with that gun. Contact Springfield Armory and see if they’ll take the gun back. As you’ve described it now I wouldn’t trust it at all.

[Nephrology]

New, 1st time gun owner.

I shot my brand new Springfield Armory hellcat 9mm for the first time today. My first three clips produced three or four misfeeds of the hollowpoint ammunition I was using.



I agree with this opinion.

I'll allow a firearm about 1 malfunction per 1000 rounds that cannot be attributed to the shooter or the ammunition. Anything more than that and i get suspicious.

If it cannot make it through 3 magazines loaded with quality factor ammo (like your gold dots), I would send it right back to the factory, no question. Lubed or not, it should not choke on ~ 10% of the rounds it fires. Definitely not with Speer Gold Dots.

[RJ]

With the current cost and scarcity of ammo I wouldn’t waste anymore hoping problems work themselves out with that gun. Contact Springfield Armory and see if they’ll take the gun back. As you’ve described it now I wouldn’t trust it at all.

+1

Chomps what you've described is not normal operation, at all. The ammo you are shooting (Federal 147 HST and Speer Gold Dot) are two of the most recommended loads for self defence. They are also a bit pricey in normal times, but at today's inflated costs, replacements will be north of $1 a round.

Highly recommend what Caballoflaco and Nephrology are suggesting; contact SA and get a return label to ship it back to the factory. In the event you end up being interested in replacing it, the guys above have made some suggestions ( HCM ) that would be worth looking into.

But for the moment, it sounds like you are kinda stuck getting it fixed. Sorry :(

[Joe in PNG]

With one exception*, all the brand new centerfire guns I've bought have all worked right out of the box.

I suspect that you got a problem gun. It's to be expected in this time of high demand.

*My Colt 1911 did need some extractor tuning to work, but that's 1911 normal.

[11B10]

Chomps - welcome to pistol-forum! Everyone here at PF will give you the straight skinny on anything you ask. However, one thing I didn't see mentioned so far (maybe I missed it because I scanned the thread pretty fast) is your grip. On a small, light (18.3 oz) gun like the Hellcat, an absolute crush grip is mandatory - you can have all kinds of issues without it - ask me how I know. If your grip is solid, your Hellcat should be returned to Springfield. One thing I know personally about Springfield was the customer service I received about 7 years ago when they recalled ALL 3.3 " XD-S pistols. What impressed me with that was they didn't try to buy some time or stall - they just got them all back, found the problem and fixed them. I had mine back in less than 60 days, IIRC. I also had a terrific customer service encounter with Glock some 5 years ago. They actually called me the day they received my G30S and asked me 2 questions: Was this my 1st Glock? When I said yes, they apologized and asked question #2: Which FFL would I like my new, replacement G30S sent to. I had the new one in 3 days - true story.

Good luck - keep us posted.

[Chomps]

Chomps - welcome to pistol-forum! Everyone here at PF will give you the straight skinny on anything you ask. However, one thing I didn't see mentioned so far (maybe I missed it because I scanned the thread pretty fast) is your grip. On a small, light (18.3 oz) gun like the Hellcat, an absolute crush grip is mandatory - you can have all kinds of issues without it - ask me how I know. If your grip is solid, your Hellcat should be returned to Springfield. One thing I know personally about Springfield was the customer service I received about 7 years ago when they recalled ALL 3.3 " XD-S pistols. What impressed me with that was they didn't try to buy some time or stall - they just got them all back, found the problem and fixed them. I had mine back in less than 60 days, IIRC. I also had a terrific customer service encounter with Glock some 5 years ago. They actually called me the day they received my G30S and asked me 2 questions: Was this my 1st Glock? When I said yes, they apologized and asked question #2: Which FFL would I like my new, replacement G30S sent to. I had the new one in 3 days - true story.

Good luck - keep us posted.


I was a little concerned about that. I was focusing tips to improve on my grip to help with my accuracy. I do have arthritis and a buddy mentioned "Limp Wristing" as a potential problem. I can't be entirely certain if my grip is good or not as I am really new to shooting.

If it makes any difference to determine if my grip is any good but, The first range session I shot 98 rounds,.. I had 6 misses. Not tight groupings or anything, but ALL in the black.

