FTE and FTF with Federal Champion 115grain

[logan5]

Had a rough day at the range today ... Two boxes of federal gave me nothing but trouble. Winchester white box was no issue . Any one less experience this?

[jathtech]

Your gun is likely new, correct? If so, it's probably a break in issue with weak ammo.

Simple solution is to lock the slide open for a week. It's worked so far many time with others on this forum.
Also, make sure to break it down and clean all the factory oil out of it, and lube it up real good with your chosen lubricant.
I personally recommend Otis Special Forces Dry Lube.

Also, avoid the weaker ammo until your gun is broken in.

[rvrctyrngr]

I hate that stuff. Very weak, even by range ammo standards. Even my CBOB choked on that stuff, and it's NEVER malfed before.

The FNX is very close to being oversprung; weak ammo isn't going to cut it right out of the box. Same issue the G19 Gen4s had until that got the RSA correct.

...and what jathtech said!

[djv38]

Federal champion is pretty weak ammo in my experience. It is the only 9mm ammo I've had a dud with. I've had squibs with two other brands however. Once your gun has more rounds through it, it should run fine. My FNP-9 fires it fine, but I didn't start shooting it till I had a few thousand rounds through my gun, so I don't know how it would have acted prior to that.

[hdpower]

I had a few FTE in my Glock using that ammo no problem with it in my FNX, it is a weak load no doubt. I agree with leaving the slide open for a week or so, this should do the trick.

[logan5]

Thanks for the advice guys. I've had my FNX for about 6 months now and have shot tones of Winchester white box and Speer Lawman. But this was my first time with Federal Champion and was quite disappointed. I'll give the "keeping the slide locked back" for a week trick and see how that works for the next range trip.

[mattbeals]

Nothing but problems with Remington UMC. Accidentally bought what I thought was Winchester white box, turned out to be Winchester white box NATO (+P) ammo. Solved the problem. As other have said, how new is the gone? Locking the slide back will help. Me, I ran about 1,000 rounds of the NATO through it over a couple of weeks. The other suggestion I have seen made is to rack the slide back several hundred times while sitting around watching TV to loosen it up.

Early on in the life of your FNX you need good strong ammo to get it to cycle correctly. After 3,500 I can't find a reload that is reliable. Never have a problem with regular WWB from Wally World, S&B 115gr, Fiocchi. Even Blazer and PMC seem to work well. But that Remington, man... Nothing as dirty or as weak as that in my experience. I can't remember if I've shot Federal through it or not. I know the Gold Dot JHP work beautifully as to the Winchester Ranger SXT JHP (127gr +P+ if I recall correctly). But I'd be judicious in my use of the Rangers. They're right around the proof load.

[showmebob]

My experience with Federal Champion now that I own a chronograph.
I have not used it in 9mm but in 40 S&W I've gotten these average speeds: Day one, 1000 day 2 (different box) 922, day three 943 (same box as day two). I can understand the 21 fps difference between day 2&3 but not the day two and three average of 932 and day one average of 1,000. These were all shot from the same 4 inch FNX.
I dont' have lots of faith in consistency of that ammo however the FNX has never failed with any ammo.

[HK SD9 Tactical]

My experience with Federal Champion now that I own a chronograph.
I have not used it in 9mm but in 40 S&W I've gotten these average speeds: Day one, 1000 day 2 (different box) 922, day three 943 (same box as day two). I can understand the 21 fps difference between day 2&3 but not the day two and three average of 932 and day one average of 1,000. These were all shot from the same 4 inch FNX.
I dont' have lots of faith in consistency of that ammo however the FNX has never failed with any ammo.

There could be a number of differences, temperature being one, pressure level being another. The placement of the chronograph will not make that much of a difference. What about gun cleanliness on day one but not day two and three. What were the temperatures?

[Buffman]

FC is no more any weaker than WWB, to which I've chrono'd side by side.