16ga.com ~ View topic

crimps look normal, shot in 3 different 2 3/4 inch guns. I emailed federal did not hear back.

Joined: 09 Aug 2007 Posts: 445 Location: WI

I noticed this problem with Federal 16 gauge hulls over 20 years ago with #2 steel shot through the Sportsman 48 I liked to use for ducks at the time. I thought it might be an autoloader thing. But the Federal 16's seem to split or break off at the crimp when it's cold no matter what sort of action they're shot through, even new non-steel ones (Game Shok). They do not split when it's warm - I use Game Shoks for gunning in dog training clinics in the summer. So I don't bother reloading Federals, that's what I buy Remmy and Winchester for.

Oh, and when I tried to contact Federal about it way back when I seem to remember I got no reply. But that was a long time ago. I would be curious to hear what they say if they respond.

Federal contacted me I sent them photo's of the hulls and lot#

fed doesn't seem to hurry the responses . it was a month or more when i queried them on a 410 issue .

Friend just gave me a shopping bag full of new production Feds he shot over the past few months in a M21. All look fine to me.

Update folks federal called me today. They received the photo's and are sending UPS to pick them up.

I am having the same issues with some older federal steel shot loads. The crimps are blowing off and either getting hung up upon ejecting or the a5 will not even pull the empt from chamber.

Member Joined: 16 Nov 2006 Posts: 1338

OK, I have seen this happen three ways before.

First is shooting 2 3/4 ammo in a short chamber,

Second is shooting very cold ammo.

Third, with steel shot ammo and a very slow buring powder.

Maybe, just maybe??

Mike

Member Joined: 16 Nov 2006 Posts: 1338

Mike,
My hulls looked the same as yours except 18 to 20 out of each box were blown. Federal picked up the 3 cases I had said they will be sending replacements. I shot them in 3 different 2 3/4 inch guns. The recoil and report did not seem different. I sent the photo's to Federal and they contacted me quickly.

Mike:
While I have no way of knowing what was different with those 4 shell with the blown off crimps. Is it possible that somehow the wad petals were high and became locked under the crimp folds? Even with a standard load pressure say 10,000 psi ,what would it go up to with such a crimp? Might even blow a primer. Sure would abuse the hull.
Art

wow Mikey - that's a new one on me . The ones I've had were maybe one tooth of the crimp , not most or all . Not many blown primers over the yrs , but some . Incidental . Don't think I've had many of those over the yrs either . Wonder if maybe their crimper on one of the machines is wore or broken . Or think back to those KO*** yrs - some experimental formulation exp that got out ! Melted Coke bottles for instance ?!

Here's 2 cents from the cheap seats.

Seems to me like it might be a few things that contributed.

The wad was probably caught in the rolled shoulder of the crimp and believe it or not some shells after they sit for awhile the plastic has been known to get on the brittle side. I have seen this happen and the pressures will actually rise a pretty fair amount. I have never seen it happen with reloads but I have seen it happen with new factory.

Please understand that it isn't a dangerous situation but when you combine all three changes it can cause what you have seen happen to Mike's hulls.

I would assume that the hull might be slammed back against the breech because of the extra pressure and with a slightly long firing pin, I can see the pierced primers.

Like I said in a previous post I have seen some tearing in the crimp area, but never anything like that happen, Mr. Campbell.

I have not used Federal factory 16Ga.loads but a review of the Federal website indicates 16Ga. loads of 1,1 1/8,1 1/4 lead and 15/16 steel are available. Yet in there component catagory they do not list any 16Ga. wads . Anybody know what wads Federal uses?

Art