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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - (Official) Hornady Frontier - Kabooms, Issues, Info, and Data Thread (List Updated 10/26) (Page 4 of 4)
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First post here, may as well have it somewhat informational. Picked up 600 rounds of the 55 grain 5.56 Frontier after my rifle loved the few 20 round boxes I tried. It was also 40 bucks per 150. My curiosity of these at this price led me to Google, which led to all the kaboom threads.
Deciding to carefully test them, I took 90 rounds to the local quarry and started off slow. First mag I would take 1 shot, then check the brass. All looked clear. Had a hair more kick than the Federal American Eagle XM193 I compared it to. Second mag I slow fired at a ~100 yard target. All landed well enough to hit vitals. The last two mags were more or less mag-dumped at close range targets. No key-holing, or other anomalies. I collected the brass, only losing 1, and then checked all the brass later. I found maybe 5 somewhat flattened primers, and a handful with ejector swipe. No cracks, holes, or any serious looking issues. The bolt face had a good ring of brass shavings on it, but couldn't find any shavings elsewhere. I get the same thing with American Eagle, but not near as much, so could be the bolt/extractor causing it? Perhaps shaving it? Had no strikes on the brake either. Rifle: Ruger MPR Lot#: 14190110 Photos look worse than in person due to camera flash. Here is the flattest primer and worst (doesn't look bad) swipe - Fresh round for comparison: 
And the brass shavings on the bolt: 
All in all, I think I'm safe 
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Quoted:
Looks fine ETA: I have and continue to shoot boatloads of Frontier (Midway sale on FR260 34¢/r) with zero problems, very accurate with my firearms. |
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I had the Witnessed a KABOOM today. Thread.
Hornady replaced his upper free of charge. |
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That's one of the threads I saw. Glad they replaced it.
Bi-mart (a nw chain) always has these on sale. My co-worker turned me on to Frontier, and has never mentioned any issues. |
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That’s good to hear. Did they provide any additional info on what they believe to be the issue with his ammo?
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Quoted:
So is it too early to say it's safe to buy this stuff? Cabelas has a sale on the 5.56 55gr and I have gift cards. |
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Quoted: There haven’t been reports of the 5.56 55gr in a while but the biggest thing I saw was they were in the same lot numbers. You can check the individual boxes for it and there is a thread either here or m4carbine.net that has a list of reported lot numbers that were bad. If I had gift cards I would buy some match/hunting/home defense Ammo. Spend my own money on plinking/training Ammo. |
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Buddy and I have thousands of rounds of the 75gr Frontier stashed, and he has shot a lot more of it than I have. Neither of us have had issues, but ya’ll got me scared. From what I can tell, there’s really only one report of blown primers on the 75gr, and 77gr IMI was also blowing primers out of the same upper...unless I missed a bunch more??? |
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Can i find a spot in here with Hornady 350 legend? Broke a bolt lug, messed up receiver lugs. Bulging brass leaking primers. Every couple shots seemed hot and the last one did the damage.Attached File Attached File Attached File |
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Can someone explain this to me? I've never seen a round do this. Frontier 62gr FMJ. I picked these up last month for .34/round. Went out to zero in a red dot. I found out about the Hornady issue after I had bought them. Was putting about 3 rounds down range at a time. This was probably about the 9th round. Jammed and had to pick this round out. Then took me a minute to get rounds to cycle properly. After that put another 30 or so rounds down range without issue. Gun is a Stag Model 15. Attached File |
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Quoted: Can someone explain this to me? I've never seen a round do this. Frontier 62gr FMJ. I picked these up last month for .34/round. Went out to zero in a red dot. I found out about the Hornady issue after I had bought them. Was putting about 3 rounds down range at a time. This was probably about the 9th round. Jammed and had to pick this round out. Then took me a minute to get rounds to cycle properly. After that put another 30 or so rounds down range without issue. Gun is a Stag Model 15. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/507701/Round_jpg-1333922.JPG Assuming it was like that when it was loaded into the mag and not noticed |
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Any issues noted from the following lots numbers: 75 grain SMQ20A849-007 SMQ18B849-001 SMQ18C849-002 I have shot a couple hundred rounds with no issues, but from a different lot that I didn’t write down. Haven’t shot any from the lots above. Not worried about the SMQ20 lot...but the SMQ18 lots are close to the lots with issues from the non-75 gr bullets. Not sure if that matters, or not since it’s not the same grain. |
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Quoted: Buddy and I have thousands of rounds of the 75gr Frontier stashed, and he has shot a lot more of it than I have. Neither of us have had issues, but ya'll got me scared. From what I can tell, there's really only one report of blown primers on the 75gr, and 77gr IMI was also blowing primers out of the same upper...unless I missed a bunch more??? That is my understanding as well. I have no concerns with either the 75gr Frontier or 75gr Steel Match. Anyone who doesn't want theirs may feel free to send it to me. Unfortunately not all the kabooms are well documented. As such, some shooters gave a higher or lower risk tolerance than others. |
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I feel like its hit or miss. I have about 500 rounds worth from this year, im not sure if they have better quality control, but it seems like all of the threads on this stuff ran from late 2018 to early 2019. I havemt really found any reports from google for late last year into this year. Still sucks and would proceed with caution Edit: my lot number is SMQ20A866-037 |
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Quoted: If you guys bought the last cases of 500rds from midway you guys suck I was going to buy one and they were out of stock.  Wasn’t me! Price sucks now (I got some for $7.49/box at one point from here), but it’s in stock. Up to 25 boxes/order. Frontier 75 Grain |
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I just ordered 10 boxes of this ammo from Cabela's so I have something when my new gun gets here. Currently Michigan is in a lockdown state, when I do get to fire some of it I will report back what happens. Edit, 6/13/20 I put 60 rounds of this ammo though a larue 556 ultimate upper kit yesterday. Did not have any issues with the ammo. The one thing I did notice was massive muzzle flash compared to the Winchester and lax ammunition I also fired. |
[ARCHIVED THREAD] - (Official) Hornady Frontier - Kabooms, Issues, Info, and Data Thread (List Updated 10/26) (Page 4 of 4)
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