Another .17 HMR incident : HSE Informed

[Mr. Gain]

Oh man not this again! I thought this had been sorted? I haven't found any split cases yet but have had a few Hornadays fail to fire despite a good strike on the case.

Have you inspected the cases with a magnifying lens? The cracks can be very hard to spot with the naked eye, though it gets easier once you know what you're looking for.

I write the above with a mild sense of "what the ****?" because it seems surreal to be giving advice on how to deal with faulty factory ammunition in 2013.

I really think there's precious little point in returning defective HMR ammo to gun shops or distributors compared to offloading it onto the HSE as per the OP.

 

[FlyBoy270]

I have only used 20g Gamepoints in the 8 years I have owned my Quad, bought 1500 CCI when I got the Rifle, finished them about 2 years ago and bought 2000 Winchester 20g Gamepoints, no issue with either Brand, but I suspect in each case they were initial production batches when tolerances were tight. I do see cases splitting upon firing, but this is normal for this round for manufacturing reasons mentioned in earlier posts. Great little round which allows me to take rabbits out to 150yds, and I always head shoot. I have a 22WMR barrel as well but as stated here its so loud you only get one shot, its nowhere near as accurate either, although packs a considerably bigger punch !
Yet to try my .22LR Barrel as the .17HMR is shooting so sweet I am loathe to swap it.
ATB for New Year to all on SD
Mike

 

[V8 90]

I've had a misfire today (Remington batch 28464) which resulted in a bullet 10mm up from the breech. I've just sat & looked through all my Hmr ammo - checked 600 & found 7 with split necks !! Between my 2 x Hmr's I've probably fired over 5000 rounds & this is the first time I've had any problems.

 

[Spudnet]

I've had a misfire today (Remington batch 28464) which resulted in a bullet 10mm up from the breech. I've just sat & looked through all my Hmr ammo - checked 600 & found 7 with split necks !! Between my 2 x Hmr's I've probably fired over 5000 rounds & this is the first time I've had any problems.

I have so far not had any issues, however after this thread i checked my hmr ammo, same as V8 90 batch 28464 and out of 350 that i had left i had 5 with split necks. i have taken them aside and will make them safe.

i take it the best way to make them safe is just pull them apart, and flash off the powder on an old brick?

 

[Rimmie]

This seems to be getting a bit to common for my liking, I have never had a problem with a .17, I used to have a CZ and now have Annie 1517, but I know people are getting .22/.17 hornets as a replacement, when you brake it down cost wise, you can reload either for roughly the same price as buying HMR ammo ?

 

[JMS906]

Possibly, or maybe he didn't realise as there may have been partial ignition (if that's the right word).

The .17HMR makes a fair old crack when it is fired, even with a moderator. A squib (if that's what it was) would plainly be abnormally quiet. It might not even be audible. (I've had squibs with centrefire rifles in which the primer fired but there was no main charge of powder: it was barely audible.) There is a simple rule.

Whenever anything abnormal occurs STOP SHOOTING and investigate.

You have to be disciplined: it is all to easy to think "hmmm, odd" and chamber another round. If that's what happened, then the destruction of the rifle is the firer's own fault.

-JMS

 

[Pointer]

Yesterday lunchtime I had a call from a shooting mate who is also a SDF member. He was out sighting in his CZ American using Hornady ammo and suffered a barrel blockage, result was a badly twisted bolt and a 2" piece of the stock from behind the bolt shattered off, so another ruined .17 HMR. Very luckily he was unhurt.

I am unclear of the exact events but clearly the prev round was a mis fire and the bullet lodged in the barrel far enough up for the next round to be chambered and fired.

I have done a quick search on the net "Faulty .17 HMR ammunition" and it brings up reams of stuff.

I am also aware of the posts on SDF.

Clearly this is an ongoing and serious problem which is not being resolved so I have written to the HSE and asked them to investigate.

Its not really their issue, however if any Gamekeeper or Pest control officer who uses a .17 HMR as a part of their job suffered the above then it could be reported as a Dangerous Occurance and if the shooter was injured it might also be reportable as a RIDDOR if it was a seven day injury.

I await the HSE's response.

