LR case failure

[DanM]

I had just finished dialing in a new scope on my 597, and was happily spinning my hanging steel 100 yard targets when I heard a thump instead of the usual crack. Checked the bolt and it was closed but smokey looking. Pulled out the scorched mag, opened her up and the whole base/rim fell out on the bench top, leaving the rest of the case in the chamber. This was with my favorite Federal auto match ammo. I have seen rims torn on centerfire autos, but never on a rimfire. Am thinking this had to be a defective case, as there was a ragged, blown out edge left on the rim. The rest of the case pushed out easily with a cleaning rod since the bullet was still in the barrel. No damage done, but a wierd occurance that ended my fun. I need to go through the rest of my ammo and see if there are any with a flaw above the rim. Federal will hear about this soon....

[lead-1]

Semi auto rifle, check the bolt of the rifle and make sure it wont fire out of battery before you give Federal the dickens.
MAKE SURE THE RIFLE IS EMPTY and then Slightly, it don't take much, open the bolt to see if the firing pin will drop on an bolt that isn't fully closed.
This is from a bolt gun that had play in the bolt/headspace issues that the results sound like yours.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=15649&d=1252149716

[zuke]

Their mass stamped, and one will get thru eventually.
I've had that happen on various make's of 22.
Check,clean,lube and carry on.

[Bret4207]

Semi auto rifle, check the bolt of the rifle and make sure it wont fire out of battery before you give Federal the dickens.
MAKE SURE THE RIFLE IS EMPTY and then Slightly, it don't take much, open the bolt to see if the firing pin will drop on an bolt that isn't fully closed.
This is from a bolt gun that had play in the bolt/headspace issues that the results sound like yours.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=15649&d=1252149716

X2, I've seen it happen a number of times. Usually a good cleaning will fix it right up.

[NickSS]

I have had RF ammo split at the rim as well but never one that came off completely but it does not surprise me. This does not happen often but maybe once every 10 years or more of plinking. I have had more case failures with CF ammo than with RF over the years and much more problems with CF primers that RF of CF brass cases.

[exile]

I just bought a box of that stuff today. Other than the one case failure, how do you like it?

exile

[Char-Gar]

I had that happen with a Ruger MKII handgun. Mine has a Douglas barrel with a match chamber. These are blow back firearms, and they will fire with the bolt a tad out of battery. The issue seems to be build up of crud in the front of the chamber that prevents the round from fully seating in the chamber. I keep the chamber clean and that has not been a problem since.

[flounderman]

years ago I saw a head come off from a winchester target round in a 52 winchester. the man was going to contact winchester about it, don't know the result. I do know this was a standard velocity round, in a winchester target rifle and the fault was in the round and not the rifle.

[x101airborne]

Well, before you go looking into the ammo too hard..... Check out the reviews on the Remington 597. I bought one and on the third round, the bolt blew apart, jammed to the rear, and sprayed me with metal bits and debris. I contacted Remington and they said they were discontinuing that model for that exact reason. They even gave me a 400.00 credit on another rifle.

Remington has always been "BEEN" a good brand and synonimous with quality. Till now. I have not tried one of their newer 700's, but the 710, the 597, et al are in my opinion questionable. In a realm where winchesters are made in spain, Weatherby's are made in japan, Remingtons are made in Serbia, and I have never had a ruger shoot worth a dang, I just really dont know where to turn.

And the Ruger comment is after owning 6 of them.

Read up on the 597 before chewing on the ammo too hard.

[tgator]

I realize this is a late reply, but maybe you should look at the Brno model 1 training rifles at Wideners. The one I got last time they were offered shoots under an inch @ 75yds with most cheap ammo IF I do my part. Also has very nice walnut stock, few dents and dings of course. The one I got is '52 vintage. Tim

[DanM]

Sorry about my delay in coming back to this thread. Maybe I was in denial and did not want to know the truth. My 597 will fire out of battery. Not just a little, the hammer will drop with the bolt half open. To be fair to Remington, I have put the Volquartzen hammer in to help the heavy trigger pull. Don't know if that contributed to the problem. Also, in fairness to Remington, this is the most accurate semi auto .22 I have owned. It will print 10 shot, 50yd. groups that a nickle will cover all day long with the Federal auto match ammo. I realize that many custom semi autos and bolt rifles will do better, but this one is factory except for the trigger and a nice stock. I will have to be careful with this one. A full lift of the trigger finger between shots is obviously in order....

The 597 is still in the Remington catalog. Not discontinued.

[Baldy]

That VQ trigger didn't cause any problems.

[johnnyc14]

Well, before you go looking into the ammo too hard..... Check out the reviews on the Remington 597. I bought one and on the third round, the bolt blew apart, jammed to the rear, and sprayed me with metal bits and debris. I contacted Remington and they said they were discontinuing that model for that exact reason. They even gave me a 400.00 credit on another rifle.

Remington has always been "BEEN" a good brand and synonimous with quality. Till now. I have not tried one of their newer 700's, but the 710, the 597, et al are in my opinion questionable. In a realm where winchesters are made in spain, Weatherby's are made in japan, Remingtons are made in Serbia, and I have never had a ruger shoot worth a dang, I just really dont know where to turn.

And the Ruger comment is after owning 6 of them.

Read up on the 597 before chewing on the ammo too hard.

Remington discontinued and recalled the .17 HMR version and for this type of failure but still sell the .22 LR and .22mag versions. I have a .22 LR version and it too will fire with the bolt slightly open but I've never had a case failure likethe OP describes. By the way it would fire out of battery before and after I installed the VG hammer. Mine is very accurate too. If you don't overtighten the action guide rod set screws mine works flawlessly. Run the screws in till they just touch the guide rods and then back out 1/4 turn. They won't fall out, they are held in by the stock when it's installed. This and keeping it very clean is all it takes to make this gun work perfectly.

[tgator]

Rimfire ammo rim thickness can and does vary quite a bit. Match shooters measure rim thickness and throw out variances. Thick rims or fat case bases can cause rounds to fire that are not fully chambered in autos.

Tim