Federal... FAIL!

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Picked up 3 boxes of my favorite range ammunition Sunday, Federal Champion 9mm. The first box was all good as usual. Second box, start loading mags I notice black circle flakes on the bottom. Looked like gun powder flakes. I was puzzled, but the rounds visual looked good so I kept loading. Didn't end up finishing that box, but when I got home I was checking how many I had left in the box and took the plastic holder all the way out and found this.. I spy?... A missing primer! The flakes on the bottom made sense now, I was just very surprised first time I have seen this with any ammo I have ever bought. Maybe some would actually consider that lucky being my first? What have your experiences been, is this out of the norm? I don't think this will stop me from buying Federal Champ, I still think I like it better then the Winchester White box. But hell, maybe in a few months I'll just be happy to get whatever is available, the shelves were already looking pretty thin.
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send an e-mail to Federal with the lot # and you will probably send you a new box or two of ammo. they did that for me when I had some trouble with their 22 automatch ammo. they were very helpful about it
 
Whoa. Dude. Macro mode.

I counted a box of federal 500 22lr and there was only 437.
They mailed me another box of 500 for free. o_O Shut me up!
 
There are a several different types of numbers on the box. How do you know which one is the "lot" number?

EDIT: Went on Federals website and answered my lot # question. I was also able to find the, "Report a problem with a shell" phone and email address. Tried to call, no answer... go figure. But I did send an email detailing what was wrong with the case, and the lot number, and a picture.
 
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...is this out of the norm?
No, not really. Buy enough factory ammo and you should end up with an improperly loaded round. It doesn't happen often enough to catch one in every box, much less every lot; but factory ammo is churned out at such volume that these issues simply can't always be caught, especially on the cheap stuff.
 
Last year I bought a box of Federal Champion .45 ACP that contained both a bullet that was improperly formed (looked like a gash on the side of bullet) and another that was seated twice as far as the rest.

I have not purchased Champion since. I have had zero issues with Federal's 9mm Hydra-Shoks, but at $1.15 per round there must be decent quality control.
 
I have bought quite a bit of Federal Champion centerfire ammo over the last few years but haven't had any quality control issues to speak off. The last centerfire ammo that I had a few problem rounds with was Winchester.
 
Unexpected poop happens. That was probably not the last box in your load out closet and you will probably get more of the exact kind the next time it's on sale.

If the world were perfect, it would be boring. I think it's a rather typical example of how standardized processes can go wrong. I had some .40 JHP my pal made and he missed the powder in one of them. I tossed it at him later, and asked if that was what he had in mind.
 
It's because a multi-million dollar company is less likely to screw up that you are.

Maybe more likely than you, but not me. I have a lot of confidence that my reloads will be more reliable and accurate on average than similarly priced factory ammo. Every Mcdouble I've eaten tasted like garbage, I wonder why a burger off my grill tastes so much better...:D

To the OP, I've never had any dud rifle or pistol rounds but I have had exactly 2 shotshells with missing primers. Both were Winchester SuperSpeed dove loads.

HB
 
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Is this why factory ammo is better for self defense?


It's because a multi-million dollar company is less likely to screw up that you are.

Those that preach "factory ammo only for SD/HD" have reasons other than reliability and accuracy. Mainly verified and proven ballistics/loads for GSR evidence.

Most factory ammo is just that....... factory ammo. Most cases you get what you pay for. If one wants cheap ammo for plinkin' and practice, they should expect a dud every once in a while. If one wants custom or perfect ammo, they will either have to pay dearly for it or roll it themselves.
 
Those that preach "factory ammo only for SD/HD" have reasons other than reliability and accuracy. Mainly verified and proven ballistics/loads for GSR evidence.

If it isn't reliable all the GSR evidence in the world won't keep you alive.
 
bannockburn, I know what you mean, have had several failures with Winchester components, last being a brand new never fired rifle brass with a damaged neck. I tried getting their help once, was completely blown off, only reason I ever give them any money is I can't find 7.62x39mm brass easily.
I've never had a factory round missing a primer, that's a new one.
 
It's because a multi-million dollar company is less likely to screw up that you are.


<Removed> they are!
My quality control is WAY more extensive than theirs. How many factory rounds do you think get individually inspected? Every single one of mine do.
 
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Several years ago I had a box of Remington .380 that fired and locked up my pistol. Turns out there was no hole drilled between the primer and the main chamber. When the primer fired it slammed back against the bolt and basically locked it closed.

I contacted them and they sent me a fresh box.

Realistically, in any manufacturing process there are going to be errors. Hopefully they will be rare but they will never be zero. As long as the company is willing to step up and make things right you can't expect perfection.
 
I've shot a bit of Federal, never had any problems. I won't buy Winchester 9mm in the 100 round bulk pack after two primer-only rounds in one box. Screwups are bound to happen, but until Federal and Blazer do it to me, those will be my primary target ammo.
 
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