Bad commercially reloaded ammo

[CarlMc]

A couple years ago I bought 250 rounds of 357M (158gr) ammo from a commercial reloader I'm not willing to name just yet. At the time I was too busy to reload, so I just bought some.

A couple weeks ago my wife and I were at the range shooting some of it for the first time. I had noticed that the recoil/flash that seemed really inconsistent, and then later my wife called me over with a jammed gun. It seems a bullet had lodged across the forcing cone and locked it up. I pushed the bullet out and packed up the ammo for teardown.

I was hoping to do that this weekend, but I ordered the wrong brand pulling collet. I was still curious so I took a few apart with my inertia puller.

Most of the rounds had a powder that most closely resembled ash and had roughly 12.9 to 13.6 grains of that. The others had a flake powder and the variation was 4.4 to to 4.9 grains.

I understand the reloader using the powder that was available (I bought the ammo in 2103) so there can be two different kinds of powder, but the variation struck me as really odd, rendered unacceptable by the squib load. Should I write this off as the results of a bad year, or should I avoid buying from them again? I sent them an email about it after I condemned the ammo, but never heard back.

Thoughts?

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[HappyRoman]

A couple years ago I bought 250 rounds of 357M (158gr) ammo from a commercial reloader I'm not willing to name just yet. At the time I was too busy to reload, so I just bought some.

A couple weeks ago my wife and I were at the range shooting some of it for the first time. I had noticed that the recoil/flash that seemed really inconsistent, and then later my wife called me over with a jammed gun. It seems a bullet had lodged across the forcing cone and locked it up. I pushed the bullet out and packed up the ammo for teardown.

I was hoping to do that this weekend, but I ordered the wrong brand pulling collet. I was still curious so I took a few apart with my inertia puller.

Most of the rounds had a powder that most closely resembled ash and had roughly 12.9 to 13.6 grains of that. The others had a flake powder and the variation was 4.4 to to 4.9 grains.

I understand the reloader using the powder that was available (I bought the ammo in 2103) so there can be two different kinds of powder, but the variation struck me as really odd, rendered unacceptable by the squib load. Should I write this off as the results of a bad year, or should I avoid buying from them again? I sent them an email about it after I condemned the ammo, but never heard back.

Thoughts?

You have fairly and accurately described the situation and tear down of several rounds.
I would contact the reloader as they appear by your description to be a commercial enterprise. I would as them what to do. They may want to refund or replace the ammo. Just my .02c

 

[CarlMc]

Happy, if I had gotten a reply from them I would. My primary question of them was if I should buy buy from them in the future. Crickets.

 

[HappyRoman]

Happy, if I had gotten a reply from them I would. My primary question of them was if I should buy buy from them in the future. Crickets.

Can u find a Phone # or email address..

If not, you might seek help here.. someone might know.. I reload lots, but do not sell, only for friends and family. Have only had a similar problem 1x. I replaced all the ammo I had made for them. Pulled all apart, and reloaded starting A New

 

[BoonDocks36]

If you bought it was it Bulk Packed, or in Boxes of Fifty???

Regardless, All Commercial Ammo, even if Reloaded brass, needs an Identification Number, BATFE RULES... ( For once they do something correct)

That number is on your box!!! Call them, if No reply, report to BATFE, as bad commercial Ammo.

The Life you save might Not be Yours, but it may be a friends life...

Or just name them, for OUR Protection!!!!!!

philip, that is why Hand Loaders shoot their own ammo, and do not trade back and forth.... Or Shouldn't!!!!!

 

[CarlMc]

I actually replied to their automatic email from the original order and changed the email address to the web contact email. Everything the needed to know was provided. The lack of response was highly annoying.
I won't reload for others because of the same risk. The one squib load I was responsible for happened in my own hands, and it was enough to cement the sentiment.

 

[CarlMc]

Sigh. It was LAX Ammo.

 

[HappyRoman]

Sigh. It was LAX Ammo.

try this: email, snail mail same letter and call:
Street: 234 S. Hindry Ave.
Suburb: Inglewood
State: CA
Zip Code: 90301
Country: USA
Telephone: 1-855-407-AMMO (2666) **Please note that while we are here to answer any questions you may have, we are unable to take orders via phone. All orders must be placed via this website, thank you**
Miscellaneous info:
PLEASE NOTE: Although under same ownership, the LAX Firing Range and LAXammo.com are operated as SEPARATE businesses. Prices and availability will vary for each business.

IMPORTANT: LAX Ammunition now how has a store front located in Inglewood, CA (Visit www.laxrange.com for more information). However, we do not yet have a will call hold or pick up in place. All orders placed online must be shipped.

Due to overwhelming demand please allow 24-48 hours for response to emails & voice messages. For faster response please email first. Please note: Some items may ship fast than others if already prep-packaged.

 

[Swedish K]

You might shoot a message to AMProducts on here and ask him about them - he may know about them and have a recommendation about their quality/reliability as he has worked on the commercial reloading equipment for several commercial reloaders including in LaLa land.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Well......I get bad rounds, I write them off! It's not like there aren't plenty of other places to buy reloads!
I'm honestly surprised at your question. Not meaning to be snarky but if I get a bad product or service I vote with my feet and go elsewhere!
I'm really, really glad that your wife is alright! SRG

 

[BoonDocks36]

Well, I went to the website... Clicked on AmmoLand....

Just by the website, I would not buy from them... Yep. If they can not keep Up to date information Such as...

