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.22LR Lots of split cases.


BlackBuzzard

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I use my Ruger mark III for practice on steel plates. Its one year old and has seen about 18,000 rounds of Federal Bulk Pack through it.

Lately, about one in every 15 rounds splits the case lengthwise and fails to eject.

This has to be an ammo problem right?

No way is my chamber suddenly out of dimension.

Also, the firearm gets quite hot when in use since I run lots of mags all quickly loaded with speedloader. This can't be part of the problem could it?

BB

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Try liberaly coating the bore in Kroil. Let it sit for a bit, then follow it with a jag and VERY tight fitting patch. The Kroil gets under any lead that is built up and the tight patch pushes it out. I had to do that to my 22/45 at the 8000 round mark. Lots more lead/copper/? came out than I expected.

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Did you try another brand to see if the problem continues?

Will try winchster on Monday.

I cleaned the Mark III real well and the chamber didnt seem to have more than normal leading or copper buildup. A .22 round will easily drop into chamber and fall back out when inverted.

When the split cases are viewed from back, with the firing pin mark at 12oclock, most of the lengthwise splits occur at the 8oclock position. If it were totally ammo related I would expect this to be random.

Thanks for the feedback. If I can find some Kroil I'll give it a try.

BB

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Ok for those still following this saga of the split 22LR cases..............

Today I ran Winchster ammo with no split cases........though it sometimes likes to nose-dive into feedramp and stop, unlike Federal.

In conclusion it must be a bad lot of Federal 550 count bulk ammo. Will Wal Mart allow me to switch unopened cartons out for different lot # of same brand?

After some reading online, I think the case extrusion die (at the Federal factory) has a flaw in it that puts a scratch or line down the interior of the cases. This line thins the case enough to allow many cases to rupture in the pistol chamber. This is the best explanation I have found so far.

BB

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If Wally World does dot allow the switch (I think they have a no ammo return policy) you should contact Federal and tell them about your ammo issues - or try to contact a local or regional Federal sales rep.

Good Luck.

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18,000 rounds?

Sure sounds like leading in the barrel...increasing pressure. The build up might be shiney and hard to notice.

If the Federal brass splits easier, that may just be an early warning indicator.

Yes it is shinny, but I do clean it every few thousand rounds.........have to given how filthy .22 can be. I Use a brush with either hoppes 9 or a decoppering cleaner.

Federals are copper plated.

Should I go back and furiously reclean the chamber and barrel with brush and alternating diff. gun cleaning solvents?

Again......the Federals split like one in 15........winchesters all ok ( an all lead bullet)

BB

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I think I would be contacting Ruger as they might like to see it.

Wise idea.

I use lead solvent not copper solvent, it works better. Hoppes 9 is the best alrounder for this job, put in plenty and leave it for 15minutes. Bruch and repeat until the rag comes out totally clean. Not gray in colour.

It can take some time with certain guns and ammo combinations.

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Ok...............verdict is IN on the split .22LR cases.

Same ammo (Federal value pack 550 count from walmart), but different lot number runs almost flawlessly with zero split cases after 500 rounds in same pistiol. When I switch back to the suspect Federal 1AW603 lot number, its back to one out of fifteen cases splitting.

Now I need to contact Federal about the four full remaining cartons of the bad lot still on my shelf.

BB

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  • 4 weeks later...

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