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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Yet another Kaboom.....Updates in OP (Page 1 of 3)
Posted: 5/4/2013 4:45:36 PM EDT
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Specs:
PSA CHF mid upper PSA branded Preimum FA BCG EA lower Stag lower build kit Ultramax .223 reman ammo. The upper was new this year. I put a Larue rail on it as soon as I got it. I have the correct tools and used a torque wrench. The BCG was new from a year and a half or so ago. I have shot a wide variety of ammo prior to this. 400-500 trouble free rounds. Everything from Hornady steel and brass, Monarch steel and brass, Tula steel, variety of Federal bulk, American eagle black box, FGMM, Remington UMC, ect. The lower was new in 2008 and I have 2500-3000 rounds on it. I was sighting my new Vortex Sparc on my new Larue mount. I was slow firing 3 rounds then adjusting. I made an adjustment and clicked the safety off and squeezed the trigger. Then BOOM, a pressure wave in my face and on my hand. Smoke everywhere. The mag bounced off of the ground and landed several feet away. I checked myself, no shrapnel, the gun did not blow apart. The BCG was stuck. The mag catch was broken. The Bolt catch was broken. The upper and lower are bulged out. I hammered the BCG out and found the extractor is broken. Mild compared to most, I got lucky. One very hot round Im guessing. The BCG was wet but it dries/burns off when it is in an explosion. 
Remaining rounds 
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Edit: Update: I talked to the QC manager today and they want the remaining rounds sent in to determine if it is their ammo. They said if it is they will cover all costs to replace everything. Update 2: Friday May 24, I have not heard from UltraMax. I sent the remaining rounds to them last week. I have emailed them and called everyday this week. Monday he was not in. I left a message with my name and number with the lady answering the phone. Tuesday he did not answer. Left another message with lady. Wed, no answer, left another message. Thursday, same thing. Today she says he does not work on Fridays and Monday is a holiday. She says he has been busy and there are others in line in front of me waiting for testing and evaluation. He will call me Tuesday. We shall see. That many people sending malfunctioning ammo in for testing, wow. Update 3: Update 3: QC manager called me today. He says it is their ammo. Same projectiles, powder, and case marks he said they put on it. They will cover all costs of replacement. He did say that upon inspection of the blown up case it appears to not have been annealed. They are also sending me a box of ammo for my trouble. I already placed an order with Palmetto. |
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I had a buddy offer me 1,000 rounds of Ultramax for free back in November. I know better.
Fuck Ultramax. Seriously. One box probably has a velocity spread of 1,000 FPS. I've heard of countless AR's meeting their demise from that shit. Sorry to hear they got you and glad you're okay. |
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And this is why a person NEVER uses "Reloaded" Ammo when you never see the Powder used, or know how the reload goes. If you use Reloaded Ammo, make sure it's ONLY YOU who does the reloads and YOU KNOW how to reload. The Powder Manufacturer and it's type, makes all the difference, along with the Powder Grain weights.
OP, really glad you came out OK, and unharmed---sorry for the Rifle. Hope Ultramax makes good on the repairs/replacement needed, for ya. |
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I thought a "normal" 5.56 load was pretty much full to the top (only ever reloaded 30-06)? Would one need to use a different powder to load them that hot? it is pretty close but not impossible to load it too hot. there's no way you can double charge it or anything though usually the 223 reloading kabooms are caused by using pistol powder |
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it is pretty close but not impossible to load it too hot. there's no way you can double charge it or anything though usually the 223 reloading kabooms are caused by using pistol powder Which I assume is nigh impossible in a factory round, and fairly unlikely in a single hand-load. I imagine that if one did that, it would be a whole batch? I agree this certainly looks like overpressure, but I'm wondering how that happens, especially in factory loads? |
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Ultramax has blown up more AR's than all other ammo brands combined, yet people still buy it without research and continue to blow their guns up. I have no clue how they are still in business This was the first time I have seen Ultramax. They only had 1 box and it was cheap. May be the most expensive ammo I have ever purchased. I know not to shoot other peoples reloads but being from a company I thought they would be good. I guess I should not stick it in if I dont know where its been. Bad move on my part. Too late. I am glad it did completely explode the upper. And I am really glad it was not my PredatAR. |
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Quoted: Ultramax has blown up more AR's than all other ammo brands combined, yet people still buy it without research and continue to blow their guns up. I have no clue how they are still in business just so we make it clear. ultracrap is the worst ammo you can buy |
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This is why I only shoot factory loaded new ammo. Can happen in factory ammo as well especially with bullet setback scenarios. http://cdn.firearmstalk.com/forums/attachments/f30/93637d1364584360-remington-bullet-setback-image-528600877.jpg I have had lots of setback issues on UMC ammo, and this is also a common discussion here. There have been several threads on UMC blowing up guns as well. |
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I won't shoot Ultramax ammo. I've had rounds, after chambering, where there was so much bullet set-back that powder was being spilled in the action and the bullet was inside the case. I discovered this before the rifle exploded, and haven't shot Ultramax since. this right here is a very likely scenario for the kaboom. an improper crimp or no crimp . if your going to shoot reloads roll your own and only shoot your own. |
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This is why I only shoot factory loaded new ammo. Can happen in factory ammo as well especially with bullet setback scenarios. http://cdn.firearmstalk.com/forums/attachments/f30/93637d1364584360-remington-bullet-setback-image-528600877.jpg I have had lots of setback issues on UMC ammo, and this is also a common discussion here. There have been several threads on UMC blowing up guns as well. umc really? |
Hopefully, Ultramax will make it right and pay for your rifle.
