So, what are the main reasons for these failures? Well, the wrong propellant will definitely do it. Substituting a slower rifle propellant for a faster pistol or shotgun variant can easily achieve overpressure. That is still unlikely for factory ammunition, but it happens with ignorant home loaders.

Squib Loads

Squib loads and bore blockage are probably the most common causes of overpressure. A squib load occurs because the propellant does not produce enough energy to push the projectile or associated parts (such as a shotgun wad) out of the barrel. When the next round is fired, the pressure cannot escape because of the blockage, so it finds its own way out.

Squibs can happen because the ammunition is old or poorly stored. They can happen due to a lack of propellant or simply not enough. Subsonic loads may also produce this effect when there is not enough propellant compared to the barrel length of the firearm. What makes it out of a 6″ personal defense weapon (PDW) barrel may not make it down a 24″ hunting rifle.

Bore Blockages

Bore blockages can also occur because of poor maintenance. Some issues are carbon buildup, stuck patches, and mud clogged in the muzzle. You can remedy this by inspecting the bore before and after shooting or cleaning. If you’re shooting and don’t know where your round went, check the bore before shooting again.

Secondary Explosive Effect

The last issue I will mention is the secondary explosive effect. This can occur with very low charge weights and too much free case volume or degraded propellant. If the propellant doesn’t burn quickly and efficiently, it will deposit fumes within the case void. These fumes can be highly explosive and may detonate. If you’re reloading subsonic rounds, start high on charge weight and work down. Make sure you select a propellant that takes up plenty of case volume.

Reloaded Rounds

Most people imagine that the high charge weight (too much gunpowder) causes overpressure, but that is rarely the case. If we take a .223 Rem round as an example, the maximum average pressure, according to CIP, is 4300 bar. The single max pressure is 4945 bar, and the single max weapon pressure is 5375 bar.

Given that 24 grains of suitable propellant will be about ballpark for a charge weight within max average pressure and that 28.8 grains are the maximum case filled with H20 gunpowder, we can surmise that it would be nearly impossible to achieve catastrophic failure from overfilling.

An easy way to avoid all this is to buy high-quality ammunition like Swiss P, Norma, RWS, Sako, or MFS. Remember to listen to your shots, and if something doesn’t sound right or feel right, check your gun before firing that next round.

However, the real rewards come from a challenge. Take something you cannot do well and aim for consistent improvement. So, I bought a secondhand over and under and began shooting some down-the-line (DTL), sporting, and skeet clay pigeons.

I had to swallow my pride and miss a lot. Now, I hit a lot more than I miss.

I will take part in a few competitions in the next few months and see how it goes. I enjoy every minute of learning a new skill, and I am grateful to my Pro Clay friends who have shared some knowledge with me.

The moral of the story is to step out of your comfort zone and never stay on the easy, well-trodden path. Sometimes, the path you beat through the dense forest leads you to the most rewarding destinations.

I have lost count of the ranges I have been on where someone has a gun they think is “rubbish” and “won’t shoot.” 99% of the time, it was simply a poor technique. So, for those who are unsure, here are the basics of rifle fundamentals.

Getting in Position

You may not be able to dictate your shooting position in every situation. You will have to learn to make the best of what you have. In a perfect world, you would be prone and lying down with the rifle. This allows the recoil impulse to be straight and consistent.

You can keep your eyes on the target during and after recoil. You should try to get as comfortable as possible. Never “muscle” the rifle onto the target. It should point at the target naturally while your shoulder acts as a sandbag behind it, soaking up the recoil. If you have to shoot from an awkward position, apply the same principles as best you can.

Damping Movement

Sandbags are your friend, and there is no better option for reducing the unwanted movement of the weapon system. A rear bag will prevent you from inputting involuntary body movement into the rifle (it is the buffer between your hand and the butt). This allows you to control rifle elevation in a highly consistent manner. A front bag will reduce chaotic harmonics and aid recoil consistency.

Breathing

Learn to relax the body, breathing deeply and evenly, to avoid muscle tension as much as possible. Tense muscles affect the recoil impulse and contribute to involuntary movement.

Breathing should be consistent and deep. It’s not always easy if you have to sprint to your position under stress, and that is where excellent fitness comes into play. The higher your VO2 Max, the quicker you can bring the heart rate down and get into deep rhythmic breathing. Your breathing will give you fine elevation control, which you will see in your sight picture.

When you pause this breathing cycle, when you have the target centered, it will give you a couple of seconds without movement to make the shot. Pause too long, and you will induce stress and, thus, increase your movement. If you can’t make the shot in the pause, return to the breathing cycle and reset.

Sight Picture

Sometimes, no matter how good your glass is, you will not have a perfect sight picture. Mirage, heat, haze, smoke, and contrast all come into play. There are technical means to combat some of these factors, but you often find you may have to trust your brain’s ability to make the shot.

Aim small, miss small works well until you can’t make out the “small,” and you have to use the overall image and predict the obscured center mass.

Rifle Fundamentals

Get into position, minimize movement, breathe, and concentrate on your sight picture. You will make the shot if your basic rifle fundamentals are on point.

Military Conflict

War and preparation for war engulf the world. The Ukraine conflict lumbers on and shows no sign of ending anytime soon. Governments worldwide are sending all their old ammunition to Ukraine, so they will need to refill their inventory, and they will be buying vast restocks for years to come. The Israel/Palestine situation will drive similar demand, and in the background sits the U.S./China “cold war.” United States Military procurement will always trump civilian supply because they buy in volume, and it can be multi-year deals.

Panic Buying

Of course, the above situations make civilians nervous. Add to that the polarized political landscape magnified by social media, and you have a veritable stampede for civilian ammunition sales (mainly in the U.S.).

Raw Materials and Components

We still haven’t returned to normal since COVID. Raw materials and components are far more expensive and sometimes unavailable. 12 gauge is becoming challenging to source in high volumes because of propellant, and even the internal wad is becoming a problem. Politics and war have affected some of the raw material supply, and some are just significantly backlogged since everything stopped for COVID. Logistics costs are double or triple pre-covid prices, and many carriers won’t even ship hazardous cargo as they have enough work with standard items.

Production Capability

Most producers run a pretty lean operation. They can’t afford to stockpile for rainy days because old ammunition loses value, especially for military supplies. They want new ammunition made to maximize shelf life. The manufacturers cannot just turn up numbers overnight. They may need to invest in new lines, extra factories, and more skilled workers. None of that is quick or easy. They may not even wish to if they believe high demand is temporary because nothing lasts forever.

Is There Going to be an Ammunition Shortage?

Do I bring any good news about potential ammunition shortages? Yes, if you have good, trusted connections, you will still find products. Some of the bigger players took steps to mitigate the above factors, so hopefully, things will not get as bad as they’ve been in the past.