by Apollo » 16 Dec 2015, 2:21 pm
17HMR has had hicups with ammo since the day the calibre was released.
CCI make most all the ammo for other market names like Hornady, Remington and of course CCI. Winchester make there own and there is another I forget who.
Split case necks AFTER being fired is no worry what so ever and most don't ever notice because they don't collect their fired empties and/or or ever look at them.
The biggest problem was split necks in unfired ammo. This is/was a manufacturing process in the forming of the case. Explained as the cases were a touch too brittle when shaped and split. It was a major drama a few years back and may still be happening, depends on how old the batch is and how long it's been on shop shelves.
MANY WARNINGS have been posted about the issue and MANY WARNINGS of check every round you purchase BEFORE FIRING IT.
The BIG PROBLEM is that if the case neck/shoulder has split during manufacturer and NOT detected then sit on a shop shelf perhaps for many years it will allow moisture to enter and contaminate the powder load causing misfires and/or no powder detination at all which can cause the bullet to move forward into the barrel rifling depending on the degree of misfire.
If you have a 17HMR and you fire a round that doesn't go BANG or sounds MUFFLED then DO NOT FIRE ANOTHER ROUND until you inspect the bore for an obstruction like being the bullet. Some are easy to remove, some aren't and some will cause a lot of damage.
I had a 17HMR for a long time, I checked every round, threw a few into the experiment box, fired them all without a problem BUT a mates son had one misfire and lodge partially into the barrel. He was smart enough after being warned to check and returned back here to clear the barrel. Lucky he was alert. He has had his 17HMR for a lot of years and only ever the one hickup, none since he checked every round in a new box.
I sold my 17HMR and use a .22 Hornet instead. Near a cheap to reload for as buy .17HMR Ammo.