stuck cases with hornady

I guess it's ok to bring this up, in as much as I have already been reimbursed financially for the ammunition.....

Hornady isn't the only manufacturer with issues as I found out...

PPU is junk as well, really junk, it's no fire....

I bought 4/ 20 round boxes of PPU and the first round chambered was a no fire. Thinking it was a light primer hit, I rechambered the round again and click (no bang). I took the rifle home and checked the fitting pin stick out and it was within specification, in fact the primer was nicely indented in the dud cartridge.

So I had 4 boxes of very suspect ammunition that I wanted to return (bought it at Cabelas by the way). I initially contacted RIK Distributing (US Importers for PPU) and basically got nowhere. I then contacted Cabelas and wound up dealing with purchasing in Sidney, Nebraska and they built a fire under RZK and I got my money back, in full, plus tax paid.

Coincidentally, I have no issues with chambering or extraction or firing Lapua/Lapua-Scenar factory loads, so I'll just stick to Lapua brass and/or factory ammo and be happy. Less money in the wallet, but happier....:)

I'm surprised the Hornady ammo don't have a lot number on it that could be posted to alert prospective buyers.

The PPU Lot Number is: '8 605003 804543' -FMJBT 250 grain.

RZK has only the one lot number that I know of at present time. Cabelas purchasing told me they were seriously considering pulling the PPU brand off the shelves in their stores.

It's too bad because PPU loads with Vitavouri and I've always used their powder.

I started another thread about this on this site. I'm surprised no one commented on it.... I was pretty ticked off but I've been fully reimbursed so I'm better now....

Live and learn.....lightbulb
 
Most brass companies can make conventional brass, even belted magnum brass pretty well. Many of them do not however understand the issues of building a large diameter, high performance case when they first start. Most often they build the cases as they do their other cases.

A business has to make as much profit as possible. To do this, they tend to try to make a product with as little materials as possible to get the job done. That is simply business. The problem is that when they get into something like building a large diameter case like the Lapua they quickly realize that there are many special issues that come up unique to these case designs.

Many companies ran into this same problem when they started building the 408 Chey Tac cases. Most of the problem with the 408 CT is that these cases were designed and built to stand up to the very mild working pressures that Chey Tac Industries loaded there ammunition to and they did not require that the cases support several firings from handloading. Thats great for the military boys, not so good for the civilian market and thats where they ran into HUGE problems.

Hornady is going through the same problems now but it does seem that they are trying to correct the problem. Simply growing pains, we all go through it when we try something new, hopefully Hornady gets it right with their Gen 2 Lapua case design which it seems they have.

For the time being, if you do not want to risk anything get the Lapua brand brass. But you will pay a premium for that brass but if you have problems and your using Lapua brass, you pretty much know its a problem with the rifle and not the brass.

Brass hardness can make a huge difference in extraction performance even with comfortable pressure loads.

You have to take one variable at a time to solve some of these problems, I would recommend switching to Lapua brand brass first and see if that solves the problem, if not, chronograph the ammo and see if its velocity lands in the range it should. If it does not, something is causing that. If your shooting factory ammo, make sure the bullets are not engaging the lands when chambered, check a chambered round to make sure there are no land markings on the bullet ogive.

If everything checks out with Lapua brass and your still getting extraction problems, get ahold of Savage as its certainly a mechanical issue.
 
Probably go with corbon its loaded with lapua brass 20rd box 94$ at MidwayUSA.
I ordered some hsm ammo in lapua brass about month ago still no ammo and it was instock.

Anyone know what brass blackhills use ,they have a 300smk load
 
I've learned that with this particular caliber use lapua brass. And when buying ammo only use midway I mean you can beat 2 day 10$ shipping lol
How is the Norma brass? They make the brass for the 378wby family correct? I would assume its good then

Also isn't lapua brass 2.80$ per case hornady is like 2.25$ not worth the reliability issues .

Now I still love my savage .
 
Lapua/Lapua is pretty heady in price but you do get premium components. $120/20 is steep but you get to start collecting brass for that in the future reloading press, dies and all the stuff you'll collect.

Just sayin...