D

Just got in and had 10 mis-fires from circa 16 shots with Hornady 17g v-max in .17 HMR. Very frustrating, especially in the dark. I won't be buying anymore Hornady. Anyone else had any issues with same amo?

 

[ian 243]

This seems to be getting a bit to common for my liking, I have never had a problem with a .17, I used to have a CZ and now have Annie 1517, but I know people are getting .22/.17 hornets as a replacement, when you brake it down cost wise, you can reload either for roughly the same price as buying HMR ammo ?

hi go get a hornet.i got shut off my 17 HMR 22 hornet much more of a gun 750fp 35 grain v max 3100fps

 

[Cyres]

Dear All,

Last week I had the chance to talk at lenght to a senior HSE Inspector.

Firstly I have not had so much of a acknowledgement from the HSE to my initial letter.

Unless the incident occurs to a employee ie a Pest Control officer it is not reportable to the HSE.

All issues with .17 HMR ammunition should be reported to your local trading standards office who will investigate.

So please report it to them and prehaps we might see some action before any person is seriously injured/blinded.

If however you were using the ammunition as part of your paid work then it is reportable to the HSE as a dangerous occurance.

My friend checked the ammo and too discovered tiny cracks in the necks.

I suggest that anybody who uses this calibre checks all their ammo and if you find some defects report it to your local trading standards and let them start to make investigations.

Regards

D

 

[daw]

Split neck

This happened to me two nights ago. Hangfire and when I examined case next day found split neck. I will now check all remaining rounds for any split necks. Thanks for explanation, makes sense. It was Remington.

I too have had several misfires and one bullet jam in the barrel, luckily I knew something wasn't right and stopped shooting.

After speaking to the importers I found out the following;
because the .17hmr has a shoulder, the brass would normally be annealed after this has been formed. BUT the primer has to applied to the rim first so annealing doesn't take place.
If the composition of the brass isn't perfect it can lead to cracked necks, this in turn allows moisture in which can cause the misfire's, hangfire's, squib loads ect.

Here's some of my dodgy rounds.....
View attachment 35669

 

[Fursty Ferret]

Yep...quite a few issues of late. Im switching to winchester from now on. See how they go

 

[Sam_K]

I have had many split cases from remington ammo. A few years ago the remmy ammo also used to fire as if there was a delay in the pulling the trigger and the bang.

 

[private fraser]

I have had many split cases from remington ammo. A few years ago the remmy ammo also used to fire as if there was a delay in the pulling the trigger and the bang.

Hangfires,failures to ignite,partial ignition

Thought they all went out with matchlocks and flintlocks.
Sounds like the calibre is more suited to retro fans

 

[Crosshair243]

If anyone has had or has an incident regarding a .17hmr please pm me and I will put you in touch with a friend who is trying to put a big case together for trading standards.
I am not personally in anyway involved but my friend will be ever so glad to hear from you.

 

[243 fallow]

I have put around 300 bullets through my 17 and had no problems at all, i have a mate who is also a keeper and has had his for 18 months and also shoots rabbits on an industrial scale aswell and has had no problems what so ever we are both using hornady 17grn his rifle is a savage and mine a cz. Perhaps hornady have improved their new batches of ammo ?

 

[243 fallow]

Come on i cant be the only hmr user thats not having problems !

 

[Hornet 6]

Come on i cant be the only hmr user thats not having problems !

When you shoot 10k of them and have no problems you start to wonder about it all.
That is just what I did, while all around were complaining, then I bough a new batch and started to get the spiky cases
and hang-fires, then one didn't exit the barrel. That was enough for me, sold the rifle and have not missed it one bit.
Everything the HMR did the Hornet can do better, and if stealth is needed the .22lr is the answer.

Neil.

 

[daw]

I've fired several hundred through mine over the past five years and only last week have I experienced the one problem, hangfire. Took it out last night for an hour and got 38 rabbits. Love using it!

 

[wildfowler.250]

Had a hangfire with the HMR yesterday. Have to say the ammount of reports of ammunition problems isn't reassuring!

 

[scubadog]

some guys I crossed path with yesterday were having a session on the range at ivythorne. I think they said they had between 3 of them experienced 5 incidents of misfires/hangfires with their .17s that day!

I don't know any more than that but if that is true that is shocking!