Photo: Bearing Arms

Nothing sucks quite as much as a product recall, especially if it’s for something you own.

The latest comes from Winchester.

PRODUCT WARNING AND RECALL NOTICE

WINCHESTER® 38 Special 130 Grain Full Metal Jacket

Olin Winchester, LLC (“Winchester”) is recalling three (3) lots of 38 Special 130 Grain Full Metal Jacket centerfire ammunition.

Symbol: USA38SPVP

Lot Numbers: KF21, KL30 and KM52

Winchester has determined the above lots of 38 Special ammunition may contain incorrect powder charges. Ammunition with excessive powder charges may cause firearm damage, rendering it inoperable, and subjecting the shooter and bystanders to a risk of serious personal injury or death.

DO NOT USE WINCHESTER® 38 SPECIAL 130 GRAIN SYMBOL USA38SPVP WITH LOT NUMBERS KF21, KL30 or KM52. The ammunition Lot Number is ink stamped inside the right tuck flap of the 100-round carton as indicated here. The symbol is printed above the UPC bar code.

To determine if your ammunition is subject to this notice, review the Symbol and Lot Number. If it is Symbol USA38SPVP with Lot Number KF21, KL30 or KM52, immediately discontinue use and contact Winchester toll-free at 844-653-8358 for free UPS pick-up of the recalled ammunition.

This notice applies only to Symbol USA38SPVP with Lot Numbers KF21, KL30 and KM52. Other Symbol or Lot Numbers are not subject to this recall.

If you have any questions concerning this 38 Special centerfire ammunition recall please call toll-free 844-653-8358, write to Winchester (600 Powder Mill Road, East Alton, IL 62024 Attn: USA38SPVP Recall), or visit our website at www.winchester.com.

We apologize for this inconvenience.

WINCHESTER

Obviously, if you have any of this ammo, contact Winchester immediately. The last thing you want to do is turn your revolver into an expensive paperweight. Had a buddy do that with handloads once, and he was less than pleased, so do yourself a favor and try not to share his pain.

And let’s be honest, we all know he was lucky that damaging his gun was all that happened to him. He just as easily could have blown his hand off, or worse.

I can hear some of you now, though. “I’ve been using this stuff for a while now, and it’s been all good.”

Sure, that may be true…for now. How many shots with way too hot of a load does it take to screw up your day? If you think it takes more than one, you’re oh-so-very wrong. Don’t try to John Wayne it on this stuff, folks. While it’s likely that most of these loads are good to go, enough haven’t been that Winchester figured it needed to issue a product recall.

If you’ve got any Winchester white box at home for .38 Special, go and check it as soon as possible. If it’s a box of this ammo, act accordingly. The life, hands, and gun you save may well be your own. More than that, though, it may well be the hand and life of a loved one who is shooting your gun with the ammo you failed to check out.

Let that sink in for a moment.