Is this normal?

[fivehundredlimited]

I had thrown the .410 into my car yesterday and took it to my work site encase I seen any of the squirrels that have been stealing my insulation for their nests. I never did see any of the squirrels, but today I took a few shots at a plastic plant pot and noticed all the cases were splitting. I have never seen this before with any gauge of shotgun shell. Is this normal or a bad batch. I had to laugh as the packaging speaks very highly of the new "high strength hulls" and how they are great for reloading. These are factory rounds and I was planning to reload the hulls but I guess I won't be with these ones.

 

[curseyou]

Not cool but I dont think it is dangerous. Split plastic doesnt mean much compared to split brass. Try a few other rounds and see what works and what doesnt. Is it the gun or the ammo.

 

[fivehundredlimited]

The gun is an 870 wingmaster and I had shot this same box of ammo as well as some other brands of ammo with it about 3 years ago and never had a single split hull. Then I hadn't used it again until today.

The ammo was bought new 3 years ago so I wouldn't think that the plastic aged in that time since I have 12 gauge shotshells that are 40 years or older that never split on me.

But I think your right, I'll see if I can experiment with some different ammo tomorrow.

 

[SigWig]

Try federal

I find Winchester to be not so great.

 

[KRJ]

I would be calling customer service number on the box and double checking the gun my self.

 

[kawicrash]

Interesting. I've never seen that either. Is that powder residue at the bottom of the cracks?

 

[fivehundredlimited]

Interesting. I've never seen that either. Is that powder residue at the bottom of the cracks?

I think so, it was hot enough to scorch the outside of the hull near the splits.

 

[kodiakjack]

Whoa. That looks like bad news. Never seen split cases like that before. Especially 3 in a row.

Will a .410 shell loosely chamber into a 28 guage? Cuz I expect that's what the shells would look like afterwards...

 

[JR Hartman]

seems like its loose in the chamber allowing too much expansion?

try some other brands, and/or a couple of those in someone elses .410?

 

[fivehundredlimited]

I tried some other brands today, no splitting so I tried the winchesters again and no splitting. Only thing I can think of is that the shells had been in my truck all day so they were cold. It was maybe minus 2 or 3. But today they were warm from the house.

But still is that to be expected? Or still a problem with the winchesters?

 

[JR Hartman]

I don't know 100% for sure as I have never hunted with .410, but I am pretty sure that a few degrees below freezing should not be a problem for any modern ammo. Hunting season is usually in the fall/winter.