Is it OK for ammo to look like this?

[Jim K]

All factory ammo has sealed primers to keep oil or gun cleaner from getting to the primers and deadening them. The sealant is sometimes colored, but more often is clear.

Factories tumble rifle cases to remove the annealing color before loading, not after. I was not aware they tumbled loaded ammo, but if they do, what is seen here could be caused by speeding up production and not waiting until the primer sealant dried before tumbling.

Jim

 

[Certaindeaf]

^
I thought it was the opposite. I well could be wrong though. I thought all military was sealed and only a few "factory"/civilian loadings were sealed. Again, I well could be wrong.
I used to seal some of my handoads and certainly see the value of having sealed rounds in some situations.

 

[vossman]

Did u ever get ahold of Winchester? Interested in hearing what they said.

 

[C0untZer0]

I haven't gotten in contact with Winchester yet.

I took a dental pick and cleaned out the particles, I took a brush and brushed them off, bought yellow nail polish at the Dollar Store, and re-painted around the primer.

I'll post pics.

I also haven't fired any of it yet...

 

[vossman]

Cool. I shot a half dozen more of my PDX and they worked as expected. Maybe I'll contact Winchester as I am not working today.

 

[chriske]

I've seen stuff like that on different kinds/makes/calibers of -admittedly mostly pretty old- ammo .
Some sort of primer sealant or varnish gone crappy I guess...
Of course if it protrudes too much beyond OA cartridge length it may prevent the round to feed/cycle properly & should at least be removed before use (or the rounds discarded)..
But as long as they were dimensionally OK I shot such ammo without any problem.

 

[dvnv]

"I used to seal some of my handoads and certainly see the value of having sealed rounds in some situations."

FWIW: I have never taken the time to seal primers...did have one pistol round go through the washer (and dryer)...tried it at 100 yds, shot just fine. dvnv

 

[Patrice]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve C View Post
When you buy Ranger ammo you are buying LEO surplus..
How did you come to know of this tidbit of precious information?

Hmmm....I thought everyone new that....--Patrice

 

[PabloJ]

There is reason I do not buy surplus ammo and I certainly would not shoot this "Kitty Litter" ammo. What you shoot out of your gun as as important as what you eat or drink.
PS. Thanks for posting I will add that brand to my never buy again list.

 

[cadjak]

This is ammo that I have bought and paid for from a well known ammo manufacturer. (not Winchester)
3 boxes of hard cast lead had 30% of the bullets that looked like this:
Not to worry. I contacted the manufacturer and they offered to send me a free box of ammo to make up for my "inconvenience" This is the ammo they sent:The yellow fuzzy stuff around the bullet is just the micro fiber cloth I wrapped the cartridge in, to protect it from the metal clamp holding it for the picture.

 

[C0untZer0]

I called Winchester

Well I called Winchester and I talked to a guy named Art.

Art told me that the particles are ground up corn cobs. The corn cob meal is used for a final cleaning, and yes it sticks to the laquer (which obviously isn't completely dry when they clean the cartridges in ground corn cob meal).

Art told me the cob meal doesn't hurt the function of the cartridge in any way. Still, it bugged me so badly, I cleaned the cob meal out anyway and put a bit of yellow nail polish around the rim.

Before and After:

 

[PRM]

We have been getting a lot of ammo from Winchester (state purchase contract) over the last year or so that looks cosmetically less than what would be expected. Mostly dark specs on the brass. So far it has all shot well, although WWB's quality seems to have gone down.

 

[Hunter125]

Cadjak, what is that in the hollow point?

 

[cadjak]

Cadjak, what is that in the hollow point?

I can't say for sure what it is. I have two guesses.
1. Someone is trying to send me a shipment of caviar and is hiding it in there.

2. A friend offered this explanation;
"wet tumbling media". After the slugs are produced they are tumbled and very often they add a liquid cleaning agent to the media. Usually there should be a mixing time allowed so the media does not stay gooey then the bullets are added. If the media is not semi-dry this is what you get and the hollow point is the collection area."


Whatever it is, I have recontacted the manufacturer and I'm waiting to hear back.

 

[PabloJ]

Earlier today I purchased 7 boxes for 175gr Winchester 10mm JHPs at LGS. Nice ammo with no visible quality issues. These particular Winchester cartridges are what I often call "two handed" handgun loads.
From memory the only handgun ammo with sealed primers is European and American military type loads.

 

[Detritus]

From memory the only handgun ammo with sealed primers is European and American military type loads.

Rep from Winchester Olin I spoke to last year listed primer and neck sealant as among the "Upgrades" between their various .40 and 9mm JHP loads, . they may not be as obvious as the Q-load types (visability was/is a requirement for the sealant on NATO-spec rounds) but being sealed against the various elements is still a selling point/expectation with premium ammo, for many consumers.

 

[C0untZer0]

Art from Winchester told me that the Ranger 9mm RA9T has laquer on the primers (sealant).

Which I already guessed because the grit is stuck in there - it doesn't just brush off.

 

[Stevie-Ray]

Hey you even painted the headstamp on a few. They look good like that.