Something strange at the range...

[rm9792]

I would suspect that the bullet wasn't seated to the proper length, or the shoulders were formed wrong, or that the neck was too long (Even for 5.56). Buy cheap ammo, get cheap results.

I thought it was "buy cheap get expensive results"? Blown up guns and hands arent cheap!

[Heartland Patriot]

I have used steel case ammo from a couple of different manufacturers with varying results. I have had a couple of stuck cases. THAT wouldn't have surprised me; annoyed yes, surprised, no. The BULLET being stuck did (and surprised my friend as well, since it was HIS rifle).

[VMI77]

I had an out of spec 55GR steel case (Herters) get stuck in my 556 bore. I am DONE with that steel junk. I have had 0000 FTF, FTE with brass. XM193 all the way

It was NOT the CASE that got stuck. It was the PROJECTILE, the BULLET, that got stuck. That is why I said it was strange.

Having attempted to remove bullets from cases before to render suspect ammo inert, I tend to doubt that the extractor can exert enough force to separate a properly crimped case from a bullet, so I suspect the bullet wasn't property seated. Maybe the inertia of chambering a loose bullet was enough to seat it inside the rifle with enough force to allow the already loose case to be extracted? Or, given that the bullet wasn't properly seated in the case, maybe it was protruding slightly further from the case than a normal round and got pushed beyond the chamber with enough force to completely unseat the bullet from the case, thus, allowing the extractor to withdraw the case?

On another note, I had snakeshot loaded in a 15-22....the snakeshot won't cycle the action, so I was doing it manually...and somehow a round got pushed into a chambered round and went off with the bolt open. I'm not sure whether the previous round didn't eject or whether due to a faulty magazine, two rounds got stripped off during the same cycle. Afterwards I found the magazine to definitely be faulty....letting top rounds pop out with just about any jolting or movement, so I'm thinking that a round popped up while the bolt was coming back and then when the bolt moved forward it stripped off another round and slam fired both rounds. Fortunately the round that went off in the open bolt didn't injure me or damage the gun. Haven't used that magazine again and haven't had a repeat.

BTW, I've had no luck with steel cased ammo in ARs.....

[Heartland Patriot]

SNIP

BTW, I've had no luck with steel cased ammo in ARs.....

There are three things that, if you do wish to use cheap steel case ammo in an AR that I have found to help. In fact, I went to the range with my older daughter the other day (she's home on leave right now from the USAF) and we put about 240 rounds through my AR, all cheap Herters HP that I can use at QC. Anyway, those three things are: One, don't shoot on a really hot day, something to do with expansion rates of the metals in the receiver and the case; Two, use a lot of CLP, or whatever is your favorite substance to keep the gun running under normal circumstances; and Three, take a brass rod with you, just in case one does get stuck. I have had it happen once, but only when it was over 100 F outside. I understand the "risk" I am taking, but until I come into some sort of windfall of cash, or I get a high-roller job, I just can't afford to practice with brass-case since I have to use HP or SP ammo at the range. To each their own, though.

[WildBill]

There is a reason that brass versus steel, aluminum or another alloy was chosen for cartridge cases. Brass is soft and will readily expand when subject to pressures of small firearm ammunition.

When one makes compromises by changing processes or materials, something else suffers. Rather than just calling something "junk" one needs to determine if they can deal with the consequences of using "sub-par" ammunition. If you can use it great, if not stick with the more expensive product.

Edited to add: Another property of brass is that it will shrink back to it's original dimensions after firing. Aluminum and steel cases do not do this.

[VMI77]

SNIP

BTW, I've had no luck with steel cased ammo in ARs.....