Also,.. I rented a Glock 48 and a hellcat @ the range last week and I didn't have any issues with misfeeds! Granted,.. it was with shooting the lighter fmj range reloads. But today,.. those same 105gr FMJ rounds misfed & misfired more than a half dozen times in 20-30 rounds. Same with the heavier Federals.

I suppose it's possible that by my second session I might have been tired, sore & kinda freaked about spending a small fortune to have a potentially defective weapon. My accuracy was certainly Waaaay worse on the second go round.

[Chomps]

Aaaaaarrg!!!

15 min composing an answer on my grip and somehow it got deleted!!!

Ill try again tomorrow!

[Rick R]

The agency I worked for issued XD-45 pistols quite successfully, @120 guns. So several guys bought XDs pistols and showed up at the range often tearing the tags off then firing a 50 round qualification course with no break in or even cleaning. I saw one gun glitch one time and then run smoothly ever after, all the rest were boringly reliable.

The issues you’ve described don’t sound like something that will sort itself out, I’d call SA and get a return authorization. In a couple weeks you’ll probably get a gun back that works quite well for your needs. Every company can produce a problem child. I’ve seen them from S&W, Colt, and Ruger. Poopoo occurs, unfortunately you got shat on.

[TheNewbie]

The agency I worked for issued XD-45 pistols quite successfully, @120 guns. So several guys bought XDs pistols and showed up at the range often tearing the tags off then firing a 50 round qualification course with no break in or even cleaning. I saw one gun glitch one time and then run smoothly ever after, all the rest were boringly reliable.

The issues you’ve described don’t sound like something that will sort itself out, I’d call SA and get a return authorization. In a couple weeks you’ll probably get a gun back that works quite well for your needs. Every company can produce a problem child. I’ve seen them from S&W, Colt, and Ruger. Poopoo occurs, unfortunately you got shat on.

An LEO agency issued XD-45s?

Interesting.

[Wise_A]

le sigh.

Without someone laying eyes on the gun, how you're shooting it, where your hands are, how you're handling it, etc, any guess is exactly that--a guess. Nobody knows.

What you're describing in your last post is that the slide isn't going back into battery, including the misfires. That could be a shitload of different things. Could be barrel--chamber issue, feed ramp, barrel hood, muzzle. Could be the magazine (number your magazines--it's literally the first thing I do after buying a pistol). Could be the ammo, although I would be surprised given that you've tried two different brands and I'd be a little surprised to see that sort of problem at all.

Another note: I'm not familiar with the specifics of the Hellcat. Does the manual specify releasing from the slide stop, or slingshotting the slide? I know the XD specified one or the other, and some of them ran perfectly when you followed the directions, but weren't reliable at all if you didn't (and still others that didn't care and worked fine). Could also be your technique--riding the slide stop, riding the slide, something like that.

On that note, I'd consider it somewhat odd that you could have problems with the first run of Gold Dots, come back on a different day, and have them work fine. That smacks of operator error or a magazine issue.

That said, if I'm checking to see if a serious-ish pistol is reliable, I tend to deliberately mishandle it, at least a little. I ride the slide stop, I ride the slide, I push and pull on the magazine, limp-wrist the hell out of it, etc. I want it to work even if I'm screwing everything else up.

[jeep45238]

I would consider this gun to have a break in round count of exactly zero.

First time shooter, very small gun, and warm loads, tends to make me question your technique. That said, I'm also not sold on the Hellcat's reliability yet either.

If in doubt, send it back under warranty.

[RJ]

Another note: I'm not familiar with the specifics of the Hellcat. Does the manual specify releasing from the slide stop, or slingshotting the slide?



The Hellcat manual appears to recommend releasing the slide stop lever, but also includes the alternate method of sling-shotting the slide to load a round.

61002

[Jared]

Chomps

My first thought would be to find someone you know who is a good shooter shoot the gun. If it still has issues in their hands do not hesitate to send it to Springfield. Not to be rude, but new shooters and micro pistols often are not the best mix. This could very well be something you are doing.

My second thought is to just send the gun to Springfield right now. I’ve never used their CS, but my father did on a Springer 1911 and they were quite good.

[Chomps]

le sigh.

Without someone laying eyes on the gun, how you're shooting it, where your hands are, how you're handling it, etc, any guess is exactly that--a guess. Nobody knows.

