What went wrong here...

[Certaindeaf]

There is a different manufacturer number for each product.

.22WMR: N22MAG40HPVP500 https://www.cheaperthandirt.com/ame...-500-rounds-jhp-40-grain/FC-812285022888.html

10mm: F N10180VP250 https://www.cheaperthandirt.com/ame...180-grains-n10180vp250/FC-04806015501831.html

etc. etc.

I hear ya. All I gotta say is what a terrible story.
I'm glad that when I did some buying, $300 bought me an 8 lb jug of Promo and 13,000 primers.. just for an example to flesh it out to be a hypothetical $300 order.

 

[awshoot]

@grimmy999 -- Is there anything on the box indicating who made the ammo, I mean aside from the obvious logo printed in red on the side? Address? Anything?

 

[orygun]

After looking at the primers from the spent shells, which look pretty normal, I'm sticking with a double charge as the culprit.

 

[grimmy999]

Looking through my brass piles, my own reloads and range pickups, I would say the amount of soot on the case head is weird too. As if gas was leaking. I don't have a shield so maybe that's normal, but these cases look amazingly filthy. In the picture I quoted above, only the upper left and the one I quoted with the red box look like the right amount of soot to me.

They are a little dirty after being on the ground, then in the trash bag overnight. They were cleaner when I first picked them up.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

To find manufacturer maybe a person could download the excel atf list and find by name. I would do it but I'm on my phone. Not sure this is the right link below, is that just for Jan 2020? Where is the list of all current ones I wonder? License type 6 is ammo manufacturer. https://www.atf.gov/firearms/listing-federal-firearms-licensees/complete?field_ffl_date_value[value][year]=2020&ffl_date_month[value][month]=1

 

[grimmy999]

Only other markings on the box.

 

[nammac]

Only other markings on the box.

View attachment 784250 View attachment 784251

So off that item bar code, the first 6 digits are the manufacturing id as registered with The Uniform Code Council. Should be able to use that to track down who manufactured the ammo, that is unless it was applied by Cheaper than Dirt, then all bets are off...

 

[awshoot]

So off that item bar code, the first 6 digits are the manufacturing id as registered with The Uniform Code Council. Should be able to use that to track down who manufactured the ammo, that is unless it was applied by Cheaper than Dirt, then all bets are off...

I checked a barcode database for several of their products as listed on the CTD website previously -- found a box of Nosler bullets I have on my shelf, but nothing for AQA. Nada.

I checked the ATF list referenced above -- only one name has the word "quality" in it, they are located in MA and have the wrong type of license to manufacture ammo. Also, the info on CTD for this manufacturer says they were created in 1991 to supply west coast law enforcement. I'd very much doubt this is the manufacturer.

It's pretty disturbing that there is zero infomation out there about this company.

 

[awshoot]

On the offchance the barcode on the box was different than CTD site, I tried it. Nothing.

https://www.barcodelookup.com/08122850263984

You searched for 08122850263984 - Barcode Info

https://eandatabase.com/search_show.php?view=08122850263984

 

[awshoot]

They are a little dirty after being on the ground, then in the trash bag overnight. They were cleaner when I first picked them up.

I suppose it is possible they collected something -- if you can completely remove the soot by wiping it on a rag then I would change my tune, but I'll bet it's baked on tight. I pick up brass all the time off the ground and then leave them in bags, sometimes for months or more. Sometimes I pick up sooty brass but I don't see the soot transfer to other brass pieces even though I make no effort at gentle treatment. With a really sooty case, some will wipe off but there is a base layer that is typically burned on and takes equipment to clean off (wet tumbling with stainless pins, or hours in a vibratory cleaner).

So anyway, a test to see if it is transferred soot is to see if wipes off without effort.

 

[Lazyfaire]

Those are all links to stores -- found that no problem. I was looking for the company website.

The very first Questions people ask is who makes the ammo

 

[Koda]

It's pretty disturbing that there is zero infomation out there about this company.

This is enough summary for me, but there is enough evidence in this thread to blame the ammo.

Im glad the OP shared this, times are tough in this ammo crunch and deals can be hard to pass up, its good to know not to buy ammo from unknown manufacturers.

 

[Lazyfaire]

Why do these things only happen on Friday or Saturday? Then we have to wait 2-3 days to contact anyone?!

 

[bearcountrygun]

I second the motion to blame a double charged round. In my mind this is yet another example of why you should hand load your own ammo. If you can't hand load, then stick to well known reputable names.

there's probably a good reason this stuff came from a website called "cheaper than dirt"

 

[Redcoat330]

Absolutely call S&W customer service and tell 'em what happened. They'll most likely want the gun.

And scream like hell at the ammo manufacturer. If you're sure it wasn't a squib then it had to be an overcharged round.

And finally, I'd post the pics and same description about what happened on the Smith &Wesson board. The folks there are really good at diagnosing problems and have seen it all. (And they love solving problems.) Here's the link for M&Ps: http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-m-p-pistols/

Very glad you are okay, except if I were you, on my next range trip, I'd probably have a bit of a flinch problem on my first few rounds.

 

[grimmy999]

Once I switch ammo I'll let you know how it goes. I hope others are able to learn from this as I have. Wasn't a fun experience and I consider myself lucky. Thank you all for your help! Awesome community here.

 

[Koda]

Once I switch ammo I'll let you know how it goes. I hope others are able to learn from this as I have. Wasn't a fun experience and I consider myself lucky. Thank you all for your help! Awesome community here.

At this point Id love to hear if you get any response or results from S&W or that ammo manufacturer (which I doubt). it might take months, but to learn how a company responds to these issues is as important as the hard lesson. That said, Im not certain what S&W can even do for you as Im pretty confident the fault lies with the ammo.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Weird powder seen airborne while firing the ammo? Sounds like salt, as in salted ammo.

lol, odd attempt at humor but sheesh, non traceable ammo causing widespread mayhem, sure sounds like classic salting

 

[citizen a]

When you think about it, our interest/hobby involves running many thousands of miniature explosions thru fairly cheaply produced consumer products. It's amazing incidents like this don't happen more often.

 

[nammac]

Absolutely call S&W customer service and tell 'em what happened. They'll most likely want the gun.

And scream like hell at the ammo manufacturer. If you're sure it wasn't a squib then it had to be an overcharged round.

And finally, I'd post the pics and same description about what happened on the Smith &Wesson board. The folks there are really good at diagnosing problems and have seen it all. (And they love solving problems.) Here's the link for M&Ps: http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-m-p-pistols/

Very glad you are okay, except if I were you, on my next range trip, I'd probably have a bit of a flinch problem on my first few rounds.

In addition, I'd be posting pictures and a review of the ammo on the CTD website, good way to warn others to beware.