17 HMR AMMUNITION PRODUCT SAFETY NOTICE AND WARNING

http://www.cci-ammunition.com/safety/safety_notice.aspx

August 20, 2009 (Updated August 31, 2009)

Dear Customer:

Do not use 17 HMR ammunition in semi-automatic firearms without consulting with your firearms manufacturer. Use of 17 HMR ammunition in semi-automatic firearms may result in serious personal injury or property damage.

17 HMR ammunition is manufactured in accordance with standards issued by the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufactures’ Institute (SAAMI). Subsequent to the design and introduction of 17 HMR ammunition to the market, 17 HMR semi-automatic firearms were introduced by various firearm manufacturers. Many of those firearms have proven to be incompatible with 17 HMR ammunition. 17 HMR ammunition is suitable for use in quality firearms in good condition that are not semi-automatic.

Accordingly, do not use 17 HMR ammunition in semi-automatic firearms without consulting with your firearms manufacturer. Only use 17 HMR in quality modern firearms in good condition marked for 17 HMR cartridges. Always use eye and ear protection. Always read all product labeling carefully for instructions on safe use.

Please contact your gun manufacturer. For ammunition questions contact CCI Technical Service at 1-866-286-7436.

I do not know for sure.

I had lots of case/neck splits with CCI 17 HMR. I took pictures and sent them to CCI. They wrote back and said that it was perfectly ok but that if I would send them the remainding ammunition they would send me replacement and enough more to cover my shipping. I sent them 220 rounds and a few cases with splits and they sent me 1,000 rounds back which I thought was pretty cool. I experienced case/neck splits shooting a Savage mod 93. I believe that there was nothing particularly unsafe as I have shot lots of split shotgun shells. (I used to reload until signs of splitting and then one more time as a game load that I wouldn't have an empty hull that I needed to pick up.)

Thanks for the information Popeye, I will send it along to my 597 and 10/22 friends.

http://www.remington.com/safety/17_HMR_Ammo_notice/default.asp



17 HMR AMMUNITION AND MODEL 597® 17 HMR SEMI-AUTOMATIC



DO NOT USE REMINGTON 17 HMR AMMUNITION IN SEMI-AUTOMATIC FIREARMS.

DO NOT USE THE REMINGTON MODEL 597 17 HMR SEMI-AUTOMATIC RIFLE.

Remington has been notified by its supplier of 17 HMR ammunition that 17 HMR ammunition is not suitable for use in semi-automatic firearms. The use of this ammunition in a semi-automatic firearm could result in property damage or serious personal injury.

If you have a semi-automatic firearm chambered for 17 HMR ammunition, immediately discontinue use of Remington 17 HMR ammunition. If you have any Remington 17 HMR ammunition that you wish to return to Remington contact the Remington Consumer Service number below. Do not return the ammunition to the dealer. Remington will provide you with a $10.00 coupon for each complete box of 50 rounds of Remington branded 17 HMR ammunition you return to Remington. This coupon will be good for the purchase of any Remington ammunition at your local dealer.

In light of the ammunition manufacturer’s notice, it is very important that you immediately stop using your Remington Model 597 17 HMR semi-automatic rifle. If you own a Remington Model 597 17 HMR semi-automatic rifle and wish to return it to Remington please contact the below Remington Consumer Service Number. In return for your Remington Model 597 17 HMR synthetic stock semi-automatic rifle, Remington will provide you a coupon valued at $200.00 good for the purchase of a replacement Remington firearm. If you have a laminate stock Remington Model 597 17 HMR semi-automatic rifle, Remington will provide you a coupon valued at $250.00 good for the purchase of a replacement Remington firearm. Remington will also reimburse you for the actual postage to return your Model 597 17 HMR semi-automatic rifle to Remington.

Please allow up to 6 weeks after Remington receives your Model 597 17 HMR semi-automatic rifle or your Remington branded 17 HMR ammunition for the appropriate coupons to arrive. Instructions for redemption of the coupons will be contained on the coupon.

For any consumer questions or instructions on how to return of your Model 597 17 HMR semi-automatic rifle or your Remington branded 17 HMR ammunition, please contact the Remington Consumer Service Department at 1-800-243-9700, Prompt #3.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

http://www.federalpremium.com/whats_new/safety_notice.aspx

17 HMR AMMUNITION PRODUCT SAFETY NOTICE AND WARNING

August 20, 2009 (Updated August 31, 2009)

Dear Customer:

Do not use 17 HMR ammunition in semi-automatic firearms without consulting with your firearms manufacturer. Use of 17 HMR ammunition in semi-automatic firearms may result in serious personal injury or property damage.

17 HMR ammunition is manufactured in accordance with standards issued by the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufactures’ Institute (SAAMI). Subsequent to the design and introduction of 17 HMR ammunition to the market, 17 HMR semi-automatic firearms were introduced by various firearm manufacturers. Many of those firearms have proven to be incompatible with 17 HMR ammunition. 17 HMR ammunition is suitable for use in quality firearms in good condition that are not semi-automatic.

Accordingly, do not use 17 HMR ammunition in semi-automatic firearms without consulting with your firearms manufacturer. Only use 17 HMR in quality modern firearms in good condition marked for 17 HMR cartridges. Always use eye and ear protection. Always read all product labeling carefully for instructions on safe use.

Please contact your gun manufacturer. For ammunition questions contact Federal Premium Product Services at 1-800-831-0850.

http://www.winchester.com/news/newsview.aspx?storyid=272

PRODUCT WARNING NOTICE: WINCHESTER® 17 HMR AMMUNITION

Winchester Ammunition
8/21/2009

PRODUCT WARNING NOTICE

WINCHESTER® 17 HMR AMMUNITION


DO NOT USE WINCHESTER® SUPREME® OR SUPER-X® 17 HMR RIMFIRE AMMUNITION IN SEMI-AUTOMATIC FIREARMS. No other calibers of rimfire ammunition are subject to this warning.

Winchester 17 HMR ammunition is manufactured in accordance with standards issued by the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute (SAAMI). Winchester has been notified by its supplier that 17 HMR rimfire ammunition is not suitable for use in semi-automatic firearms. The use of this ammunition in a semi-automatic firearm may cause firearm damage, rendering the firearm inoperable, and subject the shooter to a risk of serious personal injury. 17 HMR ammunition is suitable for use in quality firearms in good condition that are not semi-automatic.

If you have any questions concerning this warning notice please contact your firearm’s manufacturer or call Winchester toll-free at 866-423-5224 (U.S. & Canada), write to the address below, or visit our website at www.winchester.com.

We apologize for this inconvenience.

WINCHESTER AMMUNITION August 21, 2009
600 Powder Mill Road
East Alton, IL 62024-1273

I believe we will find that it is a timing issue with blowback style semi-autos. With a blowback style action, you don't have locking lugs to keep the breech locked until pressure bleeds off. The mass of the bolt provides just enough inertial resistance that the bullet has time to exit the barrel and peak pressure bleeds off before the bolt begins to travel rearward. This works fine for a .22LR, but the .17HMR creates way more pressure.

Early on, when Volquartsen was experimenting with the .17 HMR in their 10/22 style rifles, they were having problems with the .17 HMR cases rupturing because the bolt started opening before pressure bled off. So, they made the bolts for the .17HMR out of tungsten to increase its mass, which also necessitates a heavier recoil spring.

There have been many reports of .17HMR case ruptures in early blowback semiautos, but I thought the problem had been fixed with the heavier bolts and recoil springs. Perhaps not entirely. Basically, it appears the .17 HMR creates borderline too much pressure for a blowback style action.