From HEVI-Shot:
At temperatures below freezing, our 12-gauge, 3-inch HEVI-Metal and HEVI-Steel shotshell wads may crack on ignition. This may cause a “squib load,” with an off sound and reduced power.
While this squib load will not damage your gun in any way, it can result in a wad stuck in your barrel, because the force of some these shells may not be strong enough to push the wad all the way out of the muzzle.
The danger comes if you fire again without clearing a stuck wad from your barrel. This can cause barrel damage or injury. If you hear an off sound with no power, please stop shooting! First, unload your gun—and then check your barrel for obstructions before you fire again!
Please do not shoot these shotshells.
Instead, please contact us for replacement shells. We have fixed this problem in current production.
After we were contacted about squib loads, we began an intensive investigation that led to an understanding of the problem by the evening of 19 November. We want to get this notice out to our customers immediately. Please share it with your hunting friends.
The wads we bought between July and mid-November used a low-density polyethylene plastic. We switched yesterday to a linear low-density polyethylene, which performs safely in all weather, including very cold weather. To understand the difference, please go to:
http://www.primepolymer.co.jp/english/technology/material/pe/05.html
Only 12-gauge, 3-inch HEVI-Steel or HEVI-Metal shotshells with these lot numbers may have the problem.
- 201576 – 201584
- 301571 – 301609
- 401335 – 401345
- 500001 – 500016
- 201600 – 201637
- 301643 – 301659
- 401381 – 401422
- 201640 – 201659
- 301672 – 301689
- 401437 – 401463
- 201665 – 201671
- 301698 – 301701
- 401466 – 401486
- 201677 – 201680
- 301713 – 301722
- 401489 – 401504
- 201683 – 201699
- 301725 – 301726
- 401507 – 401519
- 201702 – 201722
- 301730 – 301734
- 201732 – 201736