17HMR Head Failure!!

[Bill K]

What is interesting too me is the variation that some are saying they get between brands. From what I understand, other than Hornady, all the other brands are all loaded by and for them by CCI. So why would there such variation between them ? Is that correct or not ? Bill K

[TinMan]

Not the 17HMR, but when I first got a 22WMR, I quickly realized that the rifle shot some ammo much better than others, like all RF ammo. So, I started using my Sinclair nut to measure head to ogive length on each brand and type ammo I had for the 22WMR. The spread was amazing, with the best shooting ammo in my CZ452 always had the longest head to ogive length. I tried every 22WMR from 30gr to 50gr I could find, and for that rifle, the plastic tipped 33gr Remington Premiere and the 34gr HP Winchester Supreme (black box) shot the best. Probably a combination bullet shape and length affects the effective 'headspace' for 17HMR also.

[rider]

I experienced a similar issue with center fire ammunition from Remington a few years ago. I was sighting in my Dads 270 . I fired three rounds for POI and made a scope adjustment. On the next shot the bolt was very hard to open and the primer pocket was enlarged. Never having had an issue with factory ammo I fired another shot. The bolt had to be opened with several hard blows with the heal of the hand. The primer was gone and the case head was shaped to fit the bolt face of the pre 64. I did not continue shooting and had the gun checked by a smith, no issues with the bolt were found. I sent the rest of the box to Remington and their finding was that the lot of ammo was 20 years old, although it had been recently purchased. Their conclusion was that the bullet jacket had bonded to the case and the powder had started to degrade, probably due to storage issues. I don't know if this could have happened to your HNR ammo but it is one possibility.

[GLWenzl]

Of all the things I read in this thread, it seems to me you may have shared the best info yet.

I have pulled CF bullets after years of storage amazed to find how the bullet can become almost welded to the neck. On the particular lot of ammo I reseated every bullet and the grouping issues was greatly improved.

That said I would almost have to think the cracked neck would have had to happen at the time of the powered burning.

[Double D]

Originally Posted by rider

I experienced a similar issue with center fire ammunition from Remington a few years ago. I was sighting in my Dads 270 . I fired three rounds for POI and made a scope adjustment. On the next shot the bolt was very hard to open and the primer pocket was enlarged. Never having had an issue with factory ammo I fired another shot. The bolt had to be opened with several hard blows with the heal of the hand. The primer was gone and the case head was shaped to fit the bolt face of the pre 64. I did not continue shooting and had the gun checked by a smith, no issues with the bolt were found.

Classic definition of a pressure incident.

I sent the rest of the box to Remington and their finding was that the lot of ammo was 20 years old, although it had been recently purchased. Their conclusion was that the bullet jacket had bonded to the case and the powder had started to degrade, probably due to storage issues. I don't know if this could have happened to your HNR ammo but it is one possibility.

Good conclusion, although I am surprised Corporate legal let them tell you that.

[Rbertalotto]

Remington stepped up......

[TAJ45]

Thanks Roy, I'm heading to the ammo repository to check for some Remmies. I have quite a few squirreled away for my GSquirrel trip.