USA Ammo Blew Up M&P15

[saddlerocker]

No, this didnt happen to me.....
I hope its ok to post this link here like this, I just think this may be some important info.

This guys S&W M&P15 exploded, and the CEO of the ammo company supposedly said they have been having problems with overpressured ammo due to the powder.
If the CEO admitted that quick about an issue it might be common.
Some of the people replying say they had issues with the 7.62x51 as well.
Something to watch for if you have bought their ammo recently

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_3_118/543339_Epic_KABOOM_today___SandW_MandP15T_destroyed.html&page=2

[snackgunner]

Wow, theres a lot of people that just ordered from USA ammo :stop:

https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=85360

[The_War_Wagon]

THAT... does qualify as "EPIC!" :eek:

http://i804.photobucket.com/albums/yy322/NVCapCop/018.jpg

I've got some of their ammo from about 3-4 years ago - it's on the bottom of one of my 40mm cans... just above the Wolf lacquered stuff!

[shaneinhisroom]

I just bought 1000rd from USA Ammo in 9mm. I have gone through over 1500 rd from them already, but none in 5.56 or any other caliber. Hopefully they have fixed the issue. I will not buy rifle loads from them.

[markm]

and the CEO of the ammo company supposedly said they have been having problems with overpressured ammo due to the powder.

Yeah... too much of it. :p

[Baedarlboo]

Yeah... too much of it. :p

Most likely due to too much of the wrong powder...:suicide2:

[Karcas]

Awesome. Can't wait to get that 500rds of .223 I just ordered. :suicide2:

[Doc Safari]

Threads like this pop up all too often IMHO. This illustrates why it's good to have spare weapons and not just spare parts.

I'll be avoiding this ammo until I'm absolutely sure the problem is resolved.

[Baedarlboo]

Awesome. Can't wait to get that 500rds of .223 I just ordered. :suicide2:

I hear ya...I got a bulk load of 556 coming to me! :(

[saddlerocker]

Ive been reading that people ordered their USA ammo a while ago with that coupon, but it still hasnt shipped.
Maybe they are looking into the issue, or just making new ammo.

[Ironman8]

I have 550 rds of 9mm coming to me from that coupon...I don't know if the problems are across all their ammo or just .223/5.56, but I was told a couple days ago that my order would ship first part of August due to the huge order volume from the coupon promotion...this is the first I've heard of overpressure issues. I will say that I was very impressed with the customer service that I received for an amendment to my order, and, based on that, I believe that they will make this right. They are a new company, and if they want to be around for any length of time, they HAVE to take care of this issue...don't know if that makes you guys feel any better, but I would just give them a call and ask...they are not Botach lol

[Baedarlboo]

I have 550 rds of 9mm coming to me from that coupon...I don't know if the problems are across all their ammo or just .223/5.56, but I was told a couple days ago that my order would ship first part of August due to the huge order volume from the coupon promotion...this is the first I've heard of overpressure issues. I will say that I was very impressed with the customer service that I received for an amendment to my order, and, based on that, I believe that they will make this right. They are a new company, and if they want to be around for any length of time, they HAVE to take care of this issue...don't know if that makes you guys feel any better, but I would just give them a call and ask...they are not Botach lol

I agree with you, and the fact that most orders (that I know of) have not shipped, so I'm thinking any issues will be taken care of before they start shipment. BUT, I have to admit that the timing of events stink.

[mtdawg169]

Been wondering about this ammo ever since seeing the coupon deal. Kinda glad I missed out on it.

Looks like the bolt split along its length. Never seen that before.

[GunnutAF]

From what I gathered from the AR15 thread the Ammo company is having issues with there powder supplier- grade of powder ment for rifle being blended in a faster burn rate thus creating over pressures! Which is telling me these guys are not testing there ammo before it ships!:rolleyes:

[saddlerocker]

another guy on my local Pennsylvania firearms forum blew up his M&P15 a few days ago with this ammo.

2 M&P15's down :confused:

[Baedarlboo]

another guy on my local Pennsylvania firearms forum blew up his M&P15 a few days ago with this ammo.

2 M&P15's down :confused:

Can you post up the link to it?

[saddlerocker]

http://forum.pafoa.org/ammunition-reloading-25/142968-usa-ammo-bad-batch-beware.html

no pics though

[Baedarlboo]

http://forum.pafoa.org/ammunition-reloading-25/142968-usa-ammo-bad-batch-beware.html

no pics though

Ah, I wanted to see the similarity/differences in the destruction....but no pics. Glad no one was hurt.

[tpd223]

I've seen several rifles destroyed over the past few years, all of them from reloaded (aka remanufactured) ammo.

This is why I don't shoot reloads anymore. I'd probably even pass on the Black Hills stuff, as good as their QC is its just not worth it.

How does one know that the brass is actually once fired? Answer is, you don't.

A lot of .mil brass has also been run through SAWs. Not a good choice for reloads.

[Don Robison]

A lot of .mil brass has also been run through SAWs. Not a good choice for reloads.


