CCI Blazer Case Failure in .45ACP

B

Billy Bremner

New member
I am spending a few delightful weeks here in your great country of the United States. Pitty that Cornwallis lost the fray to General Washington.

Sorry for rambling.

Anyway, I was at a shooting establishment recently where I fired (among other pistols) my SIG Sauer P220.

I purchased several boxes of CCI Blazer ammunition in .45ACP. For the most part the cartridges worked well, but toward the end of the session I noticed a round that sounded and felt rather strange.

When I retreived the spent casing, I noticed a significant bulge in the side. Also, the top of the casing was missing, almost like something had taken a bite out of it.

Most disturbing. I have shot many thousands of 'factory' ammunition in modern quality firearms. Until this incident, I have never experienced this ammunition failure. (Not that I examine every expended case, mind you.)

I readily admit that since I do not reload, I have no experience with failures due to reloading challenges. I shan't be using any more of those aluminium cases again. Its 'brass only' for this lad. The old adage must be true: 'One gets what one pays for'. And, from now on, I shall pay for premium ammunition.

Wm.
 
Last edited:
If the same criteria were used for other things that don't always function just right, then you probably would not be shooting a Sig P220. And using the same criteria for ammo, I am afraid that you won't be shooting any brand because all brands have failures, improper loads, case problems, and other quality control issues. Congratulations, you now own a Sig P220 paperweight.

There isn't a brand of ammo out there that hasn't had its share of problems. I have seen problems with rounds seated too deap, crocked, or malformed. I have seen primers that were not fully seated. Bullets can even be upside down. Amazing.

At the range, I have seeen reloads where the case failed, undoubtedly due to the case being reloaded multiple times until reaching failure point. I have seen Winchester through the extractor goove on .45 ACP.

Unfortunately, these things happen. As long as the round is not over or under charged, such incidents should not pose a major threat to your safety if you are using a properly maintain, quality gun. Sig is, so not to worry

Blazer is practice ammo in my book. I won't carry it as a defensive round. I have shot about 15,000 rounds of Blazer according to my gun logs. In those 15,000, I have had two where the primer did not detonate even though the primer was well struck. I have had two more that were out of sped and actually would not go into chamber

That being said, Blazer is fairly accurate for the distance I normally shoot which are primarily within 15 yards. What more do you need for practice ammo?
 
From reading your post, it appears that your Sig P220 still managed to eject that faulty round. I assume that your Sig was still "good to go" even after a bad round. Says something about Sig pistols.

By the way, since you are a Brit, how are you able to own a pistol, let alone one in .45ACP? -not that common a round in the UK. Did you purchase it here in the USA?
 
CWL:

My financial situation allows me to have several domiciles. I travel quite frequently to the 'continent' and the the United States. My American friends are kind enough to safeguard certain 'items' for me.

I enjoy the shooting sports but I rarely indulge outside of the U.S. of A.

Wm.
 
Never had any problem with the Blazer .45s myself. You might want to send the ruptured case to the company with the lot number in case a bad lot got out the door (it happens).
 
William,

Had Cornwallis prevailed, no doubt you would not be shooting HERE either. In fact, had Cornwallis prevailed, you might be sprechen Deutsch in your homeland, but that's idle speculation...

Glad you weren't hurt by the Blazer malf.

I find Blazer to be adequate practice ammunition in .45 ACP, good price/performance.
 
I wouldn't worry about it, a friend reloads .45 ACP (mildly) cases until they split or the case rim gets too torn up from repeated extraction. The fact that you had to retreive the case off the deck, instead of out of the gun, your hand, or your forehead, means that everything came out okay. No need to harbour ill will toward CCI Blazer ammunition. (A similar thing happened to me with Remington ammunition. It can, and does, happen.)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top