What you're describing in your last post is that the slide isn't going back into battery, including the misfires. That could be a shitload of different things. Could be barrel--chamber issue, feed ramp, barrel hood, muzzle. Could be the magazine (number your magazines--it's literally the first thing I do after buying a pistol). Could be the ammo, although I would be surprised given that you've tried two different brands and I'd be a little surprised to see that sort of problem at all.

Another note: I'm not familiar with the specifics of the Hellcat. Does the manual specify releasing from the slide stop, or slingshotting the slide? I know the XD specified one or the other, and some of them ran perfectly when you followed the directions, but weren't reliable at all if you didn't (and still others that didn't care and worked fine). Could also be your technique--riding the slide stop, riding the slide, something like that.

On that note, I'd consider it somewhat odd that you could have problems with the first run of Gold Dots, come back on a different day, and have them work fine. That smacks of operator error or a magazine issue.

That said, if I'm checking to see if a serious-ish pistol is reliable, I tend to deliberately mishandle it, at least a little. I ride the slide stop, I ride the slide, I push and pull on the magazine, limp-wrist the hell out of it, etc. I want it to work even if I'm screwing everything else up.

THANK YOU EVERYONE for your replies!!! Appreciate it greatly.

Wise_A. There are A few terms there I'm not familiar with.

I'm not entirely certain what "Slingshoting" the slide means,.. but from context I assume it's grabbing the slide, pulling it to the rear and releasing it rather than using the slide release button?

I double checked the manual. It ONLY mentions chambering a round using the slide release. But it doesn't specifically prohibit the method I meantioned above.

I have been chambering rounds that way. But Again,.. I used the slingshot method with the range rental Hellcat and the Glock without issue. (It was the method the range employee recommended to use. )

Also,... as I mentioned in my missing post that has now miraculously
re-appeared above,..? (Shrug?) :O

...Im not sure if Im "Limp Wristing" my grip. How can I tell for certain if that is something Im doing?

I had NO ISSUES with limping the rental Glock48 or Hellcat using a lighter, fmj round.

I do concede that during my second range session,.. the one with the MOST misfeeds,... I was definitely a lot more focused on "WTF is up /w this gun" than I was on proper grip & technique. So it's possible I was at least part of the problem.

But I used FOUR different types of ammo. Two different grades of Gold Dot HP,.. 118gr & 124gr rounds. The Federal 147gr HST HP and the range FMJ 105gr reloads.

ALL FOUR produced several misfeeds each during that second session. And In all three of my mags.
(2-13 round and 1-11 round,.. ALL 3 are brand new, OEM SA factory mags. Not aftermarket!)

I can say for certain Im NOT riding the slide when I load or fire. That was addressed the first day I rented & I was aware of that issue.

I pull & release the slide. It seats in "Battery?" (...if that's correct terminology) Every time I load it that way. It Only malfunctions during firing.

Again,... if there is some method for determining "IF" I'm actually Limp wristing, or a foolproof way of correcting for that? I would appreciate a heads ip & I'll double check my grip & technique today.

After I clean & reassemble the weapon, Imma take one more shot at the range later this morning. Ill see if I can get any more of the Gold Dot 118gr. ($46 for 50!!!) arrrrgh! :D

I've still got a box of the Federal 147 and some fmj.

If anyone has another tip or trick to help me sort this out,.. very much appreciate hearing it.


Here's hoping,....

[RJ]

Chomps good for you for sticking through this.

If it helps, here are a few suggestions. Mind you, I am no where near the skill and experience level of most of the shooters on this forum. I'm just a random retired engineer who took up shooting late in life. But I have tried to pay attention to the experts we have; there is some excellent advice in this thread.

1) Grip hard. No, harder than that. Some say you would want to see the imprints of "Springfield Armory" from the pistol's grip in your hand. :cool: I don't know about that, but I grip the pistol pretty firmly. (The idea being, a firm grip will help isolate the trigger finger, as well as allow the gun a firm platform for which to cycle the action, and tend to put your sights back on target for a follow-up sight picture.) So, bottom line, if you aren't sure, is to grip the gun pretty firmly.

2) The on-line Hellcat manual I posted a snip up above lists releasing the slide stop, but also includes the method usually referred to as "sling-shotting". So you should be good either way. What I try to do is explain it this way: With the gun held in your strong hand, grasp the back of the slide firmly with a pinch grip. At the same time, push the gun forward with your strong hand and "rip" the slide back, trying to hit your shoulder, with the support (slide) hand. This tends to give a pretty energetic kick to the slide to the rear, allowing it to firmly strip and seat a round. But I think you posted this issue only happens shooting; so you should be good?

