What do all of these .45 cal rounds have in common?

[Big_Red]

All of these rounds came out of a brand new Winchester White Box and they all caused FTF. Why did they cause FTF? Because they were not crimped correctly. Each of these rounds had a pretty sizable bell; some all the way around the rim and some only partially.


Here is one of the rounds shown not fitting into the .45 gauge.


This is the first jam. It took me close to 20 minutes to get it cleared.



It is pretty unnerving to have a live round stuck in the barrel and the gun millimeters away from being in battery with the hammer back. The first FTF was a doozy. I could not for the life of me move the slide in either direction and with a live round in there I did not want to hit it. I ended up pouring a good amount of oil all over the stuck round and that eventually helped loosen things up. I was not a happy camper.

I used to have 100% confidence in Winchester White Box ammo. I am sorry to say that this is no longer the case. From now on I will have to check the ammo, especially my defensive rounds.

 

[appraiser]

got a lot number?

 

[Big_Red]

got a lot number?

I still have the box but I am not sure where the lot number is located.

 

[appraiser]

inside one of the end flaps IIRC

 

[drgrant]

Call Winchester. I bet you get sent some new ammo or some kind of a coupon for it.

-Mike

 

[Big_Red]

inside one of the end flaps IIRC

Oh, OK. The lot # is CH50.

 

[lord1234]

call up winchester, seriuosly.

 

[JonJ]

I'll check the lot numbers of what we'll be using tomorrow. We've gone through about 12k rounds with ZERO problems.

 

[Big_Red]

I'll check the lot numbers of what we'll be using tomorrow. We've gone through about 12k rounds with ZERO problems.

I've gone through several thousand myself and this was the first time I had any problems. Who knows how many more boxes are out there.

 

[Finalygotabeltfed]

And people wonder why I guage every round?

If you run into a round like that in an open bolt MG at 600-1200 rpm, you'll be wearing the brass on your face.

The first squib load I ever encountered was with winchester ammunition, so nobody's perfect. This is another reason why I wouldn't hesitate to carry my own hand loads.

Lot number should be on the end flap of the box.

 

[strangenh]

I'm not so confident in any ammo that I don't look 'em over, but I think I wouldn't have noticed your bad rounds (though one seems to have a burr/lip on the brass, so maybe I'd have seen just that one).

BTW, almost exactly 3 years ago, I found this little gem in a box of Win white box 9mm (USA9mmVP):

 

[vellnueve]

Call them... give them the lot number etc and they'll send you a coupon.

 

[DukeInFlorida]

Was at a Basic Pistol Class on Saturday in Hartford, CT, and one of the students on the line had a squib. Fortunately, we had covered the subject in the classroom, and he knew instantly what it was. It was a revolver, which would have been simple to fire another shot. It was a Win .38 special wad cutter, and was the only squib in the box.

It happens!

 

[45collector]

Good to know. I've got a bulk box of WWB .45acp that I haven't dipped into yet. I'll check it out when I get home tonight.

 

[BossHarley]

I have had nothing but good luck with WWB ammo. I have shot 1000's of rounds of 9mm, and 45 ACP. Now i am working my way through my first 1000 40 S&W. I have had no problems, but wouldn't be worried about a couple of bad rounds.

Nothing compared to Remmy 22LR which I won't buy any more at all. I and most that I know have nothing but problems with this ammo - especially the old green box (not the thunderbolt). My failure rate with this is ammo is about 1 in 10.

 

[Chris]

Before a match, I've always pulled the barrel from the gun I'm taking and dropped every round into the chamber. It has to go in and come out using gravity only. Anything that is at all tight gets left home for the 'range ammo' box.

My grandfather got me doing this a long time ago and it's never failed to keep me going.

 

[Big_Red]

About a week ago I participated in the IDPA match over at WPRC. I brought two boxes of WWB .45 with me. One of them had the same lot number as the one I had problem with. Well, guess what... I had another 9 rounds that were not crimped properly. The only way I found them was by putting every round into a .45 gauge I brought with me. I had a feeling I would need it. Getting a one of those FTF while running a stage would have been a royal PITA.

 

[Buzzards Bay Tactical]

After having feeding problems during IDPA matches, I case gauge every round I use in a match. Nothing sucks worse than paying all the money, getting the equipment ready, and practicing for the MA State Championship and then throwing the whole thing a way because of ammunition problems on the third stage of the day. Live and learn I guess.

 

[Scrivener]

I had another 9 rounds that were not crimped properly. The only way I found them was by putting every round into a .45 gauge I brought with me. I had a feeling I would need it. Getting a one of those FTF while running a stage would have been a royal PITA.

And a Ka-Boom caused by bullet setback would have been an even bigger one.....

 

[Big_Red]

And a Ka-Boom caused by bullet setback would have been an even bigger one.....

Very true. Luckily, those rounds won't chamber in their current state.

 

[saltydude]

Winchester White box

I too had problems W/ WWB ammo in 9mm. It was the Walmart 100RD packs Lot#CT510D/E125654 back when I was saving brass for handloads. The stuff was crap. Dented casings, OAL was all different & poorly crimped. When the bullet hit the feed ramp it would get stuffed deeper into the case and jam. IMO it is the poorest quality commercial ammo on the market.

 

[WILDCATT]

45 acp

45 acp jacket does not get crimped.so they have no problem from crimp.
there are other problems.
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU CANT EJECT A STUCK LIVE CASE.REMOVE FIRING PIN RETAINER AND FIRING PIN.REPLACE RETAINER.now you dont have to worry about firing.

 

[Big_Red]

45 acp jacket does not get crimped.so they have no problem from crimp.
there are other problems..

What do you mean they don't get crimped? I ran all the bogus rounds through the crimping die in my Dillon press and now they are all good to go.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU CANT EJECT A STUCK LIVE CASE.REMOVE FIRING PIN RETAINER AND FIRING PIN.REPLACE RETAINER.now you don't have to worry about firing.

That's an interesting approach.

 

[Big_Red]

I received a letter from Winchester over the weekend. They want to conduct an "investigation" and need me to send the rounds back to them. Too bad I had already resized and fired all of them. How exactly will they investigate a poorly crimped round?