<broken link removed>

The coupon is out dated by Nearly 3 months!!!! That is a sign of ineptitude...

And there are pleanty of Commercial Reloaders available, that are spit on Time & Date!!!!

philip, Just my 2.363 Cents of Opinion, darn that Inflation!

 

[CarlMc]

I'm with Sgt Nambu here. I wasn't sure if I should do anything, but I doubted I would ever purchase from them, given them ignoring my email.

It's not what happens to you that defines who you are, it's how you deal with it. When the company goes out of their way to make it right, I accept the apology and continue to do business. JC Penney stores, a very long time, had a rule "Either you or your replacement will greet the customer within 15 seconds of them entering the store." Commentary on the current state of JC Penney not necessary!

 

[Member 5605]

Selling. Product is so out dated.

They sell a service. The service is what gets you coming back... Or not. Had they been quick to fix their service was good.

Vote with feet and money.

 

[The Heretic]

I won't buy reloads from anybody anymore.

1) You have no idea of their quality control, even the ones with well known names.

2) They generally have no idea of the quality of the brass they reload with. It could have been reloaded 100 times before they got it. It could have been hot loaded well over safe limits. Any number of other things could have happened to that brass before they got it.

I had once bought some reloads from one of the large reloading outfits - name starts with an "M" as I recall. It was 9MM FMJ reloads I bought for practice. They seemed to work well, until one blew out at the base of the case, downwards, while my SIL was shooting some in his pistol while at the range. Fortunately he was only slightly injured when the hot gases burned his hand.

Quite possibly the reloader did reload the ammo correctly - I've had no problems with consistency with the ammo - but who knows where the brass came from. A combo of worn out brass and maybe a load on the hot side?

It just isn't worth the money I save anymore. If my SIL had been seriously injured it not only would have made me feel very bad, but he would have had medical bills and not been able to work. Is that worth the lower cost? No.

I reload myself (although I haven't in quite a while because I don't shoot much anymore, I still have my equipment), but there I know the history of my brass and I know the loads I use.

 

[Velzey]

I wont use them or touch with a 10' pole HSM ammo!

HSM makes some .50bmg ammo and its pure junk and dangerous, and then they would not give me a refund until I threatened them with legal action!

 

[Hook686]

There are a lot of sources out there for ammo. You sound unhappy with the situation. I would be surprised if any reloader would admit negligence. I would chalk it off to a bad buy and move on. ife is too short to mess with such 'wild goose chases' in my opinion.

It is not like it is only reloaders to be cautious of. Back in the 1960's, and I admit it is the only time something like this happened, I bought a box of Remington 6mm Remington rounds for hunting. One of the rounds had an incompletely formed case. There were multiple holes in the case near the neck. I tossed it. I sometimes think I should have kept it just as a reminder, but what does a young GI really know.

 

[Swedish K]

I would be surprised if any reloader would admit negligence.

A friend was shooting some .40 cal commercial reloads from one of the local to the PNW reloaders and got some bad loads about 2 years ago. I don't recall if it was a squib followed by a good round or a hot load but it locked up everything and the slide wouldn't move at all. I don't recall if they actually admitted fault but they did voluntarily pay for shipping it to the manufacturer where the slide had to be cut off the frame and an entire rebuild was done including the custom shop doing a bit of extra work. They also picked up the tab for all parts and work done as well as either refunding the ammo purchase or replacing it. Some of them do take responsibility for their errors...

 

[IheartSig]

I went in on a bulk buy with my Father in Law, he said it was a great deal I need more 223 at the time. Also from a PNW commercial reloader. I was unaware they were "factory reloads" at the time. After the 4 dropped primers and disassembling two AR's to clear jams and squibs, I gave all the ammo back and told him to return it. They made it right and replaced the ammunition for him, he was happy, but I politely told him he could keep it all, my gift.

Regardless of what a company does and how they behave I will not purchase from them again. That sounds kind of harsh I know, but to me it simply isn't worth the risk. It's like buying climbing equipment, when you're 600 feet up a rock face and a carabiner fails, it won't matter if they have a good return policy.

 

[Hook686]

There are so many variables I doubt it can even be proven that it was the alleged reloader's cartridge that caused the problem. Once fired it is hard to proved what it was before it was fired. It would cost a whole lot also to try I'm thinking. I always raise an eyebrow when I read of a squib followed by a good round. I have never had a squib cycle the action. Maybe there are different types of squibs.

 

[mjbskwim]

Well there is a guy on the peninsula that is trying to be a pro reloader. My friend bought some 300 blackout and the PR hadn't made the 300 brass perfect.So my friend had to pull about 300 rounds or so and resize the brass.Never bought from him again
Heck I bought some Buffalo Bore ,2 boxes for my G20 with a Lone Wolf barrel,that half wouldn't fit into the chamber.The guy who emailed me back said it was LW's problem not that his guys sat the bullets wrong.
The bullets on some were actually showing on one side.He kinda sonded like he was havng his period so I din't send pictures or continue the conversation.
Before I knew better I took some 9mm on trade from a guy.Then traded a gun to a friend and gave him the reloads.He knew they were reloads.He also hand ejected half of them since the guy had screwed them up plenty.Luckily none were HOT loads
Now if I give reloads with a gun I say these are for the brass only,use at your own risk.
I'll buy the more expensive commercial 'new stuff for the brass or buy brass and reload MY OWN but never use anyone's or give mine away again

Since the OP's nemesis has a web site I would report them.Otherwise just write it off to education