.17HMR Ammunition isues

[bewsher500]

It really isn't a question of preferring the .22LR or .22WMR (though I haven't had any ammo problems with these): it's just that HMR QC isn't good enough.

I don't see this as a quality control issue.

This is a fundemental design flaw in the manufacturing process.
If they then QC'd out all those with split necks their faulty round bin would have as many if not more than the boxes going out for sale!

this is as usual a cost issue as I see it.
When the machine making the HMR ammo is essentially a WMR machine with a necking element added to it and necks are sized AFTER priming, there is no allowance for annealing unless another process is added before (at a cost)

 

[Archer]

i have not fired my current 17 hmr for the best part of 6 months.
b
ob.

Like you Bob my CZ 17hmr has spent 6 months "resting".
Prior to taking it out last week, I checked a part box of ammo and found 10% with split necks- light to open.

I fired all of them with no obvious variation in performance

The other full box had 8% so I decided to return it

It was bought last summer so I wasn't sure what the RFD would say/do.

We had a brief chat about the problems of last years' production and he exchanged the faulty box.

Checked the new ammo and there were no splits

 

[Mr. Gain]

I don't see this as a quality control issue. This is a fundamental design flaw in the manufacturing process. If they then QC'd out all those with split necks their faulty round bin would have as many if not more than the boxes going out for sale! this is as usual a cost issue as I see it. When the machine making the HMR ammo is essentially a WMR machine with a necking element added to it and necks are sized AFTER priming, there is no allowance for annealing unless another process is added before (at a cost)

I'm inclined to agree, except that I think the reject percentage would be closer to 10% than to 50%+ so the cost saving might not be entirely offset by wastage.

In any event, Archer's (and other posts, including the original one) suggest something may have improved. Having ditched my HMR last year and having not bought any new ammo for it for some months before that, I have to admit that I can't speak for its current quality. If it is actually better now, have you any idea what they might have done to achieve this?

 

[neil_r]

I got a very early .17 many years ago, it's a cheap but very accurate Savage, it has had well over 3 thousand rounds through it, I have never had a round stuck, a misfire and I have never noticed a split case, but then I seldom pick them up. I use Remmington rounds.

 

[The deer man]

I don't see this as a quality control issue.

This is a fundemental design flaw in the manufacturing process.
If they then QC'd out all those with split necks their faulty round bin would have as many if not more than the boxes going out for sale!

this is as usual a cost issue as I see it.
When the machine making the HMR ammo is essentially a WMR machine with a necking element added to it and necks are sized AFTER priming, there is no allowance for annealing unless another process is added before (at a cost)

I would also agree.
The good news for me is that all the ammo I've bought and used this year has been good, no split cases or duds. My guess would be no manufacturer could continue, especially in the litigious USA, producing dangerous ammo so suspect and hope the problem has been rectified.
As posted previously the Winchester ammo seems pretty reliable in my .17HMR CZ.

 

[bobjs]

Like you Bob my CZ 17hmr has spent 6 months "resting".
Prior to taking it out last week, I checked a part box of ammo and found 10% with split necks- light to open.

I fired all of them with no obvious variation in performance

The other full box had 8% so I decided to return it

It was bought last summer so I wasn't sure what the RFD would say/do.

We had a brief chat about the problems of last years' production and he exchanged the faulty box.

Checked the new ammo and there were no splits

cheers bud

I have had a look at a few of my box's of ammo and they look fine, not sure i want to open them up as its all to go with the hmr,

i am trying to swap it for a scope as i will not use it anymore, and i have to admit im a big fan of the hmr but i don't bunny bash anymore for eating, i just turn them into fox bait/glove puppets with the 20 tactical now.

nothing wrong with the 17 imo: i just dont need it sat here doing nothing.

bob.

 

[bigyin]

ive had none of the problems that have been mentioned with my 1517 which ive only ever used hornady red tips in,only thing i have noticed is some of the different batches seem to cause more damage to head shot rabbits than others ? although the rabbits are still just as dead and seem to be just as accurate also, i wouldnt like to be with out mine

 

[Muir]

I don't see this as a quality control issue.

This is a fundemental design flaw in the manufacturing process.
If they then QC'd out all those with split necks their faulty round bin would have as many if not more than the boxes going out for sale!

this is as usual a cost issue as I see it.
When the machine making the HMR ammo is essentially a WMR machine with a necking element added to it and necks are sized AFTER priming, there is no allowance for annealing unless another process is added before (at a cost)

The fact that the cases aren't annealed after priming has no bearing on the matter. The cases are annealed before priming and sized which is fine, and a process that worked really well for years until they changed something: ether the brass alloy mix or the annealing process itself. Remember that the HMR had ZERO case problems until a few years back so it's not like they don't know how to do it!~Muir

 

[howa243]

Out last night lamping with my .17 and I had a first. Pulled the trigger and instead of the normal ignition and dead rabbit, the whole of the inside of the land rover lit up with a loud band and a searing pain in my knee. For some reason the round had exploded, shooting the mag out of the well and onto my leg. Have not got to the bottom of it, but I think there are two possible explanations, neither of which make me feel especially happy with the calibre. I do still like shooting it and have enjoyed some good outings recently but if I had my time again I would probably not buy one.

 

[RickoShay]

...land rover lit up with a loud band and a searing pain in my knee...

​So a sort of Chas and Dave 'knees up' band?


So what are the two possible explanations?

 

[howa243]

​So a sort of Chas and Dave 'knees up' band?


So what are the two possible explanations?

That was a good spelling mistake that was. lol

I had taken a shot just before, but there was no ignition. When I removed the case it had no bullet in it and I assumed that I had not ejected it from the previous shot and had withdrawn the bolt sufficiently to 'cock' it but not far enough to eject and reload a new round. There was no obvious ignition. When I then loaded a new round and fired it, it is possible that the previous round had enough ignition to push the bullet into the barrel which then resulted in the explosion. why I am so unsure about this being the obvious explanation is that the barrel was clear after the second round had gone off. The other explanation is that the bullet simply ruptured and exploded. I continued to shoot and had a hang fire and a dud in the next five rounds so could be a very bad batch.