Beware folks. squib loads

[velocette]

I work part time as a range officer at a large municipal range.
As such, I pick up rounds that fail to fire, pull their bullets & use them to reload for practice ammo.
Today, I pulled apart two RP .223 rounds. Primers with solid hits.
When I pulled them, the problem was evident. No powder.
The primers had fired but the bullets had not broken their crimp hold.
The backs of the bullets were black clearly indicating that the primer had fired.
Here is a prime condition for a blown up rifle. Had the bullets broken their crimp and lodged in the barrel, there would have been a blown up rifle.
Knowing the skill level of most of the shooters I see, there is no question in my mind that the shooter with these rounds would (and did) cycle the bolt & proceeded to fire the next round.
Folks Beware if it sounds or feels different, investigate carefully!

Roger

 

[rule303]

Purely luck that the bullets never left the cases. Those kind of situations can get ugly in a hurry. Seems to be happening more lately, I am guessing with the ammo companies running at full capacity more duds are missed by QC.

 

[rcmodel]

Or they were somebody's reloads.

rc

 

[briansmithwins]

My guess would be reloads also.

BSW

 

[BYJO4]

Just glad that nobody got hurt.

 

[WestKentucky]

Spread the wealth on those bullets and brass!!! Pay it forward thread!!!

 

[hartcreek]

range officer at a large municipal range Is it a police range because I really would be concerned at that level of competence in a police department?

 

[waffentomas]

Yep, must be a reloader!! They are incompetent!

Factory ammo is always perfect, never a problem.

Except that I blew up a rifle from a squib not all that long ago.

Everyone asked, "was it a reload?"

Fact is, I was shooting surplus Lake City (2003).

Save your judgments until you know a few more of the facts...

 

[jim in Anchorage]

You're so desperate for .223 brass you pick up range squibs?

 

[HOOfan_1]

You're so desperate for .223 brass you pick up range squibs?

As long as he pulls the bullet and starts over, I fail to see a problem with that

 

[JoePfeiffer]

I have a CZ 82 sitting on a shelf with a bulged barrel that I believe was caused by a squib. The ammo was LVE steel cased 9mm Makarov; I was shooting rapid fire and didn't notice anything on the round that was probably the squib, but after the next shot I had an action that was locked up tight and a ring visible in my barrel that looks like it's probably the jacket from one of the bullets. Be more aware than me!

 

[briansmithwins]

As long as he pulls the bullet and starts over, I fail to see a problem with that

What could possibly go wrong with picking up brass of unknown age and usage?

BSW

 

[HOOfan_1]

The same thing with buying what is sold as once fired brass which was swept up off of random ranges....you know what thousands of people already do...

Inspect the brass with a feeler probe around the neck and down where the case head might separate and you are good to go especially if has crimped primers or factory sealed primers...then you know it is once fired.

 

[fromtheplaines]

Is there a way to tell when that occures? I have heard about it and it us something I worry about. Is there different recoil that is felt?

 

[HOOfan_1]

Yes lighter or almost no recoil...it will sound weaker too. On an auto ejection will be weak or it won't eject at all

 

[velocette]

Gee folks, The intent and purpose of my original post was to warn y'all about being aware of squib loads. Just for the record, the two rounds appeared to be new, not reloads, not that that matters. What matters is squib loads whether factory new or reloads.
I pick up damaged .223 rounds & pull the bullets to make practice ammo for a police officer friend. The brass is always discarded because usually it is damaged in jammed rifles.
Finally, as far as failures to fire, I see on a daily basis complete rounds with primers having firing pin indentations. Dud rounds with good solid firing pin hits. Mostly the Russian stuff, but not uncommonly US made too.

Roger