Federal Blue Box

TRK

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Anybody having issues with the new boxes of federal blue box steel loads? The primers have red plastic in them and I have been finding pieces in the action of my shotgun. I’ve had to clean my entire gun after every day of hunting this year because of it and just now figured out where the plastic was coming from. I never noticed last year as I had plenty of shells from the year prior.
 


KDM

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Is it actually plastic or is it some kind of sealant they sprayed around the primer and when you shoot'em the stuff flakes off in the action? Plastic and firearms SUCKS BALLS when it ends up in pieces. The plastic M16 rounds they came up with for indoor qualifying for the military back in the day, really F'd up the actions, barrels, triggers, and everything else on the weapon except the sights I think. Took for F'N EVER to even marginally clean that shrit outta my M4.
 

TRK

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This little red ring around the center of the primer is what is coming off in my gun. KDM hit the nail on the head for what’s going on
A4EA100A-D7CB-45CE-BFB3-F83848984419.jpg
 


KDM

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That was my suspicion. I've had the same stuff rolling around in my gun for years. No problems with action or functionality and I clean my gun a couple times a year. IMO, it's a cosmetic thing. Bertha is a Rem 870 pump and she's still going after 26 years of going "Bang" when I pull the trigger and that red stuff hasn't made her burp yet, so I just keep feedin' her them fed blue box BB's and she keeps puttin' birds on the ground. I've come to really like our arrangement. (Grin)
 

Rut2much

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870s are absolute tanks for sure, model of consistency if there's ever been one.
 

KDM

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870s are absolute tanks for sure, model of consistency if there's ever been one.

Bertha didn't get her name by being dainty I can tell you that. We've chewed some pretty wicked conditions over the years, from ice and snow, to muck and mud, to bumps and thumps, to scratches and scrapes. I even lost her on the bottom of the slough for a half hour or so. She slipped from my fingers while I was reaching for a duck in chest high water and she planed out on me under water. Stripped to my underwear and went diving for her. Found her about 6 or seven feet out in front of where I was standing in a bit under 5 ft of water with a mud plugged barrel, weeds and moss in the trigger, and every nook and cranny full of crap. Took her apart, dunked the barrel until it was cleaned. Did the same with the action, put'er back together, and kept hunting. 'Course I did have to get dressed again sans underwear, but finished the hunt. Ah....memories!!
 

TRK

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Heres a picture of the old blue box and the new. No garbage red sealant in the old primers they used. I should’ve taken pictures while I was cleaning my montefeltro since duck season started. The one day an entire red ring was in my action. I was trying to figure out where it came from in my gun as I’ve had it apart plenty over the years. I had also never seen it before and never really had a malfunction before.
88B5D23F-2922-4F98-ADFB-B4144005C702.jpg
 

LBrandt

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Never shoot enough between cleanings to make it matter and yes the 870 is a beast, but I like my old Ithaca Feather weight that Dad bought back in 1958 and left to me. Easy carry but kicks like a mule. The 870 that I use comes out for those late season pheasants that like to get up out there aways. Still have a few boxes to 3" duces left for those bastards. Surprise, Surprise.
 


Rut2much

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Bertha didn't get her name by being dainty I can tell you that. We've chewed some pretty wicked conditions over the years, from ice and snow, to muck and mud, to bumps and thumps, to scratches and scrapes. I even lost her on the bottom of the slough for a half hour or so. She slipped from my fingers while I was reaching for a duck in chest high water and she planed out on me under water. Stripped to my underwear and went diving for her. Found her about 6 or seven feet out in front of where I was standing in a bit under 5 ft of water with a mud plugged barrel, weeds and moss in the trigger, and every nook and cranny full of crap. Took her apart, dunked the barrel until it was cleaned. Did the same with the action, put'er back together, and kept hunting. 'Course I did have to get dressed again sans underwear, but finished the hunt. Ah....memories!!

Hahaha Yea sounds about par for the course..when I was a young lad I used it as a crutch to belly crawl thru mud, stubble, sheet water, cattails, broke plenty of ice with the butt stock to retrieve birds, buddy even dropped it in 4 feet of water.. There's a reason there's 4 of them in the house to this day. Damn things just eat tacks for breakfast and shit out nails at suppertime each and every day. My mossberg 835 can't quite say the same, but was put through the absolute guantlet as well.
 
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KDM

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Nothing wrong with a Mossberg either. Those damn things are sure ugly to look at, but dagnabit I've seen them take a pounding and keep going "Bang". Not to expensive and just plain work. I hunted with a buddy that used a Mossberg and his gun chewed the same conditions right along with my Bertha and to this day is still putting birds on the ground, just like Bertha. Wouldn't be afraid to tote a Mossberg in the field one little bit. Pump that is. I don't have to much time for auto's of any brand.
 

Enslow

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Kdm said dainty.

- - - Updated - - -

Lol that is funny.
 

TRK

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Haven’t bought any blue box this year. Switched to HeviSteel and haven’t had a mishap since.
 


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