Issues with SSA 55 gr Barnes RRLP (5.56 Frang) Load - AVOID LOT 8/15/11

General Firearms Reloading & Ammunition
1

ETA: SSA has responded, see page 2. Co. has stated that lots made on 8/15/11 were over pressure. If you have this ammo (the inside flap of the individual box will be stamped with date of manufacture) - call SSA.

At a 3 day class last weekend, I noticed that myself and maybe one other person were having issues with Silver State Armory’s 55 gr Barnes RRLP frang load (5.56).

http://www.ssarmory.com/556ammunition-2-3.aspx

I will jot down the lot numbers later.

Issues were failure to extract (and stuck fire control selector), subsequent double feeds, as well as blown primers. These occurred with and without suppressors.

These issues were all easily cleared, but were frustrating to deal with. (On the plus side, the malfs were a good opportunity to practice pistol transitions).

I’m pretty sure it was the ammo, because in my case I had zero problems with M193 ball prior to shooting the frang. Upper was a BCM middy, mags were PMAGS that were in serviceable condition. I purchased the LPK from Grant here. No more than 28 rounds were loaded in the mag.

After experiencing the first round of problems, I broke down my rifle and thoroughly cleaned and lubed it (I use weaponshield), careful to flush out the gas tube and brush out the chamber and scrub out the lower receiver. I put the can away.

The problems repeated themselves - I would be able to fire two rounds, and then the third would be stuck and I would have to clear it. Often, the stuck case would be unfired. I kinda have to wonder if there was a case sizing issue - I haven’t had time to unpack this ammo yet, but will run it through a gauge to check or maybe crappy primers. I’m dubious on the latter because I rechambered the unfired rounds that malfed and they shot fine. I was not aware of any blown primers coming out of my blaster (others did).

I don’t think I’m alone in this, so if anyone else had this experience with this particular ammo, feel free to chime in.

Bottom line: for the next class which requires frang - I am going to handload this cartridge. The factory loading performed like shit in my gun.

2

Haven’t tried that load. But I have loaded hundreds of the RRLP bullets with great results. I think I need to order some more now that you mention it.

I wonder if they didn’t take into account the decreased internal case volume that the long bullet yields… and just loaded to a 55 gr FMJ max…

3

This bothers me. I havent shot any, but I have 80 rounds of it at home. At least, its not more.

4

I was running the 55gr MPG round in class (is the MPG just the RRLP but with a different name?) from Black Hills. No problems with my ammo other than the open tip catching sometimes on the feed ramp.

But I know Jim had a SHIT TON of problems with his SSA loaded Barnes rounds.

5

mmm hmmm.

i just ordered a bunch of the bullets, will start with 24.5 grs of TAC. for a shoothouse, that’s plenty, i think.

ETA: hell, i don’t have to wait for the bullets, i’ll just pull the SSA’s apart and swap out the powder.

6

Yup, I think Jim popped a few primers. Mike and I scrounged brass at T11 and we found some that were blown. SSA uses LC brass.

I note LAV appears to have made a mental note about the SSA loads. I wonder if we’re going to hear back from the LEO/.mil crew who might have run the stuff in the M-Tu-Wed class.

7

That’s what I’ve used. It’s a mild FMJ load and it becomes a medium MPG/RRLP load with the reduced case capacity. No need to adjust the powder measure!

8

i’ll be busy at the press tonight. i’m guessing SSA is using H335. will make for an interesting bonfire. :smiley:

9

How about contacting SSA and addressing the issue with them. I don’t recall you mentioning that in your post.

10

Contacted the co this morning via e-mail. No response as of yet.

Will follow up with a phone call tomorrow.

11

I ordered 500 of those lead free varmint rounds (35 grain) from Wideners. Those kind of bullets are effectively frangibles, and won’t chew up the steel targets. $62 delivered beats the hell out of the price for RRLPs.

We’re going to ring the hell out of some steel when I get them loaded up.

12

Mark, this one?

http://wideners.com/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=100000123&dir=278|281|1079|1166

13

Nope… I messed up… they’re 32 grain.

These:

http://wideners.com/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=100000374

14

interesting - thanks!

15

Yeah… I hope they work well. I’m assuming they’re not solid copper… but we’ll see.

16

Don’t mean to bore anyone, but co. rep replied to my e-mail. I was asked to provide the lot numbers or dates of manufacture, which are stamped inside the boxes.

I am glad I saved the boxes! :cool:

Doing a brief inventory, I had 320 rounds of this frang from two different lots, and only shot 100 or so of them.

17

Shit. I just got .20 caliber bullets. My dumb ass can’t read. :blink:

18

Whenever I break my ammo down into ammo cans or whatever I always either record the lot# or I keep an empty box and throw it in the can.

19

Great advice…I do the same thing, I record the actual lot# on the back of the box’s tab.

Here is one of my bag’s contents…

20

Update: Not much of one, really.

I provided the co. with the dates of manufacture printed on the inside sleeve (no lot number on the individual boxes).

Haven’t heard from them yet. Waiting patiently.