1st box of proposed new carry ammo failed

[Derm95]

I picked up some Winchester SXT 9mm carry rounds for the first time and figured several boxes should go downrange in my carry guns before feeling armed for defense.
The first five shots went downrange in my Beretta 9000. On the sixth round I heard a squib and thought that's funny, I'm not shooting my reloads and this is not supposed to be happening in the first 10 rounds of my newly chosen ammo. Even weirder, though is the primer blown out the breech face and there is not a bullet in the barrel.

I suspect there is no flash hole in that case. I don't think there is any fault on the part of the gun (the primer strike on the other cases looked ok) and the firing pin is in good order and it functioned fine after.

What do I do?
-Not use this ammo again?
-Send the round to Winchester?
-forget it and move on?
-try my photgraphy skills on a post for the first time?
-Use handloads for self-defense because at least I know they
have flash holes and fire better than a .167 batting average?
-Figure I only would have five rounds from a revolver anyway?
-Practice twice as much racking the slide on a Beretta 9000?
-Next time I get a squib in self-defence, check the barrel before proceding?
Next time I get a squib in self-defense, throw the gun away and procede with BUG?

 

[Derm95]

photo

 

[M1911Owner]

Contact Winchester and get them to send you a couple cases of it to test out to verify that that's not normal for their ammo.

 

[Preacherman]

By all means, contact Winchester. Errors happen, even in the best-run factories, and if this is one of their problem rounds (which I'm sure are very, very few), they'll want to know about it, and possibly examine it, so as to improve their quality control. You'll probably also get some free ammo out if it, if they're responsible folks (Federal is renowned for giving a free box or two to anyone who reports problems with their ammo).

I'd keep the rest of that box, so that if Winchester want to inspect it, you can send it back to them with the dud round. If you can gather up the brass from the rounds you'd already fired out of that box, I'd keep them too, and send them in as well.

 

[sendec]

Unless you are absolutely certain the gun is unharmed I would have an armorer look it over. I would very definitely contact Winchester. At the very least they should swap out the ammo for some from a different lot. They will also probably want the case and any remaining rounds for an examination. You may or may not honor their request, but I would document any thing I gave to them and have them provide receipts.

I wouldnt be too worried. Ammo companies crank out ammo by the gazillions. I dont care how good the QC is, occasionally a machine will belch and you get a bad round. I am actually suprised it does'nt happen more often.

 

[Derm95]

I went to discuss it with the range officers. The gunsmith at the range took the gun apart and took out the firing pin and looked at it. Everything seemed in order. It shot fine after that. After all, the breechface and firing pin would be at risk in full lockup.
I shot the rest of the rounds in the box and all went boom. I figure to shoot them and see if there were more duds. I did save some other fired cases for them to see a normal firing pin strike.

I'd like to ask Winchester to send me a couple cases of Golden Sabers. Gotta try a smilie

 

[Derm95]

Sendec, I would document what I send them by the picture attached above. What can you say about them documenting with a receipt. You mean in case my gun was harmed?

I'm not too worried about the thing. As long as my gun or me is not at fault . I don't feel too ammo grubbing to get some new ammo. It would be nice though.

 

[sendec]

Liability being what it is I am always a little leery of giving up evidence, so to speak. Certified mail would suffice, I would just want some sort of paper trail. I did not mean to imply anything negative.

I think it is important to follow up when things like this occur, especially with ammo that is in pretty widespread defensive use. If there is a chance that a defective batch went out I am certain Winchester will do the right hing

 

[M1911Owner]

I'd like to ask Winchester to send me a couple cases of Golden Sabers.

I think you'd have a really hard time getting Golden Sabers out of Winchester.



(Golden Sabers come from Remington. )

 

[Mannlicher]

The only round of ammo that you can ever be 100% sure of, is the last one that went 'bang' in your gun. Remember that.

 

[Derm95]