Word of Warning HMR Users

Deeredriver

Well-Known Member
I know most people are aware of this and it has been covered many times, but if you get a miss fire, hang fire, click of the firing pin or anything that is unusual, wait 60 secs keeping the rifle pointing in a safe direction, then.

REMOVE THE BOLT AND CHECK THE BARREL FOR OBSTRUCTION.

This was highlighted to me last night again when lamping.

Shot one rabbit, cycled the bolt for the next, then 'click', there was no noise except the firing pin BUT the primer/powder had produced enough power to lodge the bullet in the rifling.

Obviously if I hadn't checked the barrel and fired another round the results would have been severe.

As usual this was cause by a split in the case neck causing moisture ingress.

After checking 300 rounds this morning over 30 had split necks!

Please be careful...
 
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I know most people are aware of this and it has been covered many times, but if you get a miss fire, hang fire, click of the firing pin or anything that is unusual,

REMOVE THE BOLT AND CHECK THE BARREL FOR OBSTRUCTION.

This was highlighted to me last night again when lamping.

Shot one rabbit, cycled the bolt for the next, then 'click', there was no noise except the firing pin BUT the primer/powder had produced enough power to lodge the bullet in the rifling.

Obviously if I hadn't checked the barrel and fired another round the results would have been severe.

As usual this was cause by a split in the case neck causing moisture ingress.

After checking 300 rounds this morning over 30 had split necks!

Please be careful...

This is the main reason I went for a .22 hornet instead of the HMR + i can reload the Hornet
 
But with wider considerations and for perhaps those setting out on their in-the-field shooting career, let's add (as the 1st stage of a misfire) "keep the rifle pointing in a safe direction and wait 60 seconds BEFORE opening the action".

K
 
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But with wider considerations and for perhaps those setting out on their in-the-field shooting career, let's add (as the 1st stage of a misfire) "keep the rifle pointing in a safe direction and wait 60 seconds BEFORE opening the action".

K

60 seconds and lift your head away from the action and use you thumb and forefinger to work the bolt.
 
But with wider considerations and for perhaps those setting out on their in-the-field shooting career, let's add (as the 1st stage of a misfire) "keep the rifle pointing in a safe direction and wait 60 seconds BEFORE opening the action".

K

Fair point, I'll edit the post.
 
I have checked all my .17 HMR rounds and have found 8 split necks. Sometimes these are very subtle and really need a strong light and a magnifying glass to see, but sure enough you can do your own quality control. It should not be this way, but it is and should be until the old ammo is shot up. And if there is a misfire do check the barrel for obstruction.
 
Would the likes of Rocol crack detector aerosols work in this case ? Would it hurt to use it ?
 
What actually is happening to cause a split neck??
Is it brass thats too thin?
or a poor fit in the chamber?
Every one Ive fired from my last batch of ammo has split and haven't been all that accurate.
Ive fired about 10 rounds from this particular batch.
Whats the biggest risk?
 
What actually is happening to cause a split neck??
Is it brass thats too thin?
or a poor fit in the chamber?
Every one Ive fired from my last batch of ammo has split and haven't been all that accurate.
Ive fired about 10 rounds from this particular batch.
Whats the biggest risk?

They spilt because the cases cannot be annealed after forming due to the primer compound already being present (it cannot be applied through the .17 cal neck).

It's not much of a problem if they split after firing, but if the split is present before the moisture can contaminate the powder, the biggest danger is an obstruction by a bullet.
 
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is this possibly just a bad batch or have I just been lucky ive put about 1500 rounds through mine in the last 6 months and no problem that ive noticed and no missfires
 
This is the main reason I went for a .22 hornet instead of the HMR + i can reload the Hornet

+1 for the Hornet - getting a bit of a cult following round here and I've seen some tasty NV set-ups with zero worries compared to the HMR issue
 
I'm surprised the 17 HMR hasn't died a death after all these problems. The ammo companies must the on very thin ice if anyone was to be killed or seriously injured given that the problems are well documented . I also wonder where the retailer of the defective ammo would stand?
 
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