Here's a message from an email I just received:
URGENT ANNOUNCEMENT 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 of 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
The lot number is stamped on the inside top flap of your box of shotshells.
Our highest priories are your safety and your satisfaction with our products. We will do everything we can to get you the product you deserve if you contact us for replacement shells. For your safety, when you contact us we will arrange to have UPS pick up your unused shells (please put them in a shippable cardboard box such as our master carton) at no charge to you, and we will ship your replacement shells to you at no charge. Contact Kelly Sorensen, VP of Sales and Marketing by phone: 541.367.3522, or by email:
sales@hevishot.com.
Ralph Nauman
CEO
