Range Report Hornady 6mm ARC ammunition failure

[Sierra2885]

I took my new Odin Works 6mm ARC complete upper out to the Panteo range today to zero and get some initial data on the new cartridge. As I was about 12 rounds in, the range went cold so another shooter could replace and check his target so I safed my rifle and ejected the chambered round. After the range went hot again I tried to chamber a new round but it failed to chamber. I conducted a failure drill and cleared the round and magazine. When I inspected the chamber I saw a projectile lodged in the chamber without a casing behind it. I found the casing and observed an unfired primer, so I knew it was the suspect case that left its projectile lodged in my gun. Below are specs and pictures of the ammo failure:

Hornady Black 105gr 6mm ARC

 

[never_summer]

I don’t know if I would just arbitrarily state this as ammo failure. Need some chamber and loaded round measurements

 

[Powder_Burns]

Sounds like a short throat to me. Bullet jammed in the lands and when u ejected the bullet stayed behind.

 

[Sierra2885]

I don’t know if I would just arbitrarily state this as ammo failure. Need some chamber and loaded round measurements

With all due respect, I didn’t think my report was arbitrary. It’s factory loaded ammunition in a reputable company’s chamber/ barrel specifically made for that round. There are several factors that go into such a failure but I was just reporting facts with picture evidence. Any help or guidance is greatly appreciated, sir.

 

[Sierra2885]

I’m going to send all the data and pictures to Hornady in the hopes they can help solve the problem and keep improving the round for our guys in harms way. No disrespect was meant to Hornady by posting this report.

 

[never_summer]

Didn’t mean anything by the statement. Could be an out of spec chamber or out of spec ammo, or it could be perfectly good ammo with a chamber that has a shorter freebore reamed to that manufacturers spec. Without measuring both you really don’t know

 

[Snuby642]

What buffer / spring?

 

[Hondo1]

How many rounds fired on the barrel? May have a carbon ring gripping the bullet.

 

[Lunchbox27]

At 12 rounds I doubt a carbon ring is the culprit here. What I am wondering is if the chamber job was meant for the 108 ELD and the 105 HPBT is contacting the lands sooner, resulting in a jam.

Have you measure the remaining unfired rounds? Are they with SAAMI spec?

 

[b6graham]

who did the barrel and what reamer freebore did they use?

i have a new 6.5 creed barrel. factory hornady 140 eldm. insert cartridge. eject cartridge. land marks all over the bullet. factory hornady at 2830fps.
do the same with factory Berger 140s and not a scratch. 2890fps

any guess which ammo it was specifically chambered for?

 

[SupressYourself]

Maybe I missed it, but what happened to the powder? There was powder in the case right?
As others have mentioned, it's just as likely that your barrel has a short throat. It happens. I have a 6.5 barrel that needed to be touched up because the throat was initially too short.

 

[skyrep]

the 105 BTHP ammo is to long. Hornady is aware of it now after one of our customers discovered the issue and we confirmed it along with several other users and manufacturers barrels. You will likely be in the lands and grooves. Your going to have to reseat the 105 to 2.1 COAL from the factory 2.247 or 2.25. This is not a chamber issue, only the first two batches of ammo. The new ammo will be set to 2.22 COAL on any future batches. If you have dies for 6.5 or 6mm you can reseat the ammo and it works fine. Our 24" at 575 yards was doing a .17 MOA, the ammo is good, just to long.

 

[oldiephrt]

Is Hornady issuing a recall?

 

[skyrep]

I have not heard if they will. I just went ahead and seated the rounds lower (2.2085). they functioned fine.

 

[TxWelder35]

the 105 BTHP ammo is to long. Hornady is aware of it now after one of our customers discovered the issue and we confirmed it along with several other users and manufacturers barrels. You will likely be in the lands and grooves. Your going to have to reseat the 105 to 2.1 COAL from the factory 2.247 or 2.25. This is not a chamber issue, only the first two batches of ammo. The new ammo will be set to 2.22 COAL on any future batches. If you have dies for 6.5 or 6mm you can reseat the ammo and it works fine. Our 24" at 575 yards was doing a .17 MOA, the ammo is good, just to long.

why is hornady only backing it off 30 tho? Seems like you suggested a 150 tho depth change.

 

[oldiephrt]

I have not heard if they will. I just went ahead and seated the rounds lower (2.2085). they functioned fine.

Isn't that letting piss poor quality go unchecked? I thought we didn't like that here.

 

[Sierra2885]

the 105 BTHP ammo is to long. Hornady is aware of it now after one of our customers discovered the issue and we confirmed it along with several other users and manufacturers barrels. You will likely be in the lands and grooves. Your going to have to reseat the 105 to 2.1 COAL from the factory 2.247 or 2.25. This is not a chamber issue, only the first two batches of ammo. The new ammo will be set to 2.22 COAL on any future batches. If you have dies for 6.5 or 6mm you can reseat the ammo and it works fine. Our 24" at 575 yards was doing a .17 MOA, the ammo is good, just to long.

That’s exactly what I heard from Hornady. They took my pictures and data and are going to send me 5 boxes of newly seated ammo for the 5 boxes of incorrectly seated ammo that I purchased. They made it right as I assumed they would, and are constantly gathering data to further perfect the new cartridge.

On a side note, I got ahold of some 108gr ELD ammo and got DOPE on it this past weekend. Out of a brand new 18” Odin Works barrel I zeroed at 100yds and then shot 5, 5 round groups. The largest group was .62 MOA and the smallest was .40 MOA. I expect these will improve even more as the barrel breaks in, but I am extremely impressed thus far. At 200, 400, 500 and 600yds I was able to spot my own shots and got good data from those ranges. The 4dof app from Hornady was spot on for these ranges as well, and is a great starting point for new range DOPE.

Thank you all for your input and suggestions!!

 

[Sierra2885]

who did the barrel and what reamer freebore did they use?

i have a new 6.5 creed barrel. factory hornady 140 eldm. insert cartridge. eject cartridge. land marks all over the bullet. factory hornady at 2830fps.
do the same with factory Berger 140s and not a scratch. 2890fps

any guess which ammo it was specifically chambered for?

The barrel is brand new and was purchased from Odin Works as part of their complete 6mm ARC upper. I don’t know any technical data about the chamber or barrel, or how they manufacture them, sorry.

 

[sea2summit]

Sounds like a short throat to me. Bullet jammed in the lands and when u ejected the bullet stayed behind.

That could also lead to a not fully forward bolt causing light/no primer strikes.

 

[PinesAndProjectiles]

What did the fired cases look like? Anything that would indicate high pressures from jamming in the lands?

 

[Sierra2885]

What did the fired cases look like? Anything that would indicate high pressures from jamming in the lands?

No sir, nothing out of the ordinary, or any indication of higher pressures from the lands

 

[skyrep]

Spoke to Hornady, and they said that 105gr BHBP Black ammo needs to be at 2.200. they said that some barrels were using a reamer that was short. He told me to either i can re-seat the round down to 2.200 OR send them back and they will do it for you. I asked if they are going to do a recall - Answer was no. I have not had any problems with my Upper (22" Uintah Precision Upper). Have not had any bullets jammed into the lands.