3) There's one other point I don't think has been mentioned. The magazine on a modern autoloading firearm is a critical component of the gun. If you have had someone else fire the gun with the same ammo and are still seeing problems, it might be worth it to examine the mags.

I'd disassemble them into their component parts. This is typically the mag tube, the follower (plastic on the top), mag basepad, and the magazine spring. Shine a flashlight inside the mag tube, looking for high spots or "things that should not be there". On the springs, since you have multiples, make sure all the springs are the same size, uncompressed. On the followers, look for plastic flashing which is part of the manufacturing process, which might be fouling the follower in the magazine tube. Exact-o knife or sand off any rough areas. (I routinely do this inspection on all new guns I purchase)

Perhaps it would even be possible to ask the range to borrow one of their rental magazines and try that? The ones you did not have an issue with, I mean. Or maybe use one of the "new" magazines in a rental gun. The goal being to isolate the problem by part substitution. Just a thought.

Good luck!

[Caballoflaco]

Chomps Noooo! Seriously, don’t waste any more money on ammo dude. You’ve given us enough info that I’m 100% sure that good technique isn’t going to fix your pistol. If you didn’t have any problems with the rental Hellcat or Glock I doubt you suddenly started having that many problems with this pistol. The guys here talking about technique have good intentions but I’m pretty sure they’re wrong on this one.

[Navin Johnson]

If you had joined here more than a week ago and done any reading.....

Seriously why come to a forum like this and ask about a gun that no one likely has? Likely there is an XD forum of some kind where people have experience with Springfield products.

Fortunately it is easy to sell guns right now......do some research and choose wisely......good luck!

[lwt16]

Chomps Noooo! Seriously, don’t waste any more money on ammo dude. You’ve given us enough info that I’m 100% sure that good technique isn’t going to fix your pistol. If you didn’t have any problems with the rental Hellcat or Glock I doubt you suddenly started having that many problems with this pistol. The guys here talking about technique have good intentions but I’m pretty sure they’re wrong on this one.

This.

If the rental copy was drama free in your hands I’d send your problem copy back. If ammo was priced what it was in 2019 I might try to diagnose it but it’s too high for that now.

Send it back. SA should foot the bill.

Regards.

[critter]

If you had joined here more than a week ago and done any reading.....

Seriously why come to a forum like this and ask about a gun that no one likely has? Likely there is an XD forum of some kind where people have experience with Springfield products.

Fortunately it is easy to sell guns right now......do some research and choose wisely......good luck!

Well, how would he know whether anyone has it? I seriously doubt anyone would trudge through pages of post just to see if their particular problem would pop up..

New firearm owner seeking proper guidance. It's all good.

[Rick R]

An LEO agency issued XD-45s?

Interesting.

They weren’t my first choice, an instructor more popular than me suggested them. We brought in T&E guns from S&W, SIG, Springfield Armory and Glock. The XD in .45acp was the overall favorite. We carried them with few difficulties for 10 years then after the instructor who pushed them and myself had both retired the agency transitioned to new pistols.
The Springfield XD in 9mm.

[Duelist]

Chomps: if you’re going to shoot it again before addressing SA for a warranty return, try videoing the range session. Diagnosing what’s going on with video is easier than anything else besides standing next to you and/or putting hands on the gun ourselves.

[HeavyDuty]

I still think I’d approach this by doing a detail strip, inspection, cleaning and reassembly of the gun and all magazines, followed by 200 rounds of a known good and undemanding profile range ammunition like Lawman 124g. It’s a mechanical device, and sometimes they need to be shot in. This would help determine whether it’s a function issue or a bullet profile issue. Sending it to SA will very likely result in them shooting ten rounds through it, shrugging and sending it back with a note saying “it works for us.”

I’m reminded of those of us that were having inconsistent return to battery issues with our slimline Glocks, and the discovery that the ejector plunger wasn’t fully seated on the spring - an assembly error from the factory.

[O4L]

You probably don't want to hear this but if you were a friend of mine coming to me for help, quite frankly I would say sell it and save the money you are spending on ammo trying to make it work, then put that money together, if necessary, and get a Glock or M&P.

