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17 HMR Ammo issue


hwr
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Went shooting the other day and I've just emptied my pocket of the spent cases and noticed a split case.

On further investigation I found 12 split cases and only 10 good ones!

The new rifle has had less than 400 rounds through it.

Has anybody else had this problem lately?

The ammunition is probably 4 years old.

Thanks in advance.

Hwr

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These are red tipped hornady, I'm guessing the ammo age as ( this is the best it ) this batch replaced another dodgy lot with blue tips.

I would suggest using safety glasses and make sure you keep hands clear of magazine, hold rifle by stock only!

Edited by hwr
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This has been done to death. Try a search.

 

Essentially, the manufacturing process means that after priming and sizing the cases they cannot be annealed to relieve the stress to the case neck. That means that some will be split open whilst seating the bullet (split before firing) whereas many others will split after firing.

 

This, in addition to the problem with squib rounds and other general inconsistencies, is why I ended up selling mine and opted to go for a 17 hornet instead. Not knocking the hmr, for a flat shooting cheap bunny gun it takes some beating. But I already home load so the extra work in loading for a 17 hornet made more sense and meant I had more control of the quality of the ammunition I was using.

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This has been done to death. Try a search.

 

Essentially, the manufacturing process means that after priming and sizing the cases they cannot be annealed to relieve the stress to the case neck. That means that some will be split open whilst seating the bullet (split before firing) whereas many others will split after firing.

 

This, in addition to the problem with squib rounds and other general inconsistencies, is why I ended up selling mine and opted to go for a 17 hornet instead. Not knocking the hmr, for a flat shooting cheap bunny gun it takes some beating. But I already home load so the extra work in loading for a 17 hornet made more sense and meant I had more control of the quality of the ammunition I was using.

I did several searches, but found not enough information hence my post.

I personally don't think it is acceptable that a round blows up like this!

I can accept that things go wrong occasionally but not that that is accepted as the norm!

My mate lives in another part of the country and had the same problems!!

 

It's a great bunny round but not at the expense of your fingers or hearing!

Hwr

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There are two schools of thinking about the HMR. People like it or loathe it. There has been in the past problems with the ammo. There have been instances of guns blowing up. I personally have owned mine for nearly 10 years now and still have all my fingers, thumbs and original gun despite all the horror stories you might read. I've never had a squib round and I've shot all different types of ammo through mine. I've had the odd flier which I couldn't explain but then anyone shooting enough 22 subs will have experienced the same thing. When you shot those rounds I'm certain you never knew any different until you looked at them in the light of day. I'm sure I've had split or cracked necks BUT its not an issue. I've shot thousands of rounds through my rifle and it's still as accurate as it was when I bought it. Now either I am very lucky (having spent the last 5 months out of work with a bionic leg I'm doubting that) or the HMR isn't as bad or dangerous or self destructive as the haters will have you believe. You've got 2 choices accept that the old ammo was occasionally naff and carry on and don't worry about looking at the cases - you can't reload them and they've got no scrap value so why bother - OR chop it in for a 17cf.

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Well, I purchased one of the first CZs which Edgars sent out. Bought it from Simpsons at Shepshed, within an hour of him receiving it, Nigel having warned me that they were coming in. been such a long time I cannot honestly remember when, but around 15yrs ago or so if not more, time flies by when your enjoying yourself. I have just looked through a pile of fired cases in the foot well of my Landie and not one has a split, but inevitably something died as a result of it being fired. I personally love the round, it is a 'surgical' instrument out to 150yrds.

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I love it too, for all the reasons you quote. However I'm not sure the ammo quality control is as it should be. Thanks for looking through your cases, I don't remember in the past noticing any splits before. You can see the difference in colour between good and bad cases, also although you cannot see it in the pictures, one of these has a split at both ends!

It's a pain and needs to be addressed.

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ive took to checking a box of ammo under a magnifying glass the night before i go out,just checking it and running your thumb nail around the neck suffices,doesnt help if the cases are splitting when chambering but eliminates any dodgy ones prior to going out

 

must admit to being very lucky (touch wood) , havent had any bad ones as yet with this gun

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That does make me wonder about different measurements in chambers. OK, I accept that one or two of you have found signs of cracks before hand, but for a case to open up like those in the photo they need room to do so, even if only a gnats whisker. Maybe worth making a chamber cast if you have a rifle which constantly splits cases and then checking the measurement. I'm no gunsmith but know that casting chambers is quite a regular thing in the USA. I'll put a thread on the Shooting Forum and see what the guys on there come up with.

 

Squib loads should, if your awake be pretty obvious because your not going to get the PPZZZZINGG of the bullet travelling to the target....assuming your using a mod of course.

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The gun has had less than 400 rounds through it so it would have to be a rifle manufacturing QA thing then.

This was a replacement rifle as previous one was damaged by ammunition problem, a while ago now.

However my friend had a similar issue in different part of country last month.( so a newer batch of ammo )

I recognise this "could" be an out of tolerance rifle, but how do you explain the other, unrelated ( apart from being 17HMR) incidents?

For my part I think it's down to the cases.

I would like everyone reading this to make an effort and check their spent cases.

Maybe they've always been a few that split as suggested and I just haven't noticed, I don't think so though.

Sqib wise yes I think perhaps my first rifle might have been damaged by one as there was an unexplained miss, which sounded completely normal, followed by an almighty (second shot at same rabbit) ) explosion which left my ears ringing for 24 hrs and split the stock and destroyed the magazine luckily all missing me!😳

Chambered round either split or followed a squib and back fired through vent and set one off in the magazine which completely exploded splitting stock destroying plastic mag and bloody deafening me!

Did you know rifles have a vent? Because I didn't till then.

I'm glad they do and also never hold magazine anymore.

Edited by hwr
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