The Verdict is in on Colt 6920 Catastrophic Failure

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The verdict is in, and as most had guessed the verdict is that the cause of the catastrophic failure was from an ammo defect. At this point I'm just glad that the lower is salvageable. Other than having the bulge fixed and finding a new complete upper, I'm not sure what my next move is. I have had some tell me that I should go after the ammo manufacturer. While I haven't ruled it out, I know that the cost of the repairs aren't worth the hassle. Still some point to the fact that I could have been injured and they say that I have a responsibility to others who might be injured due to bad ammo from this manufacturer (Prvi Partizan). I just need to think this through and decide if I agree with that or not. Anyway, here is the official (mildly redacted) Colt Manufacturing Engineering Exam Report.

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No, I have never loaded a single round in my life.

To clarify the ammo issue; I posted this on other sites back in November. I thought I had posted it here as well but it appears I was mistaken (again).

I had originally posted (again on some sites) that I was using xm193 (I don't know why, I guess because that was what my last purchase had been) before I checked the invoice for the actual ammo that I used that day. The invoice for the ammo that I was using had an item number listed versus a designation. It took a while for me to contact the retailer of the ammo to verify what the designation was. The answer that I received was that the item number referred to PRVI Partizan M193. I have to take their word for it as I am NOT an expert on ammo, I just shoot it. Again to clarify, I KNEW that I had been using PRVI, I just thought that the designation was xm193.
 
"Yikes!"

That was my first thought on reading this as I have a couple of cases of Prvi M193. But in looking at some I see that all the cases are headstamped 5.56x45. Prvi has sold .223; perhaps some got loaded to 5.56 spec?
 
I have some questions. Is it even possible to get anything like a double charge in one of these cases with the powder customarily used? I can see a somewhat over pressure load blowing a primer or something, but wrecking the entire rifle. Wow.
 
It is my belief that this was caused by a cartridge that had the bullet pushed in upon feeding.

I have seen this happen, and have had it happen to me--the bullet is pushed back into the case, causing pressures to raise dramatically.

This single problem is why I use--and recommend to all reloaders--the Lee Factory Crimp die.

The fact that this happened with factory ammunition--particularly Prvi Partizan--leads me to believe that a longer, heavier bullet (62 grain, possibly an SS109) made it to the assembly line and was NOT caught.

First, it was loaded on a charge meant for a 55 grain bullet.
Second, it was pushed back into the case upon feeding.
The result? Catastrophic failure.

I would contact Prvi Partizan, and tell them that they owed me a new rifle.
 
No way could it have been a double charge. Only two possible scenarios are the bullet being shoved back into the case from an improper crimp and/or oversized inner neck dimension and/or out of spec bullet OR somehow some vastly incorrect powder was used. I'd go with the former.

Contact PPU about it and see if they will compensate you or at least give you a pretty good explanation and apology. My guess is that they will not compensate you since the evidence that it is their fault only lies in the headstamp of the exploded casing, a gun failure that happened while you claimed to be shooting PPU ammunition, and possibly some detailed forensics of the powder residue in the gun to determine if there was ever the wrong powder being used.

Unless you could find the bullet still intact there isn't much of a way for you to show evidence that an improper crimp was used. It all comes back to your word. For all they know and we know, you were using PPU brass and nothing more.

Considering that I've used some Centurion ammo where almost every round had a visually off center round, poor crimp, and dimpled neck, and I never experienced a round pushing back in with my BCM 20" M16 upper, I can say with confidence that PPU will do the wise thing and not compensate you for your loss. Just far too many things relying on your word alone.
 
1, I'm glad and pleased that you're OK
2,This is a good learning post for all of us AR shooters, THANK for sharing this with us this was no simple post
3, NO PRIVI ammo for me,no thank you,no sir!!!
 
Well, before you jump all over Prvi, this is the letter from the manufacturer of the gun declaring it "not our fault". I'm pretty sure when you send the gun to Prvi, you can get a letter stating that's clearly a gun manufacturer error, or fault of the operator, dirt in the barrel etc. We're talking serious product liability here, no one is going to admit to that.
 
I just got off the phone with colt manufacturing (again). I tried to call yesterday, but because the gun was sent from my FFL, they said that they couldn't talk to me (go figure) concerning the repairs and the shipping of the entire gun (scrap and all) back to me. Interestingly, I asked that they send me the paperwork to initiate the process (versus it going to my FFL and then him forwarding it to me) and they initially said that they couldn't send it to me, but rather, they would have to send it to my FFL. This, even after I had to get my FFL to call them yesterday for them to even be willing to talk with me today. After I politely stated that my FFL is an active LEO and this fact would delay my getting the paperwork, RJ took my name and address and said that he would try to send me a copy as well.

Anyway, the ballpark figure for repairing the lower is $55 plus $15 or so for shipping. Not too bad, so I'm going to have that done. Then I'll start my research to decide what to do about getting a complete upper and whatever else I'll need. LOL... my 6920 has become a "project gun".
 
Odd that they require shipping via FFL, shipping for repairs is usually exempt from the ffl requirement.
Click to expand...

Seems odd to me as well.

It also seems odd to me that they wouldn't talk to the owner of the rifle about the repairs to the owners rifle. :confused:

Not the CS i would expect after paying that much $$$$$.
 
Yeah DNS, that struck me as odd as well. Not to mention the head stamp reading .223 REM when the designation according to the importer (or retailer, unsure which) was M193.
 
Granted I did not read the novel similar other thread, but is there a chance this was some how induced by you manually fubbing the chambering of the round, letting it separate from the bolt? Then attempting to drop the bolt and it "hammered" the bullet deeper into the case, then after it fell into the chamber, you dropped the bolt?

Or maybe asked better...was it the fired from middle of mag or first? Maybe chambered before and not fired?

Apologies if this has already been covered.
 
Yea, really strange deal... It is impossible to load a "double charge" in a .223/5.56 case. I load rounds that are almost up to the top of the case. The only way I can see that there would be a powder issue is to load pistol powder in the case? I doubt that the ammo manufacturer would do that. Strange deal man, I don't know what to tell you about that. Just glad you didn't get hurt! :eek:
 
PPU shell explode in chamber.

Hi.
Did PPU explode in your AR?
Its blow up in my Mauser C96. Bolt almost hit me in the head...
I contucted their atterney and he is trying to blame my gun....
 
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