I've shot a lot of USAAmmo in 9mm both reman and new it's actually become my training ammo for this year just short of 4K in the last 3 months. That said; I won't shoot reman .223/5.56 for the above reason. A few pennies saved isn't worth the hassle of getting a rifle replaced.

[saddlerocker]

Double post :/

[saddlerocker]

The guy on PAFOA.org posted pics
And he said USAammo told him they have recalled that batch of reloaded .223
They are apparently sending out emails informing people that bought that ammo to stop firing it and send it back.

Link again...
http://forum.pafoa.org/ammunition-reloading-25/142968-usa-ammo-bad-batch-beware.html

[GermanSynergy]

I shot some of their .45 ACP ammo a few years back. It was absolute garbage, and there's no way I'd shoot any of their ammo.

OP, glad you're ok.

[saddlerocker]

Another one blows up
this time its a Sig 556
http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_3_16/543805_USA_Ammo_Goes_KABOOM_in_my_brand_new_Sig_Sauer_P556.html

[Sheepdog Tactical Gear]

Just another good reason not to shoot reloads, unless you reload them yourself...and you're good at it.

[Traveshamockery]

Anybody heard of issues with their 9mm ammo? I have 600 rounds I'm afraid to shoot due to their 5.56 KABOOM issues.

[Ironman8]

Anybody heard of issues with their 9mm ammo? I have 600 rounds I'm afraid to shoot due to their 5.56 KABOOM issues.

I have 1500 rds from them lol...I will shoot every one of them. The KB's were with the .223 due to a bad lot of powder. USA took care of the guys' rifles that blew and recalled the lot. Despite their current marketing ploy for their new AR they're selling, they have taken care of business and I have always received good CS from them.

Don't worry if it blows, I would bet they replace your handgun for free...no guaratee on replacing fingers tho :sarcastic:

[PA PATRIOT]

I've been having a e-mail exchange with a USAammo rep and I believe USAammo will be a solid company down the road as they refine their Customer Service and up-date the USAammo website with proper descriptions of products they sell. USAammo is currently adding 50% to their employee work force and are working out growing pains as they expand their company.

As to the issue of the recent USAammo .223 re-manufactured ammunition Ka-Booms some times it is very hard to locate over or under pressure loads in a single lot of ammunition.

Say your running 25,000 or 50,000 round lot and the loader(s) has to be refilled numerous times with components during the course of the run.

During a refill maybe one canister of power is out of spec and it is used to produce 1,000 to 2,000rds of ammunition out of the 25,000 to 50,000 round run.

As the Q/C guy you randomly grab boxes at different points during the 25,000 to 50,000 round lot and test them, if they come up good then the lot is considered safe and sold.

Now if you start having a handful of Ka-Boom's all USAammo can do is recall the lot, contact the buyers and make good with the owners of the blown guns.

Does this make USAammo a bad company and that everyone should avoid their products? Ka-Booms happen with just about every ammo company out there one time or another and I would hope USAammo would step up their Q/C to make sure it didn't happen again.

I feel confident with my recent e-mail exchange to review a sample of .223 62gr PSP in virgin Lake City brass (Item #: 22362PSPN) and I will report the results here.

[Ironman8]

I've been having a e-mail exchange with a USAammo rep and I believe USAammo will be a solid company down the road as they refine their Customer Service and up-date the USAammo website with proper descriptions of products they sell. USAammo is currently adding 50% to their employee work force and are working out growing pains as they expand their company.

As to the issue of the recent USAammo .223 re-manufactured ammunition Ka-Booms some times it is very hard to locate over or under pressure loads in a single lot of ammunition.

Say your running 25,000 or 50,000 round lot and the loader(s) has to be refilled numerous times with components during the course of the run.

During a refill maybe one canister of power is out of spec and it is used to produce 1,000 to 2,000rds of ammunition out of the 25,000 to 50,000 round run.

As the Q/C guy you randomly grab boxes at different points during the 25,000 to 50,000 round lot and test them, if they come up good then the lot is considered safe and sold.

Now if you start having a handful of Ka-Boom's all USAammo can do is recall the lot, contact the buyers and make good with the owners of the blown guns.

Does this make USAammo a bad company and that everyone should avoid their products? Ka-Booms happen with just about every ammo company out there one time or another and I would hope USAammo would step up their Q/C to make sure it didn't happen again.

I feel confident with my recent e-mail exchange to review a sample of .223 62gr PSP in virgin Lake City brass (Item #: 22362PSPN) and I will report the results here.

Looking forward to this...will you be testing ballistics? Chrono speeds? Accuracy? All of the above?

[PA PATRIOT]

I will be pulling bullets and weighting powder charge/bullet weights and checking OAL.

Once at the range I will chrono every round fired at 10 feet and strap both guns into a remote gun rest and shoot for group at 100yds.

[KurtD]

I shot some of their .45 ACP ammo a few years back. It was absolute garbage, and there's no way I'd shoot any of their ammo.

OP, glad you're ok.

Yup. I had a problem with their ammo as well:

https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=94292