There are three things that, if you do wish to use cheap steel case ammo in an AR that I have found to help. In fact, I went to the range with my older daughter the other day (she's home on leave right now from the USAF) and we put about 240 rounds through my AR, all cheap Herters HP that I can use at QC. Anyway, those three things are: One, don't shoot on a really hot day, something to do with expansion rates of the metals in the receiver and the case; Two, use a lot of CLP, or whatever is your favorite substance to keep the gun running under normal circumstances; and Three, take a brass rod with you, just in case one does get stuck. I have had it happen once, but only when it was over 100 F outside. I understand the "risk" I am taking, but until I come into some sort of windfall of cash, or I get a high-roller job, I just can't afford to practice with brass-case since I have to use HP or SP ammo at the range. To each their own, though.

I shot some in one rifle and went through maybe three full 30 round mags before I had a problem, and that problem had to be cleared with a brass rod --not a particularly hot day, but shooting in relatively quick succession. I shot another gun that failed to eject on the first mag after about three rounds.....on a relatively hot day, but I was able to clear it manually. I couldn't get through the mag without repeated clears. I don't seem to have the problem unless I'm shooting multiple rounds in relatively quick succession and heating up the rifle, so I'm still using steel for slower paced shooting....and that seems to work ok.

[Transplant]

Were you able to fire the rifle afterwards without any problems?

You could try to repeat the issue with a dummy round at home. Or, you could put the bullet into the chamber (not a cartridge, just the bullet) to see where it's seating. Have you put a micrometer on the round? it might be misshapen now after getting stuck but maybe the round is just out of diameter....just some "out there" possibilities.

[Heartland Patriot]

Were you able to fire the rifle afterwards without any problems?

You could try to repeat the issue with a dummy round at home. Or, you could put the bullet into the chamber (not a cartridge, just the bullet) to see where it's seating. Have you put a micrometer on the round? it might be misshapen now after getting stuck but maybe the round is just out of diameter....just some "out there" possibilities.

It was my friend's DPMS rifle that had the issue, so I can't test it out at the house. He lives quite a bit away from me and works some odd shifts, so its hard to talk to him as often as I'd like. But, I will say that he was able to fire some rounds afterwards, but he only fired about 3 or 4 more and we switched over to shooting something else. Thanks for the suggestions, though.

[Heartland Patriot]

SNIP

BTW, I've had no luck with steel cased ammo in ARs.....

There are three things that, if you do wish to use cheap steel case ammo in an AR that I have found to help. In fact, I went to the range with my older daughter the other day (she's home on leave right now from the USAF) and we put about 240 rounds through my AR, all cheap Herters HP that I can use at QC. Anyway, those three things are: One, don't shoot on a really hot day, something to do with expansion rates of the metals in the receiver and the case; Two, use a lot of CLP, or whatever is your favorite substance to keep the gun running under normal circumstances; and Three, take a brass rod with you, just in case one does get stuck. I have had it happen once, but only when it was over 100 F outside. I understand the "risk" I am taking, but until I come into some sort of windfall of cash, or I get a high-roller job, I just can't afford to practice with brass-case since I have to use HP or SP ammo at the range. To each their own, though.

I shot some in one rifle and went through maybe three full 30 round mags before I had a problem, and that problem had to be cleared with a brass rod --not a particularly hot day, but shooting in relatively quick succession. I shot another gun that failed to eject on the first mag after about three rounds.....on a relatively hot day, but I was able to clear it manually. I couldn't get through the mag without repeated clears. I don't seem to have the problem unless I'm shooting multiple rounds in relatively quick succession and heating up the rifle, so I'm still using steel for slower paced shooting....and that seems to work ok.

I've heard (obviously cannot verify) that some rifles with tighter chambers are more susceptible to cases getting stuck than others. I don't have any telescoping gages to use with my calipers, so I can't check my chamber to see how it specs out.

[G.A. Heath]

Actually with an old brass case and a dremel you can make such a guage. Take a case and cut two slits on the neck just long enough to let you press the bullet in with resistance. Barely seat the bullet into the modified case and slowly chamber it, it will press the bullet into the case. If you leave enough tension in the neck the bullet will be extracted at the correct length.