Winchester white box 9mm duds

[twency]

I added two photos to the first post, one a closer shot of the base of the rounds and the inside of the loose primer, the other a tight shot down the inside of the round which lost its primer.

I couldn't find a phone number for Winchester ammo, but I've sent a detailed email to Olin sales with the carton numbers from the two boxes and I requested replacement or reimbursement of the cost of a value pack.

[cephas]

Here's a normal flash hole after firing:
It appears that your flash hole may be abnormal, or just full of smeg from incomplete combustion. Looking I am not certain if the cases are swelled. Interesting there was enough pressure to pop the primer but not move the bullets into the bore. I'd send those pics to Winchester. They may want those cases as they are to examine. Micrometer reading of the cases would also be helpful. If you have not or are inexperienced working around shells further disassembly should be discouraged for liability reasons. Using safety precautions the more adventurous may delicately use a wire to define the flash hole. Having a bullet puller I'd have to pull them down to see the condition of the powder.

[twency]

[photo]
It appears that your flash hole may be abnormal, or just full of smeg from incomplete combustion. Looking I am not certain if the cases are swelled. Interesting there was enough pressure to pop the primer but not move the bullets into the bore. I'd send those pics to Winchester. They may want those cases as they are to examine. Micrometer reading of the cases would also be helpful. If you have not or are inexperienced working around shells further disassembly should be discouraged for liability reasons. Using safety precautions the more adventurous may delicately use a wire to define the flash hole. Having a bullet puller I'd have to pull them down to see the condition of the powder.

Someone from Winchester/Olin just called me, they're requesting that the boxes and the bad rounds be sent to them at their expense.

So I'm not going to mess with the rounds, just package them up and send them off.

[GrumpyBear]

Wow ! Thanks for posting,I'm glad the gun and you weren't damaged.Let us know the end result of your dealings with Winchester,please.

I have some WWB,but haven't had any issues. Yet !
I'd be interested to know the lot numbers,if it turns out that they ran a bad batch.

[LenP]

I picked up three boxes of the Winchester White 9mm 100 ct ammo at Walmart (Lehighton) on Saturday. Went to the range today, and the third pull resulted in click and smoke from the primer, and the round jammed in the barrel. Guy at the range said I was the 9th person he knows of with the same problem with that ammo. Thankfully someone helped me extract the round with no damage to the pistol (Ruger P95).

[twency]

I picked up three boxes of the Winchester White 9mm 100 ct ammo at Walmart (Lehighton) on Saturday. Went to the range today, and the third pull resulted in click and smoke from the primer, and the round jammed in the barrel. Guy at the range said I was the 9th person he knows of with the same problem with that ammo. Thankfully someone helped me extract the round with no damage to the pistol (Ruger P95).

Please contact Olin/Winchester about this. I suspect there is at least one bad lot, and perhaps several, out there based on the (admittedly anecdotal) problems mentioned in this thread alone.

When I have a chance later I'll post the lot numbers from the boxes I was using.

Edit: I added the lot numbers to the end of my first post.

[the1jeffy]

I'm glad Winchester is taking care of you. Sorry I didn't post back sooner, but I was working.

How certain are you that the red color is a laquer? I attached a photo why I think it is not, and is a result of heat instead. I can into more detail if you want, but I figure YMMV.

Long story short, If I see that coloring on my ammo, I wouldn't fire it. Sorry for the image size.

[truss64130]

I'm glad that you posted this. I've put about 500-700 rounds of WWB through my S&W 3913 over the past few months without issue. I'll have to inspect the rounds from the last two boxes I purchased a month ago.

[Pizza Bob]

Your added pictures are pretty conclusive - the cases have no flash hole. When the primer ignites it drives the whole cartridge forward, jamming it in the lead and backing the primer out against the breach.

Apparently one of the machines at Winchester has gone awry and is not punching flash holes in some cases. I have a feeling we will be hearing about a WWB ammo recall soon - at least I would hope so. Anecdotal evidence suggests this is not an isolated incident.

Please post the lot numbers from the box of ammo that contained the defective cartridges.

Adios,

Pizza Bob

[ungawa]

I've switched to buying cases of Fiocchi 9mm online. It's excellent practice ammo, much cleaner than WWB, and functions superiorly in my more finicky firearms (subguns). Case quantities delivered are slightly cheaper than WWB and more convenient.