Factory Ammo Excessive Pressure

[ContinentalOp]

I went shooting this morning with my 642. I fired some Remington UMC LeadLess 125gr FNEB .38 Special ammo. I had one string where 4/5 rounds failed to fire on the first strike but fired on the second. Some of the fired cases were difficult to extract, the last case requiring pliers. When I pulled the last case out I saw a large crack in the case wall.

I inspected my gun and couldn't find any signs of damage. I fired 10 rounds of different ammo afterwards without issue.

I still have 10 rounds left from that box and 3 more 50-round boxes of this ammo. I have to admit, I'm a little hesitant to shoot any more of it.

I've notified Remington via their online customer support site.

 

[hoc9sw]

I would put it away until you hear from them. At least check the lot numbers, and only shoot the other boxes if they are a different batch.

They will want the unfired ammo in the original boxes. Been there, done that.

If you have receipts, copies will help establish your costs.

 

[Fishinfool]

OP - Is that a factory new once fired casing pictured, or a reloaded case? May just be the lighting, but it looks like its been in a resizer die a few times. Usually side splits are from worn out, work hardened brass. I don't see any unusually bulges in the case that might indicate high pressure. Slightly over sized chambers in the gun?



Larry

 

[RobzGuns]

Yeah... Split cases on revolver ammo usually only shows up in reloads...
and in viewing other split case threads, it seems like split cases in revolver ammo isn't as serious as split/bulged ammo for pistols.

 

[ContinentalOp]

I would put it away until you hear from them. At least check the lot numbers, and only shoot the other boxes if they are a different batch.

They will want the unfired ammo in the original boxes. Been there, done that.

If you have receipts, copies will help establish your costs.

I'll be setting them aside. I couldn't find any lot numbers, though.

I ordered them online so I'll look up the e-mail invoice. I hope that will suffice.

Update: I found the lot numbers. All four boxes have the same numbers.

 

[ContinentalOp]

Fishinfool and RobzGuns,

They're not reloads. New factory ammo out of the box. Unless Remington/UMC is remanufacturing their ammo.

I don't believe the chambers are out-of-spec. This gun's had 1412 rounds through it as of this morning and I've never had this problem. All the ammo I've fired has been new factory ammo, from 132gr FMJ all the way up to Buffalo Bore's +P FBI load. I've never noticed any issues with fired casings.

 

[hoc9sw]

Remington UMC is not Reman.

I have not fired any of the Lead-less edition in .38, but we did shoot a box of the 9mm when that was all there was on the shelf. Too expensive for no benefit in my case.

 

[ContinentalOp]

Remington UMC is not Reman.

I have not fired any of the Lead-less edition in .38, but we did shoot a box of the 9mm when that was all there was on the shelf. Too expensive for no benefit in my case.

I got it about the same time I got my 642. I shoot at indoor ranges so I thought it'd be worth trying. I hadn't gotten around to trying it until a couple of months ago, firing 20 rounds without a problem.

 

[SMSgt]

"But factory ammo is so much safer than reloads."

Yeah, right. I guess that explains the frequent factory ammo recalls that appear in the gun magazines.

 

[MichiganScott]

I bought a box of factory new Remington .44 Mag brass years ago. About half of them split in the same spot as the OP's case on the first firing with a previously proven load.

Bad brass happens.

 

[hoc9sw]

"But factory ammo is so much safer than reloads."

Yeah, right. I guess that explains the frequent factory ammo recalls that appear in the gun magazines.

Never argued safety. Just accountability, responsibility, and warranties. Things go wrong. If it is Joe at the LGS who builds a bad batch or a big name manufacturer who screws up, there is a big difference in my chance of someone paying for the lost hand / fingers / eyes.