Sunday, December 02, 2007

Ammo with Attitude

So, I headed down to the range this afternoon to get in a bit of target practice. Buckmark pistol? Check. Box of Federal automatch ammo? Check. I've had good luck with this ammo before, but today was something different: Bang, bang, spiff, Bang, spiff, spiff, spiff, Bang, bang. Wow, it was a veritable symphonic performance, Bartok, I think. Most of the spiffs ejected, which was a wonder, but I have never heard such wild variations before. Time to head off to the internet and try something different.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Call Federal and give them the lot number on the box.

chuck said...

Hi, skook,

There's a thought. However, I just checked the two previous boxes I shot and they came from the same lot. There was probably something wrong with the powder, either quantity or quality.

Anonymous said...

Call Federal anyway. What could happen in these cases is a "squib", in which a partially burned cartridge develops just enough force to push the bullet halfway down the barrel, where it lodges tight, only to be impacted by the next bullet, which usually causes the barrel to rip in half with catastrophic results.

It could be the ammo, or could be the fact that the firing pin on your Buckmark is causing light primer strikes, in other words, causing incomplete ignition. Possible, but not probable. Federal should be told about it and the Browning should be taken to a smith ASAP.

buddy larsen said...

damn good tip, skook. rimfire is just that way sometimes--not as positive a fire as centerfire.

chuck said...

Hmmm,

I pulled the trigger on a few old casings and the new indentations do look a bit less definite than the old. Could be that actually firing the thing makes a difference, but I'll have somebody who knows look it over.