I haven't heard anything negative about PPU brass but I sure don't care for the PPU loaded stuff.

I'm a handload everything but when I get a new caliber I start off with factory loads as a baseline prior to getting the reloading components.
 
I have a lee challenger press. No dies or priming tools or shell holder. Well it does have on priming device that goings into the ram I think. Don't have a powder measure. Id like to load for the 280gr lrx though
 
2012-02-19_22-22-17_611.jpg
 
Not familiar with Lee presses. I have a couple Dillons for pistol calibers and a Rockchucker for the bottleneck cases. I will take considerable effort to F/L Resize a .338 case and less for a neck size.

Time to buy some dies I suspect.

I never prime on the press, I always hand prime but that's my choice. I like to 'feel' every primer in relationship to the base.....

.338's are a bit more involved to reload/resize. You'll need bushing dies and you'll have to determine the neck tension in relationship to the projectile you load. I'd recommend a front load seater die. I like them and they keep you from getting pinched fingers......:)

Brand is entirely your choice. I'm sure someone will chime in about what brand is best. My personal choice is RCBS Gold Medal Match dies, but just my choice and not necessarily the best choice.

Been widely discussed on this site that the Hornady brass won't hold a primer after it's cycled. I can't speak for that because after reading about the Hornady ammunition on here, I purposely didn't get any.... Got the junk PPU instead........:rolleyes:

I will say that Hornady makes some fime brass for .223 Remington. I've been using it for many years to load bench rest comp rounds with no issues other than the necks getting too hard, which I'm addressing with an annealer.
 
If you are looking for cost effective ammo try hunting shack or let me know and I can get you all you ever wanted. We mainly shoot it because they are local and it works. Box of 20 is $60ish loaded with seirra match kings and their own brass. When I talked to them 2 weeks ago the are selling it now with lapua brass too for about $10? more.

I have shot 1000's of rounds of the hunting shack in 338 lapua and have never had any ammunition failures so far. They have their own brass(someone makes it for them im assuming) and use good components.

PPu: I have had the same problems with the primers, I think they just have some that are really hard because I can cycle them a time or two and get them to go off most of the time. A rep of theirs sent me some and I got it on Fri. I will let you know how it functions and groups as he asked me to do so.
 
I see your lot number - 3112708. That should be noted as no good.

2700 fps muzzle is a bit slow, it seems to me.....

I believe I'd call Hornady on Monday I believe they are near Rock Island, Illinois. I'd be bitch'in.......

I did over the PPU and got my money back plus I still have 97 rounds unfired. I'll probably pull the bullets, dump the powder, pop the primers (ugh) and reload them. I hate to toss the Vitavouri but oh well... Will go foof in the brush pile fire....:D

Go to the Lapua site to .338 Lapua and check the ballistics on the Scenars and the Lock Base....
 
nitrousmudbogger said:
If you are looking for cost effective ammo try hunting shack or let me know and I can get you all you ever wanted. We mainly shoot it because they are local and it works. Box of 20 is $60ish loaded with seirra match kings and their own brass. When I talked to them 2 weeks ago the are selling it now with lapua brass too for about $10? more.

I have shot 1000's of rounds of the hunting shack in 338 lapua and have never had any ammunition failures so far. They have their own brass(someone makes it for them im assuming) and use good components.

PPu: I have had the same problems with the primers, I think they just have some that are really hard because I can cycle them a time or two and get them to go off most of the time. A rep of theirs sent me some and I got it on Fri. I will let you know how it functions and groups as he asked me to do so.[/QUOTE]

RZK is the sole US distributor for PPU so whoever the 'rep' is, he's from RZK and RZK refunded my money. There is no excuse for duds, hard primers or not, in a pure hunting round. They aren't plinking rounds. I want 100% ignition, 100% of the time. I tried 2 times with one cartridge and gave up. I checked the firing pin stick out and it was within factory spec and the spring is fime too. No problems with Lapua/Lapua.
Click to expand...
 
The lockbase is only 250gr. Actually want to get my paws on some 325gr rmb but 225$ for 100
Is expensive.ttsx are like 46$ per 50 I think
 
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