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OK, a while back I was at the range and was using my Remington rolling block that's been rechambered for .357 Magnum. The Mag-Tech rounds I was using were doing fine, no extraction problems, misfires or anything. I wanted to try some 158 gr American Eagle ammo. The first round was very difficult to extract. I checked the primer and it didn't look like it had been over-pressured or anything, it just took some extra effort to remove it. The second round stuck worse and I had to pry on it with my pocket knife to get it out. I went back to the Mag-Tech ammo with no problems, and have not had a problem with it after firing another 2 boxes of Mag-Tech. I showed the two American Eagle casings to my gunsmith and he couldn't find anything wrong with the primers or any other indications of malfunction. I suggested maybe a batch of soft brass. He said it could be a possibility, but not likely. He re-checked head spacing on the rifle and mic'd everything. Everything checked normal. I just decided since I only had a couple boxes of American Eagle .357 Mag that came in a bulk shipment of assorted brands I'd use them in my S&W pistol, where they seem to work just fine.

Then the other day I went to the range with the aim of repositioning the scope on my Bushmaster in order to get a little better eye relief. I fired a few groups just to see where it was shooting and make sure it was in the ballpark. I was using a couple boxes of American Eagle .223 FMJ ammo that I had picked up during the shortage. I had 3 misfires out of the first 10 rounds. The primers on the misfires didn't look like light strikes. I switched to PMC .223 FMJ for the rest of the afternoon and didn't have any more misfire issues.

Has anybody else around here had issues with American Eagle ammo?
 
I've used American Eagle in a few different calibers and have never had trouble with it. My favorite 22 rifle likes their copper plated hollow points (I think it's 38 grain) better than anything but the 20 cent per round match stuff.
 
haha what's up with the ammo issue lately.

I guess it's possible ammo manufactures are pushing out production too fast to keep up with the orders, so QC was not done right.

in before some say "they are junk". :s0112:
 
I've used American Eagle in a few different calibers and have never had trouble with it. My favorite 22 rifle likes their copper plated hollow points (I think it's 38 grain) better than anything but the 20 cent per round match stuff.

Exactly this. Am Eagle 38g HP's shoot the best across my entire range of .22's, especially considering the pricepoint. Match rounds will shoot better in some of my guns, but not universally so.
 
What original Remington RB Rifle is even safe to be rechambered for.357 Mag. They were built to take BP pressure loads, not magnum smokeless powder loads. The only one I think could even remotely handle the loads would be a 7MM and even then it would be chancy being that it was the last of the Rolling Blocks. Now if you are talking a newer reproduction one then it might be ok but the rechambered sent up red flags.
 
I have had issues with 12 gauge bird shot with failure to fires and 9mm. I agree, the primers are terrible. I waited and waited for all to cook off, nothing happened, ejected it, cycled it back through quickly and it fired. I don't think i ever had a 223/5/56 fail on me.
 
What original Remington RB Rifle is even safe to be rechambered for.357 Mag. They were built to take BP pressure loads, not magnum smokeless powder loads. The only one I think could even remotely handle the loads would be a 7MM and even then it would be chancy being that it was the last of the Rolling Blocks. Now if you are talking a newer reproduction one then it might be ok but the rechambered sent up red flags.

RB's are specified good to about 45,000 psi in most of the specification sources I know of. A .357 Mag round makes 35,000 psi according to SAMMI. Mine has had a 4130 Chrome Moly steel liner added to the original barrel. The original breech block has been reworked to replace the large diameter BP firing pin with a small diameter smokeless firing pin. These are recommended changes when firing smokeless cartridges in an original RB.
 
Did you have the receiver heat treated like the Swedish RB's were when they were converted to smokeless? I apologize, I thought it was one of those many hack jobs on a RB that I have seen over the years. Did you do it yourself or have it done? I have an old .43 Spanish and you just gave me an idea. If you had it done could you please tell me who did the work. Thank you.
 
Did you have the receiver heat treated like the Swedish RB's were when they were converted to smokeless? I apologize, I thought it was one of those many hack jobs on a RB that I have seen over the years. Did you do it yourself or have it done? I have an old .43 Spanish and you just gave me an idea. If you had it done could you please tell me who did the work. Thank you.

The receiver was heat treated and case colored. The metal work was done by Jim Dubell at <broken link removed> in Colville, WA. Jim is a master gunsmith, and is a member of the American Custom Gunmakers Guild. Here's an excerpt from his web site:

What work is performed at the Delta Gun Shop?

I specialize in custom metal work, including barreling, action trueing and grinding, custom mounts and barrel furniture. We make cut-rifled barrels in the other end of the shop - Clearwater Reboring - where Allen Baker applies his machining and toolmaking expertise.

My custom machining includes making quarter ribs, sights, stock furniture, safety installations, and custom bottom metal. We offer many barrel configurations including integral features and octagoning.

I do my rust blueing and caustic blueing in-house. I can french grey embellished metal surfaces or return them to the engraver if preferred.

There are a couple of areas I do not get into very deeply. I do not do much stock making any longer, as the metal work keeps me very busy. There are several custom stockmakers I work with and can recommend, if you don't have a handle-carver selected prior to beginning a project.

I do not do much engraving in-house. I enjoy it immensely, but will never have the time to put into it to get good at it. I can find some very accomplished artists for this part of a project if you do not have someone in mind. These are usually some very personal choices to make for a client, and usually a stockmakers or engravers style is something that really grabs you, or it does not.

Jim is a rare combination of a master artist and technician, who also understands the emotions and personal histories attached to individual weapons. He's a great guy to work with. We spoke weekly for about 16 months while he resurrected my great-grandfather's rifle from a piece of scrap to a work of art.
 

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