Factory Squib Load

[Haze]

I posted this at the end of another thread but I felt it should be in it's own so more people can see it.

I have been carrying Golden Sabers but I bought some Hornady XTP's to try. During the second clip on the fourth round in my LCP I heard a pop instead of a bang. The slide didn't cycle and I knew something wasn't right. The bullet tumbled, hit the paper target which was attached to a 1" thick wood board. The paper was slightly away from it in the center as it was taped top and bottom. The bullet went through the paper and bounced off the board and back out of the same hole. I called Hornady to give them the lot number and tell them what happened and I also called Midway USA where I purchased them. One in a 100 million squib load? Probably...but it did happen. I asked Hornady if they wanted a pic of the target but they didn't. They did say they have a laser type process which should have never let that happen. Just glad it wasn't the round I was carrying in the pipe!

Note: Technically not a squib as a squib doesn't exit the barrel.

 

[stork]

They're not alone in this. I've witnessed 2 others in the eleven years I've been competing in Bullseye.

The first was at Camp Perry in 2003, GSt. Brian Zins had a dud that didn't make it to the 50 yard target (Federal Gold Medal Match)...(he still won).

The second was a National Guard shooter that was shooting some issued IMI 185 Match (I'm pretty sure, but not positive on the brand).

Until I started reloading my 45's with the Dillon, it happened to me about 1 of every 2000. You get interrupted when you're reloading and forget to drop the powder. Thankfully it never happened during sustained fire, only slow fire.

It happens to every manufacturer at some time or another. Considering the millions of rounds they make every year, they do pretty darn well.

FWIW

 

[jhenry0357]

I was given a box of spear gold dot 357 mag,( old stock from the sheriffs office who knows how old) . The first on out cleared the muzzle by about 5 yards, the other five shot fine. I loaded up 6 more and I think it was the 3rd one that only made it 1/2 way down the barrel. Neadless to say I pulled the bullets on the rest of them and used the brass.

 

[Frozen North]

I have run into a few of those shooting 9mm Luger CCI Blazer in the aluminum cases. I have never had one stick in the barrel, but they sound funny and don't make it to the target.

These are produced and marketed as cheap practice ammo, so I didn't really care much.

I have since switched to Magtech practice ammo.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

The closest thing I've experienced to this was a round of American Ammunition (not to be confused with Federal American Eagle) that had its primer upside down. Although I would not recommend that anyone else do this, I tried to fire it anyway. There was a faint "pop" sound and I extracted and ejected the round; the bullet was still in the case. Silvery metallic particles - resembling the glitter that kids glue to paper in art class - fell out of the magazine well.

 

[k9dude2010]

I have experianced this with Blaser ammo and a few other manufactures, and I hve even hand loaded a few my self, dont get distracted keep the wife away while loading, but as far as manufactured ammo it does happen but not very often..

 

[esheato]

I had a Remington 12 gauge STS factory load fail to fire.

Sent it back and they said there wasn't enough priming compound.

 

[ants]

22 long rifle from Remington and Federal. But no centerfire centerfire.

Note: Technically not a squib as a squib doesn't exit the barrel.

From GunTec Dictionary, which seems to agree with your technical definition:

Definition for "squib load" : 1. A reloaded round of ammunition deliberately made with a reduced powder load. This is often done to create practice ammunition for large bore firearms so as to reduce to amount of wear on the bore and surrounding parts; 2. A round of ammunition that fires, but does not have enough power to force the bullet from the bore. Most commonly attributed to a erroneously low powder charge, or the presence of a primer without a corresponding powder charge.

 

[M2 Carbine]

Factory ammunition does have problems once in a while.
Squib loads.
Cases split.
Dud primers.
Torn cases from the bullet being seated off center.
No priming in 22 cases. Remington is very bad for this.
I even have one case that has the wrong caliber marked on the base.

I don't have any figures but I think if the ratio of factory ammo I've shot to my reloads could be figured, there would be more mistakes with the factory ammo than my reloads.

I have since switched to Magtech practice ammo.

A couple years ago the first round from a box of MagTech Guardian Gold 380 +P was weak. It made it out of the barrel, but just barely.

 

[oldbear]

Factory ammunition does have problems once in a while.

Yes it does, but this is not the norm. In the thousands of rounds I have shout over the years, I've only had one squib round. That was a Federal 9 M/M FMJ. Other than that I've never had a problem with factory ammo.

 

[QUICK_DRAW_McGRAW]

huh only time ive had it was with agula super colbri, only because i was shooting it from a semi-auto rifle.

 

[harmon rabb]

Had the same thing happen with some WWB 9mm. It didn't cause the slide to move, it had much less recoil, and the shot hit the target very low.