Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Kevin Robertson Norma load issues

This weekend a friend and I did some testing with his virtually new New Haven Classic in 375 H&H.

Some of the cases necks and shoulders split in Norma PH 350 grain factory ammo.

This is the ammo with Kevin Robertson's picture on the box.

He fired about 20 rounds with other brands without issue.

Thoughts from experienced folks are welcome.

Sounds like the Norma brass wasn't annealed properly.

That would be a problem in a dangerous game situation. They did eject without issue and were only noticed when we looked over the once fired brass.

Will failed cases like this damage the chamber from flame cutting of the hot gas?

Also safety issues?

He isn't going to shoot more of them but is stuck with a few boxes of the stuff.

I would suggest that he contact Norma-USA. They relocated their offices to near Savannah, Georgia last year

You'd have to shoot a LOT of them to damage the chamber.

Have seen this sort of thing occasionally with other brands of ammo. In the 1990s Remington sent me quite of a bit of rifle ammo, including .338 Winchester Magnum. About every third round broke around the neck/shoulder junction when fired, usually leaving the neck in the front of the chamber. Informed the guy who was then their writer contact, and he appreciated my "input"!

I will pass that along.

We just figured if Kevin Robertson put his endorsement and picture on the box, it ought to have decent quality control for dangerous game.

Surely he's not just another paid celebrity endorsement influencer in the digital age?

Just curious - when your friend passes on the lot # to Norma, would appreciate you posting it here as well.

Txs

I will get it from him

I suppose that I should point out that the 350 grain Woodleigh Weldcores did a stellar job on a medium size wild boar shot broadside in the shoulder. It exited and expanded dropping the boar instantly leaving a massive blood trail under the boar.

It was the load he wanted to use for both Leopard and Buffalo until we discovered the splits in the brass.

How is Kevin responsible for a lapse in QC?

He isn't. Norma loads a load that he has used and recommended and then a faulty run of brass comes along and turns an otherwise good product into a bad product

Egzakalay

So you think Kevin is a totally reliable and dependable souce of information with the respect to what he recommends or dislikes?

For example do you think that he is correct when he says large caliber Nosler Partitions are a poor choice for cape buffalo or other large dangerous game.

I know experienced people who think of him more like Peter Hathaway Capstick, perhaps taking some credit for the actions of others.

That's not my point.

I don't care who it is. Suppose Billy Bob Jackson used a product to good effect with no problems. He then endorses it. Later on a batch that should have failed QC leaves the factory. How is Billy Bob responsible?

Now, if Billy Bob lied or whatever it's a different ballgame.

Robertson is not in charge of Norma QC. I just thought it somehow ironic nevertheless.

He said he looked all over the box and can't find the lot number. He will return to Norma and they should have that information.

We were able to find the lot number on the inside of the bottom of the box.

12021307

I’ve listened to and read a lot of Kevin Robertson. He is completely unassuming. There isn’t a lot of drama there. If he embellishes he does a very poor job of it.

He didn’t load your buddies ammo either.

Many thanks!