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Quoted: I will never use UltraMax ammo for this reason. I don't understand why people continue to use it even after all of the carnage it has caused. This company needs to have a lawsuit filed against them. In all reality, the UM I have came in a lot of a whole bunch of other ammo, and I paid a good price at the time. I'd never even heard of it. And now I know. |
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This is why I only shoot factory loaded new ammo. Can happen in factory ammo as well especially with bullet setback scenarios. http://cdn.firearmstalk.com/forums/attachments/f30/93637d1364584360-remington-bullet-setback-image-528600877.jpg I have had lots of setback issues on UMC ammo, and this is also a common discussion here. There have been several threads on UMC blowing up guns as well. umc really? Yes, I will not shoot UMC in .223 any more, ever. It's not as shitty and Ultramax but it's pretty shitty ammo. The QC on UMC is garbage too. If you set 20 rounds on a flat surface in a row, damn near every one of those rounds will have a different over all length... |
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This is why I only shoot factory loaded new ammo. Can happen in factory ammo as well especially with bullet setback scenarios. http://cdn.firearmstalk.com/forums/attachments/f30/93637d1364584360-remington-bullet-setback-image-528600877.jpg I have had lots of setback issues on UMC ammo, and this is also a common discussion here. There have been several threads on UMC blowing up guns as well. umc really? I didn't stutter. 
http://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=3&f=16&t=478820 http://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=5&f=26&t=73071 http://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=3&f=16&t=319407 http://3gn.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=5&f=4&t=77226 http://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=1357052 http://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=6&f=2&t=227667 http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_3_118/372383_.html http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-499515.html And PLENTY more where that came from. |
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this also goes to show what a quality bolt can withstand, no lugs sheared off, but evident that your ammo was shit. in contrast to other people having their bolts explode with good 5.56 ammo lol glad you are ok OP, i wont touch ultramax, unless its free and im salvaging components.
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Fuck Ultramax. Seriously. One box probably has a velocity spread of 1,000 FPS. I've heard of countless AR's meeting their demise from that shit. Sorry to hear they got you and glad you're okay. Same here, not the first time I've heard of Ultracrap blowing somebody's AR up. Can't believe those assholes are still in business! 
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this also goes to show what a quality bolt can withstand, no lugs sheared off, but evident that your ammo was shit. in contrast to other people having their bolts explode with good 5.56 ammo lol glad you are ok OP, i wont touch ultramax, unless its free and im salvaging components. I wonder if the bolt saved the upper from completely coming apart? I took the gun completely apart today. One of the feed ramps on the barrel extension has a crack down the center of it. The barrel nut unscrewed nice and smooth, no distortion there. The ejection port door and rod is bent, I had to tap it out with a punch. The spring is broken too. You can see stress marks on the outside of the lower on the skinny side of the mag well. The pmag looks ok. The fire control group and springs were still intact, just dirty, they seem to work correctly. I have not heard back from UM yet. It was Sat evening when I emailed them, they were probably closed by that time. Hopefully I will hear from them tomorrow. |
[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Yet another Kaboom.....Updates in OP (Page 1 of 3)
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