[Rawnerves]

This South African (circa 81) round has been chambered prior to finding this damage or blemish or whatever. I often eject a round or two at the range to monitor how they are feeding. I have never seen this type of case condition or damage. Anyone know what this might be? I'm kind of thinking it was damaged during either the storage process or while being manufactured. I have checked about 20 rounds of the stuff over the last six months and I don't feel like my rifle is causing it.

 

[9th]

Looks like just a small imperfection or a dent to me.

I would chamber it and fire it anyways!GI2

But that's just how I'm is!FRG1

 

[jameslawson71]

This South African (circa 81) round has been chambered prior to finding this damage or blemish or whatever. I often eject a round or two at the range to monitor how they are feeding. I have never seen this type of case condition or damage. Anyone know what this might be? I'm kind of thinking it was damaged during either the storage process or while being manufactured. I have checked about 20 rounds of the stuff over the last six months and I don't feel like my rifle is causing it.

Is this a fired case or did you just chamber it and then remove it?

 

[Rawnerves]

It was chambered at the range by the gas system. I did not chamber it by hand. Instead of firing it I just pulled the op rod back and ejected it onto the firing bench. It was not dropped or in any way abused after it was ejected. It was in a mag of 20 and was about the tenth round. After I ejected it I continued to fire the balance of the mag. It was not a mis-fire, I intentionally ejected it to check for general condition.

 

[jameslawson71]

Its all the rounds or just a couple? Make sure your chamber is clean. Maybe you picked up a piece of muck on the case when it chambered..? The mark looks like some sort of "compression" mark, not like its hitting metal at a bad angle which would be more defined and pronounced, like a line, and no metal seems to be getting shaved....

 

[Rawnerves]

It also looks like a compression/depression to me. This is the only round that has come out of the chamber in this condition. I guess there is a chance that it was done while feeding but it does appear to be compressed and the metal looks to be thin inside the depression, almost like metal has been removed. I think I'll retire this round and keep it for a converstion piece. Thanks guys for the help.

 

[dozier]

Looking at the pics, the dent looks like it was laying against another cartridge, and the box of ammo was thrown out of the pack end of a truck. Did this stuff come in loosely packed in a ammo box, or in twenty round boxes? Have you checked any of your other unshot ammo? dozier

 

[Rawnerves]

I have checked more than 400 rounds of this stuff and not a problem yet. It came in 20 round boxes sealed in 200 round battle packs. If I come across another damaged round I will post it. All South African I have shot to date (1000+ rounds) have performed as advertised. This may have been damaged in transport or long term storage, maybe just a casing flaw, I can live with that. This is the first SA round I have found to be damaged, I have found several RG rounds with more serious damage. Again it appears the RG damage was definately caused by storage or transportation ruff housing. That's why I check all surplus prior to firing.