Junk ammunition

[W. H. B.]

Last December I bought a 50 round box of PMC, 9MM JHP ammunition for my carry weapon. I carried the rounds in my weapon for self defense. I decided that I would try a few to see how they performed. Imagine my surprise when the very first round fired stopped halfway down the barrel. I had to drive the slug out with a screwdriver. I tryed another, it did clear the barrel but was very weak. The third round just barely cleared the barrel and fell at my feet. Out of a total of 8 rounds fired, one stuck in the barrel, one almost stuck and the other 6 traveled around 50 feet. I have contacted the company and explained to them that if I had been in a critical defensive situation I or my wife may have died. They e-mailed me a complaint form and I retuned it. I have yet to hear back from them. it is my understanding that PMC supplies ammunition to our troops. Isn't that comforting? Needless to say, I will never buy any more PMC ammunition.

[Big Frank]

I'm glad to hear it happened at the range and not on the street. I'll try to remember not to buy PMC.

[PegLeg45]

Wow!!!

Very unusual for that many factory rounds out a box to be bad.
Sounds like powder contamination, possibly somewhere during production, or somewhere during storage, or transportation to vendors. Does the box have an oily residue on it like something soaked into the cardboard or do the unfired rounds feel oily?

After you purchased them, was there any potential for them to have come into contact with any type of penetrating oil like B'Laster, Kroil or something like that? I have known one guy at my old club that had a bad batch of factory cartridges and they did the same type thing you describe. He traced it back to the spillage of a gallon jug of PB B'Laster penetrating oil in his loading/cleaning room.


I'm very glad you discovered the problem before it could have become a bigger problem (like in a SD situation).


Someone on here (Richard E., I think) posted once before that they like to buy SD ammo several boxes at a time so that the lot numbers match. I try to do the same, and usually buy at least four boxes at a time. I also test a number of rounds out of a box before I carry them in a SD gun.

[Ping]

Not good. I have some that I bought very cheap in .223 for my AR. Shot a mag with no problems. Just have one more magazine left with that ammo and just may head to the range just to burn it up.

As for self defense ammo I always stick with Hornady. 

[twyacht]

Very glad you caught the squib rd. in the barrel, as a second shot may have been a "kaboom".... I have the PMC Brass .223 ammo, and have never had an issue.

PMC has joined forces with Poongsan Corporation of Korea, continuing a 40 year history of manufacturing ammo. I think they made Starfire ammo also.

From the PMC website:

PMC/Ammunition - 2257 N Loop 336W Suite 140-428 Conroe, TX 77304 • Ph: 281-703-8146 • Fx: 281-727-0280

Taking pride in the large number of types and zero-defect performance of its ammunition, Poongsan uses carefully selected high-quality raw materials and ensures the high performance of sporting ammunitions by carrying out stringent quality inspections and target tests, all the same as those for military ammunition.

Poongsan's commercial ammunition plant has an additional advantage of having an integrated production system that strictly manages the process from raw-material selection to the loading of each cartridge.  Poongsan remains focused on the central objective of offering high-quality products at a reasonable price.

The Company operates an independent quality management body separate from the production division.  it has a complete quality control system for each processing step and lot, with strict inspections carried out by a government inspection team.

I think I would fwd. this and raise hell. 

[Sponsor]

[Pecos Bill]

Are you saying you carried this ammo for 2 months without trying it in your gun? Have you decided what you will replace it with and when you'll test fire the replacement stuff? I don't mean to take you to task over this but maybe this will wake some folks up to try the ammo before relying on it.

PMC is, usually, good ammo and I'm sure they will stand behind it.

Thanks for the post.

Pecos

[ratcatcher55]

PMC is generally pretty good practice ammo.

+1 with Pecos Bill.  I would always shoot a new ammo to make sure it functioned.

Your not alone though. I had a whole department come to our range to change from S&W 5906 to Glock 23's. Only one officer asked to use the range to test fire his weapon out of 48.

[TAB]

PMC is normally good stuff.

always always test things 1st.  the loudest sound you will ever hear will be a click when it should have been a bang.

[tombogan03884]

I'm another one who has shot a lot of PMC in several calibers with no problems.
You carried it for 2 months without TRYING it ?
You trusted your life to ammo you did not know if it would even function in your pistol ?
No need to post your carelessness in 4 different forums.

[twyacht]

Better suited topic in the Handgun thread.

Since it's already there.