Problem on the range!

SC243

Well-Known Member
I was getting some practice in on the range today and I had a problem when cycling a round from the magazine. The bolt wouldn’t close properly so I ejected the round and tried the second which loaded and shot fine. Closer inspection of the round afterwards showed the case had been creased in with the bullet head!

These are Federal 100grain .243 soft points, never had a problem like this before, has anyone else?

I'm glad I didn't try to force the issue when it didn't close initially. I think I will be ordering some reloading gear in the near future!!!
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Ouch - poor quality control. Doesn't surprise me - the manufacturers are working as fast as they can to supply the Afghan/Iraq conflicts

Take them back and you'll get a refund for the box or replacement box - whatever you choose.
 
I'm surprised you even got the bolt shut enough to attempt closing it with that kind of damage.

Get your money back/replacement box and email Federal an see what they got to say about it.

RF
 
I found one like it last year, that was a Federal 100 grain Power Shok.
Never did find out a possible cause.
basil.
 
I've had a couple of cases catch in the sizer die and gice the same result - result = pull bullet retrieve powder and primer and scrap case.
 
No problem ;) nothing a few light taps with a hammer on an anvil won't sort out :lol:............................



Never found anyhting like it myself but then I don't use a lot of factory ammo. I suspect they have the machinery cranked up speed wise and the case was not perfectly aligned in the seating die.
 
thats so true, its reason why so hard to get ahold of... all brass powder primers end up in iraq
Ouch - poor quality control. Doesn't surprise me - the manufacturers are working as fast as they can to supply the Afghan/Iraq conflicts

Take them back and you'll get a refund for the box or replacement box - whatever you choose.
 
The power shocks I have have varying depth of seating (up to 2mm) I take it this is what makes factory ammo less accurate than homeload, Jim
 
The power shocks I have have varying depth of seating (up to 2mm) I take it this is what makes factory ammo less accurate than homeload, Jim

Again the only way to determine that is to actually try them. You may be surprised you may get the results you expect. But until you try you will never actually know. I gather you have shot them and they proved less accurate than some hand loads?

Edit;- Oh almost forgot ........................ please remember that the Government run FC insist on factory ammunition and is solely concerned with the clean harvest of the Deer !!! Don't be surprised if a new recommendation comes out severely restriction hand loading, or home loading as they will call it in the interests of Public safety!!!
 
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Ouch - poor quality control. Doesn't surprise me - the manufacturers are working as fast as they can to supply the Afghan/Iraq conflicts

Take them back and you'll get a refund for the box or replacement box - whatever you choose.

I heard this when I bought this batch of ammo, apparently alot of the Federal ammo is on back order by months as they are working so hard to supply the troops. Still, can't complain about that, the troops deserve as much support and ammo as they can get! I'm still waiting on my Lee Reloading Manual I ordered four weeks ago, they're on back order too, may be supplies are so short the American Government has the troops reading up on reloading!!!!!:lol:
 
No more like it's due to the importers. Order the book direct from Lee on the web. You will have it a 7-10 days normally.
 
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Sure it never happened in the chamber as you were loading it up?Just a thought.
 
Sure it never happened in the chamber as you were loading it up?Just a thought.

Don't think it happened in the chamber as the fold seems to go under the bullet head. I did put another eighteen rounds through without a problem afterwards, but I checked each one before loading the magazine!
 
Our troops ammo is supplied by BAE Systems which is actually bloody good ammo - actually better than what the yanks have been issued histroically. There was a point some time ago when there was a short-fall for 7.62 and some idiot started buying in cheap 3rd world ammo. Bloody stuff was a joke but thankfully long gone.

A couple of mates still in have mentioned that there are plans to introduce a lead-free bullet - so that'll be tripling the cost for an inferior performing bullet and all in the name of being 'green' and politically correct - madness.

I always liked German DAG and in particular their special issue 'marksman' which i first used whilst attending their alpine course. I'd pinch it whenever i could.
 
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A couple of mates still in have mentioned that there are plans to introduce a lead-free bullet - so that'll be tripling the cost for an inferior performing bullet and all in the name of being 'green' and politically correct - madness.

Well you wouldn't want someone you've just shot to get lead poisoning!!!:lol:

I think Federal make the ammo for the American troops. I hope they don't have too many being turned out like the one I got as it would cause a jam in an automatic and that could be costly at the wrong time!
 
Federal make for most. It would seem that the machines are calibrated, fed and the first run is with headstamped Federal. After a while the 2nd batch is ran through and with head-stamped Remington, or other

Looking at that round, i'd guess that the machines are not being stopped and re-calibrated as often.
 
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