challenger target loads FTF anyone else?

superz

superz

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Had shot about 100 shells of challengers #8 12 gauge 2 3/4 target loads in a semi auto shotgun, no issues.... fast forward a few weeks later, bought a 250 case of the #7.5 and was getting failures to fire, sometimes they would fire if loaded again but had quite a few that wouldn't no matter how many times I tried.... thought maybe it was the gun but then it fired 100 federal target loads no issues and 100 winchester target loads no problem, went back to challenger and was having failures again.

Anyone else have this issue?

Just a dodgy case? Gun problem?

edit : mossberg 935
 
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Currently using these in my Hatsan MPA. No issues so far ( well, I had break in issues, but that's the guns fault, not the ammo ). If your firing pin's ok, then I'd suspect duds. I'd see if you can try them in someone elses shotgun to be sure.
 
Did you maybe get a case of the light challenger shells this time? They look very similar by the case when compared to the regular target loads. The regular ones seem to have 1/4 more DRAM than other manufacturer's target loads.
 
coreyd said:
Did you maybe get a case of the light challenger shells this time? They look very similar by the case when compared to the regular target loads. The regular ones seem to have 1/4 more DRAM than other manufacturer's target loads.
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what would that make a difference when the are not going bang at all?
 
I still dont know what the issue was as ive almost finished off the case of challenger without a problem. Maybe it was just a bad box in there maybe the gun but ive talked to lots of people about them and the responses are good so ill get another case and hope for the best.
 
No big deal. Probably some bad primers or primers that were not properly seated. Every manufacturer puts out the occasional dud box (primers or shells) at one time or another. I've had it happen with most brands.

Most of my shooting is done with Challengers. I haven't found the failure rate any worse with them than other brands.
 
Claybuster said:
No big deal. Probably some bad primers or primers that were not properly seated. Every manufacturer puts out the occasional dud box (primers or shells) at one time or another. I've had it happen with most brands.

Most of my shooting is done with Challengers. I haven't found the failure rate any worse with them than other brands.
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I'd suspect the firearm with that type of failure rate personally.

1,000 rounds in 2 firearms and zero FTF on my end.
 
Yukoner89 said:
I'd suspect the firearm with that type of failure rate personally.

1,000 rounds in 2 firearms and zero FTF on my end.
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I'm not talking a 1,000 rounds I'm talking 10,000 each year in a wide selection of shotguns over many years. I'd conservatively estimate over a quarter million rounds personally and still going strong.

I've personally encountered primers without priming compound both as components and in factory ammo, shells with insufficient powder and the occasional case head separation. These are rare but they do happen.

The OP's gun is fine because he didn't encounter the same problems with other ammo.
 
Claybuster said:
I'm not talking a 1,000 rounds I'm talking 10,000 each year in a wide selection of shotguns over many years. I'd conservatively estimate over a quarter million rounds personally and still going strong.

I've personally encountered primers without priming compound both as components and in factory ammo, shells with insufficient powder and the occasional case head separation. These are rare but they do happen.

The OP's gun is fine because he didn't encounter the same problems with other ammo.
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My 1,000 round reference was to what I had shot of the challenger target loads this summer.

I'm curious if his firearm is light striking the primers? I've seen other firearms that will shoot brand X reliably but not brand Y, yet when brand Y is used in another firearm it performs as it should.

Also are you saying you've shot 1/4 mil challenger target loads or rounds in general? I feel I'm missing something, I'm not 100% sure what you meant by that.

I have run across a few manufacturing... Deficiencies but with those failure rates I'd hesitate to jump to an immediate conclusion without a very thorough review of the firearm as well.


This article may have some useful information for the OP (or not)
http://riflemansjournal.########.ca/2009/08/primers-it-dont-go-bang.html
 
I shoot an over under and stopped using challengers because of pierced primers. I noticed this first because of a couple ftfs caused by firing pin hole gunk and eroded firing pins. This is likely not a problem for you since you shot other brands fine, but maybe take a good look at the firing pin tip to see if it is smooth and round still. The ftf shells from my gun all fired in an 870 first try. I had light strikes. Are you getting full strikes or light strikes?
 
Yukoner89 said:
My 1,000 round reference was to what I had shot of the challenger target loads this summer.

I'm curious if his firearm is light striking the primers? I've seen other firearms that will shoot brand X reliably but not brand Y, yet when brand Y is used in another firearm it performs as it should.

Also are you saying you've shot 1/4 mil challenger target loads or rounds in general? I feel I'm missing something, I'm not 100% sure what you meant by that.

I have run across a few manufacturing... Deficiencies but with those failure rates I'd hesitate to jump to an immediate conclusion without a very thorough review of the firearm as well.


This article may have some useful information for the OP (or not)
http://riflemansjournal.########.ca/2009/08/primers-it-dont-go-bang.html
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I would say over the years about 40 per cent of my ammo was Challenger, 40 per cent reloads, 20 percent from other brands.

I don't disagree with a thorough review of the firearm. Changing the ammo or going to another lot number of the same brand usually shows whether it is the ammo or the gun. If the failures continue it's the gun, if not it's usually the ammo. When ammo fails it tends to fail in groups. A bad run of factory ammo generally means repeated and sporadic failures for a brief period and then normal functioning returns.

Challenger uses Cheddite primers which are also used in Kent and some other brands. I don't believe they are harder than Federal, Winchester or Remington shotgun primers.
 
Claybuster said:
I would say over the years about 40 per cent of my ammo was Challenger, 40 per cent reloads, 20 percent from other brands.

I don't disagree with a thorough review of the firearm. Changing the ammo or going to another lot number of the same brand usually shows whether it is the ammo or the gun. If the failures continue it's the gun, if not it's usually the ammo. When ammo fails it tends to fail in groups. A bad run of factory ammo generally means repeated and sporadic failures for a brief period and then normal functioning returns.

Challenger uses Cheddite primers which are also used in Kent and some other brands. I don't believe they are harder than Federal, Winchester or Remington shotgun primers.
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Fair enough and thank you for the reply.

One day.... I hope to get to your round count. :) I'll keep working on it.
 
Ive heard bad primer specific issues with challenger shells, kinda why i wont ever buy them, pierced primers, ftf primers etc. Not good when hot gasses come back onto the face of your sxs.
 
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