Winchester 45 ACP Ammo Problem

[jlipeles]

I know this forum is mainly for reloading of ammo but I figured this would be the best place for this.

I have a bunch of 100 round Winchester 45 ACP value packs. I used a couple a little while ago without problems but today, the spent casings seemed to have excessive powder burns like the rounds aren't making a good seal in the barrel when fired. I also noticed far more smoke coming from through the back of the pistol when a round was fired.

My buddy and I tried different ammo in my gun and didn't have a problem and tried this ammo in his gun and the problem continued leading me to believe it is the ammo and not the gun(s).

My question is this: I have several more boxes of this ammo (and the partially used open box) that are all from the same batch. I'm concerned that this ammo may be unsafe (although all rounds fired today had no discernible functional problems, just the casings indicating the potential problem).

What should I do? Does anyone have any way to contact Winchester (I couldn't find anything on the Winchester website)?

Thanks!

[XDRoX]

That's pretty weird. I haven't fired factory rounds in a while so I can't help you there. Usually burnt cases and smoke are due to using certain types of powders. I do remember WWB being sort of dirty but not smokey

I highly doubt there if anything dangerous with shooting it though. I'd shoot it up.

[edwardm]

WWB 45ACP in the 100 round packs shoots dirty. All sorts of soot and powder marks on the brass. Compared with the Winchester PDX stuff and Federal, the WWB leaves behind a mess.

I know this forum is mainly for reloading of ammo but I figured this would be the best place for this.

I have a bunch of 100 round Winchester 45 ACP value packs. I used a couple a little while ago without problems but today, the spent casings seemed to have excessive powder burns like the rounds aren't making a good seal in the barrel when fired. I also noticed far more smoke coming from through the back of the pistol when a round was fired.

My buddy and I tried different ammo in my gun and didn't have a problem and tried this ammo in his gun and the problem continued leading me to believe it is the ammo and not the gun(s).

My question is this: I have several more boxes of this ammo (and the partially used open box) that are all from the same batch. I'm concerned that this ammo may be unsafe (although all rounds fired today had no discernible functional problems, just the casings indicating the potential problem).

What should I do? Does anyone have any way to contact Winchester (I couldn't find anything on the Winchester website)?

Thanks!

[Chief-7700]

Nothing to worry about just shoot them. As stated above WWB is a bit on the dirty side.

[EWILKE]

Yes they shoot dirty all winchester white box does they must use w231 in the .45 ammo.

[Chief-7700]

Yes they shoot dirty all winchester white box does they must use w231 in the .45 ammo.

So that's there all the Win-231 has gone.

[Southpaw45]

I wouldn't blame it on the 231 powder. I reload with it and my ammo burns clean. Is it unsafe? I don't think so. Just shoot it up then move to another brand of ammo. I shot WWB in my 1911 a while back and found my brass to stay clean but the end of my barrel and slide was filthy with a black soot that was a little hard to clean off.

[luckygunner]

From what I understand the factory ammunition isn't loaded with one single type of powder or recipe. They will typically use whatever powder will give them the desired performance at the lowest cost. WWB has been on the dirty side for awhile now (Winchester sells the WinClean brand), no question they know that the regular WWB is dirty. It boils down to cost. Right now the dirty powder seems to be the only stuff available cheap enough in bulk, for all of the major manufactures.

To answer your question there doesn't sound like anything that would make the ammo unsafe.

Steven@LG

[jlipeles]

Thanks for all the replies. Good to know I can shoot it up without problems.

[f4tweet]

Accurate #5 shoots like you described. It does not seal well, and is dirty.