Check your ammo

[WobblyPossum]

I won’t chamber the same round of duty/carry ammo more than twice. Each time it’s unchambered, I mark a line across the base with a sharpie. That round then gets loaded as the bottom round of a mag. The second time it’s unchambered, it gets another line, making an X. Rounds with an X on them get put in the practice ammo can. Regardless of the amount of chamberings, all the ammo I’ve been carrying gets shot up and replaced annually or biannually if it’s been exposed to a few rain storms or other weather issues. I haven’t had one fail to fire yet but it’s cheap insurance.

I like the plunk test using the barrel for carry ammo. I might buy a 9mm case gauge eventually.


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[Rex G]

I have found wrinkled cases, with deformed mouths, as described in the original post, more than once.

One box of early 9mm Cor-Bon was WAY over-pressure, sticking in the chamber, with flattened primers.

I bought a box or two of IMI .45 ACP ball ammo, in the Eighties, with case mouths all uniformly flared, just a tiny bit. This batch of ammo would not reliably feed in any auto. I think I gave much of it to an acquaintance, who had a loading press, and could make it usable.

One time, I found a 10mm JHP cartridge in a box of .45 ACP JHP ammo. Of course, this could well have happened anywhere along the line, particularly at the store, with customers fingering the merchandise.

[Rex G]

As for set-back, due to loading into the chamber, I developed the habit of not rechambering, rather early, when .45 ACP 1911 pistols were my norm. I had seen case set-back, knew it could increase pressure, and decided that it was better to not take chances.

In a new century, with 9mm Glocks, seeing no set-back, I would occasionally re-chamber, after inspection.

[OlongJohnson]

I bought a box or two of IMI .45 ACP ball ammo, in the Eighties, with case mouths all uniformly flared, just a tiny bit. This batch of ammo would not reliably feed in any auto. I think I gave much of it to an acquaintance, who had a loading press, and could make it usable.

I saw this on multiple boxes of Freedom Munitions .357 Mag ammo in their Houston store. Pointed it out to an employee, who told me there was no problem, that was how it was supposed to look.

I didn't bother to argue with him about how uncrimped .357 might tie up a revolver or get set back in a lever gun, either of which could be disastrous. I just resolved never to give them any of my money.

I'm not surprised at all that they are in bankruptcy.

[HCM]

I won’t chamber the same round of duty/carry ammo more than twice. Each time it’s unchambered, I mark a line across the base with a sharpie. That round then gets loaded as the bottom round of a mag. The second time it’s unchambered, it gets another line, making an X. Rounds with an X on them get put in the practice ammo can. Regardless of the amount of chamberings, all the ammo I’ve been carrying gets shot up and replaced annually or biannually if it’s been exposed to a few rain storms or other weather issues. I haven’t had one fail to fire yet but it’s cheap insurance.

I like the plunk test using the barrel for carry ammo. I might buy a 9mm case gauge eventually.


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2-3 times should be ok for handgun rounds. AR rounds are one and done for me.

[HCM]

I saw this on multiple boxes of Freedom Munitions .357 Mag ammo in their Houston store. Pointed it out to an employee, who told me there was no problem, that was how it was supposed to look.

I didn't bother to argue with him about how uncrimped .357 might tie up a revolver or get set back in a lever gun, either of which could be disastrous. I just resolved never to give them any of my money.

I'm not surprised at all that they are in bankruptcy.

This mirrors my experience with Freedom Munitions (poor QC, multiple squib loads etc.) but they have a cult following.

[WobblyPossum]

2-3 times should be ok for handgun rounds. AR rounds are one and done for me.

Agreed entirely. I completely forgot about AR rounds while writing my post. One and done is the safest approach after some of the incidents @DocGKR posted about regarding AR ammo.


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[OlongJohnson]

Is it unreasonable to think .223s that are extracted live from an AR could be inspected and fed to a bolt gun?

[DocGKR]

Perfectly fine as long as they are not for a critical situation; the rounds could also be in an AR or other semi-auto for practice.

[HCM]

Is it unreasonable to think .223s that are extracted live from an AR could be inspected and fed to a bolt gun?

What Doc said.