Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Federal factory ammuntion quality control?

If you shoot enough factory ammo, you’ll eventually run into some with issues. IME, I’ve had more misfires with Federal .22 ammo than anything else, though some of the last Winchester, their high-priced super-duper HPs was really bad, and those, combined with their troubles with primers have put me off the brand, except for their better shotshells.

Had a weak Remington Gun Club shell yesterday. Not long ago one round in a box of 12ga STS was deformed and wouldn’t chamber. Others I shoot clays with have had duds as well, with factory of various brands. Almost all shoot the cheapest they can find.

I buy Fed 9mm and .223 when it’s cheap, also Fiocchi and Blazer (9mm). No issues yet with any of that.

Federal 22lr, is the only 22 ammo my 10-22 hates. It won't cycle the action about half the time. No other ammo has given me any problems. And yes I clean it every couple years.

I've put a lot of Federal Lightning through a Remington 572 and don't recall ever having any misfires from it.

Cleaning, at least the chamber, matters with my 10/22 CSC as lube buildup can cushion the primer strike. The misfires I've had have been in various guns. I bought a few boxes of Fed & Win bulk during the Obama shortage, whatever Walmart had on a given day. The Win is better than the Fed. I whittle away at those when I remember to, trying to clear them out, but I suspect they’re breeding in that storage tub I keep them in…..

i have had trouble with all manufactures of centerfire ammo years ago that`s why i hand load the families ammo and mine. i have had more trouble with the cheaper 22LR Remington ammo so every December 1st i clean the barrel and the chamber on the 22 LR rifle that sits year around in the cold/warm garage next to my 22 K-Hornet Ruger 77,this old bolt 22 LR Marlin kills plenty little critters all year long.

Remarkable! You find a split neck after shooting on one case and a dent in a Remington case and think the manufacturer's have QC problems. hate to be the one to tell you this but every manufacturer of any product let's a bad item get out now and them. as for ammo I couldn't tell you, been a lot of years since I've bought factory ammo but I do use factory once fired cases when I find them and most work very well!

That dent wouldn't even catch my attention.

Had Hornady ammo 20+ years ago that had split necks straight from the factory. All that did was told me to never buy their ammo again but I have bought their brass and ammo since with no other issues.

Had a Winchester XX turkey load with a smashed brass straight from the box, called Winchester and they sent a prepaid ORM-D box to send the whole box back and they sent me a new box of ammo.

I've always had good luck with Federal ammunition.

The only rifle ammunition that I've seen a real issue with was some Remington 7mm08 140 grain CoreLokt about 25 years ago. One of the rounds was significantly over pressure and locked up the bolt on my wife's Remington 700. I had a gunsmith pound open the bolt and check for damage. Luckily everything was OK. I've also had a few dud rounds of Remington green box.

I haven't shot much centerfire factory rifle ammunition for some years though, so I can't speak to recent production.

Never had a problem with anything from Federal.


Okie John

If you are having issues with Federal 22lr, I suspect it's the rifle. I've never had issues like you claim, in any of my rimfires. You may want to check, or have your rifle checked by a competent gunsmith.

The .308 Win. Federal Fusion case didn't split at the neck, it was split at the shoulder. The .270 Win. are Federal Fusion as well, not Remington, with more than one dented case in the box. To reiterate, the .308 case that split at the shoulder and the .270 cases with the dents are all Federal.

Since I haven't had any Black Hills, Hornady, Norma, Remington, or Winchester factory ammunition split anywhere at all or notice cases dented as deeply as those, then, yes, I'm going to ask if Federal is having QC issues.

I've always used Federal ammo and found it to be highly accurate, precise and without fault. In addition I've used Remington, Winchester, and Hornady rifle ammo and still place Federal at the top. We purchased some Sellier & Bellot to try in a pistol: "Never, ever, again". We were at the 'range' with a military person as he witnessed the action. A 'flyer' at 25 feet; I mean it had taken a left turn out of the barrel (Beretta). Never seen anything like that in my entire life. Will never consider or use Sellier & Bellot again 'Period'.

** And as a side note: Some ammo manufacturers are using "identifiers" in the ammo to 'trace' where the items were purchased.

* I forgot about the A-Square .300 Win Mag. ammo. Should have stocked that, no longer available: long story. 'Good stuff'.