[Caballoflaco]

You probably don't want to hear this but if you were a friend of mine coming to me for help, quite frankly I would say sell it and save the money you are spending on ammo trying to make it work, then put that money together, if necessary, and get a Glock or M&P.

This is the advice I would give a friend as soon as he got it back from the factory too, and exactly what I did back in the day when the trigger on a Kel Tec P11 that I really wanted to like decided to stop resetting after about 75 rounds.

[pangloss]

I still think I’d approach this by doing a detail strip, inspection, cleaning and reassembly of the gun and all magazines, followed by 200 rounds of a known good and undemanding profile range ammunition like Lawman 124g. It’s a mechanical device, and sometimes they need to be shot in. This would help determine whether it’s a function issue or a bullet profile issue. Sending it to SA will very likely result in them shooting ten rounds through it, shrugging and sending it back with a note saying “it works for us.”

I’m reminded of those of us that were having inconsistent return to battery issues with our slimline Glocks, and the discovery that the ejector plunger wasn’t fully seated on the spring - an assembly error from the factory.

And I would emphasize cleaning any grease off the gun that might have been applied at the factory. Years ago, I bought a Taurus 24/7 OSS and that pistol gave me fits. I shot a total of 300 rounds through it before I traded it toward a Glock 17.4. However, the frequency of malfunctions declined with every range trip and after every cleaning. I think that if I had meticulously cleaned all the grease off the gun before the first trip, that my experience with Taurus would have been somewhat better.

EDIT: The price on S&W M&P2.0 pistols hasn't run up as much as on some other pistols. A 2.0 compact with a manual safety might be worth considering. The wider gun would also probably be more arthritis friendly. The more I think about the the more I think selling it is the best option. SA is a much better brand that Taurus, but I sure don't regret selling that 24/7.

[WobblyPossum]

I will echo the suggestion to contact Springfield, explain the problems you’ve experienced, and ask them to take a look at the gun. This should all be covered under warranty and should hopefully not even cost you shipping. The cost of ammunition is too high right now to justify continuing to experiment, especially if an identical gun you tried at the rental range didn’t exhibit any issues.

[Chomps]

Chomps Noooo! Seriously, don’t waste any more money on ammo dude. You’ve given us enough info that I’m 100% sure that good technique isn’t going to fix your pistol. If you didn’t have any problems with the rental Hellcat or Glock I doubt you suddenly started having that many problems with this pistol. The guys here talking about technique have good intentions but I’m pretty sure they’re wrong on this one.

ay-Yuhp!

I really wanted to do some more shooting, so I went back to the range. But I should have listened to you Caballoflaco and the others and just quit while I was behind!! :(

It's definitely the gun,... I filled out my warranty card today, I'll give 'em a call tomorrow.

Range observer saw a few of these misfeeds,... He didn't seem to think it was my technique. Interestingly, I started out loading three mags with different ammo in ea. 105gr reloads in the 11rnd/ 118gr Gold Dot HP's/ and 147gr Federals. I went thru all three without an issue!

I had about 75-80 rounds of reloads left so I loaded up the mags with those and about halfway into the 2nd mag I started getting misfeeds again. 1-2 per mag at first, but it got progressively worse. By the time I gave up I was getting misfeeds & misfires every 2-3 rounds. With both the reloads and HP ammo.

I couldn't get anyone to video, but I took pictures of how badly the slide was failing to "return to battery!" The worst case was almost 1/4 in. back. If I can,.. I'll try to post them later.

I even have a few pictures showing some tiny particles/flecks or shavings from the rounds copper jackets IN the barrel just in front the the ?breach? So something is slowing/hanging up the rounds as they feed and causing this. I had the range gunsmith take a peek at it. He thinks maybe the barrel isn't bored out to spec. Anyway,.. he recommends sending it back as well! :rolleyes:

So bummed to get this from my first handgun. Especially since it turns out I'm not such a bad shooter even after 40 years between shots. LOL Not a trained, tight shooter obviously,...
But out of the first 100 rounds,.. all but 6 in the black. :D ;)

Anyway,... I really do appreciate all the help and advice. I'll let you know what I hear from Springfield.

[skipper49]

Springfield will get you squared away. Watch some YouTube reviews of the Hellcat. It is very reliable and durable.
Mine has yet to malfunction with any ammo I’ve put in it. It’s a part of my daily attire. Mine is a sample of one, but I have arthritis bad enough that I’ve had surgery, and the Hellcat is still very doable. And I’ve got a bunch of M&P’s, some Glocks, HK’s, CZ’s, Walther’s, and 1911’s. Just saying, I been doing this a while. :)
Best,
Skip

[sickeness]

Are we really in 2020 debating the merits of whether it is the shooter or the Springfield pistol?
Are we now allowing the "hey it works for my sample size of one" arguments commonly found on other forums? Because this thread is already chock full of those....

It's pretty much well known at this point and the preponderance of evidence shows that Springfield has probably the shittiest track record for any mass market commercial pistol.
Do yourself a favor, once you get it fixed by SA, sell it (you can probably get near what you paid for it in today's market), and buy a Glock, CZ, HK, or M&P. That way you will never have to wonder if it's you or the gun, those are proven platforms that are widely utilized and have all the bugs worked out.

[Wise_A]

Anyway,... I really do appreciate all the help and advice. I'll let you know what I hear from Springfield.

Agreed. Personally, I would try to move it on as soon as I got it back. After your 0750 post--yeah, I would say that that sounds like the gun.

If you're ever wondering about shooter-related issues causing malfunctions, the most straightforward method is to let someone else load the magazines and shoot.


buy a Glock, CZ, HK, or M&P. That way you will never have to wonder if it's you or the gun, those are proven platforms that are widely utilized and have all the bugs worked out.

Because none of those brands have ever had to warranty a gun, right?

It doesn't matter who you buy from or how much you spend, there are no guarantees. There's no statistics, there's no "evidence", all there is is bullshit on the internet. I've seen multi-thousand dollar pistols that couldn't get through a magazine, and I've seen Bersa Thunders digest a few hundred rounds of Uncle Skeeter's Bucket Bullets.

That said, I'm personally still a fan of the humble G26 over Sig and Springfield's semi-singlestacks.

[sickeness]

Because none of those brands have ever had to warranty a gun, right?

It doesn't matter who you buy from or how much you spend, there are no guarantees. There's no statistics, there's no "evidence", all there is is bullshit on the internet. I've seen multi-thousand dollar pistols that couldn't get through a magazine, and I've seen Bersa Thunders digest a few hundred rounds of Uncle Skeeter's Bucket Bullets.




Not sure where you think you are posting,
No offense, but if you want to go somewhere where people will give you attaboys and make you feel better about your purchase you may be more well served on XDtalk or thehighroad.

Of course there are "no guarantees" but there are tons of accomplished shooters, trainers and industry professionals on this forum with a wealth of information to give on what "works" and what doesn't, and most people here will give it to you straight whether you like it or not.
This is not about "what I have seen" it is about, what is the standard and expectations from each manufacturer. Nobody is talking about $2500 race guns and special custom editions, we are talking about mass-produced polymer striker fired pistols; in that regard, the manufacturers I listed previously are proven performers.

[Wise_A]

Don't feel like arguing with you. Protip: I've never owned an XD.

Run along.

[BrassSlapper]

Don't personally own one...yet. My buddy's got one and from my understanding--he's never had an issue with it. I enjoy the way the Hellcat shoots and it feels good in my hands, but there's something about it that just makes me think cheap. And for the price that it sells for, I can just as well pick up another Glock or Sig. Maybe it's just a mental hurdle I need to overcome because I've always enjoyed shooting it.

[sickeness]

Don't feel like arguing with you. Protip: I've never owned an XD.

Run along.

My bad dude.
I went back and checked and I actually had thought I was replying to skipper.
I didn't realize it was a different poster.
Reading is fundamental and I'm a retard in this case.

[Rex G]

To the OP: Welcome to the forum! You have received good advice, already.

This is the 21st Century. Pistols designed during this century should not require “break-in.” This is 2020. Ammo is precious. If you have ruled-shooter error, return this pistol.

Disclaimer: I have some level of personal bias against the current products of Springfield Armory, Inc., which is NOT the same thing as the US government’s Springfield facility, from which the company’s name was derived.

Edited to add: All else being equal, I believe that compact pistols are poor choices for beginning handgunners.

[fixer]

Full disclosure--I have zero experience with XD or hellcat. In fact I've never even handled one at a store.

Reading through the thread, one additional possibility could be flashing on the mag follower. I've seen this a few times in a new pistol.

Also...forgive my paternalistic approach here...for new pistol shooters and especially new gun owners I recommend full size handguns that have duty credentials.

This thread is a good reminder of that. Small handguns are hard to control and require a very experienced hand. The new shooter will have a zillion variables to work through if the pistol doesn't work right.

[Det1397]

To the OP: Welcome to the forum! You have received good advice, already.

All else being equal, I believe that compact pistols are poor choices for beginning handgunners.




Also...forgive my paternalistic approach here...for new pistol shooters and especially new gun owners I recommend full size handguns that have duty credentials.

This thread is a good reminder of that. Small handguns are hard to control and require a very experienced hand. The new shooter will have a zillion variables to work through if the pistol doesn't work right.

THIS

Please don’t construe this as a defense for the Hellcat in a “new” shooters hand... I am very well aware that any and all firearms manufacturers will on occasion let lemons through... But all shooters, new and experienced, will appreciate a full-size or service sized pistol over a micro-compact for handling, performance and ease of operation.

[HeavyDuty]

I was advocating shooting it in - OP has attempted to do that, and it’s still shitting the bed. Time for a trip back to the mothership.

I also agree with the comments that maybe OP would be better suited with a slightly larger, more proven gun like a G26.

[claymore504]

Wiht striker guns I have seen a need on a few to break the slide all the way down and clean out the striker channel and get it completely dry. Lube everything up and run some FMJ through it first. My M&P M2.0 5 inch 9mm and Compact 9mm where like this. Mainly on lower pressure ammo though. If your issues do not clear up give SA a call. They have great customer service from what I hear.

[Wise_A]

My bad dude.
I went back and checked and I actually had thought I was replying to skipper.
I didn't realize it was a different poster.
Reading is fundamental and I'm a retard in this case.

Liked for being cool. I would agree that Springfield's line of plastics, in my personal experience, tend to have a lot more examples of being temperamental (although I don't have very much experience with High Points and Taurusii, because I don't want to get any of that on me). I've had a good time shooting my Brazillian-framed Springfield Loaded, but my dad's 9mm Range Officer is insanely picky about 9mm sizing. I had to buy an EGW U die for it. Not a problem, I wanted to get a CZ Shadow 2 OR anyway.

Generally, I default to recommending G-Lock. A shooter might not stick with it forever, but they do very little wrong, they're inexpensive, easy to find holsters for--perfectly vanilla. If someone has a desire to spend a little more money, H&K. Springfield never makes it onto my list. I've actually enjoyed shooting the examples I've shot, but never felt the need to actually buy one, which probably says something. I don't really trust any manufacturer 100%--it's manufacturing, after all--but if a G-Lock or H&K doesn't work right, I raise my eyebrows. If it's a Springfield, I'm less surprised.

[CCT125US]

Aaaaaarrg!!!

15 min composing an answer on my grip and somehow it got deleted!!!

Ill try again tomorrow!

If I have a fair amount of text, or details, I'll often compose in my notes app, then copy and paste.

[UNK]

If you cleaned & lubed I personally would follow HCMs advice. He is FED LEO and also an armorer qualified on multiple platforms. Ammo is too expensive to waste.

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?44758-Mis-feeds-brand-new-Hellcat-Normal-break-in&p=1118280&viewfull=1#post1118280






Yup,.. I did lube the gun according to the manual first.

Went to a second range after writting this and I purchased some different ammo. Federal 147 gr HST. I finished firing both the Gold dot ammo (30 rounds) from the 13 round mags. without any problems.

Next I loaded them with the federals and I wound up experiencing even MORE misfeeds than the first time. I even started getting a few mis fires! Primer was struck but round didn't fire. (...misfire mostly occurred with the fmj reloads. But once with the federal 9mm also).

I noticed the slide is not cycling and seating fully forward. It's shy about 1mm and this isn't resetting the trigger. When I release the "MAGAZINE" ;) the slide moves forward the rest of the way with the misfed round in the chamber. This happened several times with all types of ammo.

I didn't have any trouble with misfeeds or misfires with the range's rental Hellcat. Pretty sure the weapon is defective. But im going to disassemble, clean, lube and reassemble it and see if it works any better.



Btw,.. I reloaded one of the misfires. It had a firing pin strike mark on it but it did fire the second time.