Anyone else here had problems with almost non-existent ejection charges on A8-3's?

My wife teaches 5th grade class, and I did a launch with them today and out of 18 rockets (Estes make and take) and 36 launches, over 20 failed to eject the parachute. I was using motors from two bulk packs. For the high school physics class (8 rockets, 16 launches) later this afternoon, I had 6 ejection charge failures. I did not even have to be looking at them, as I could plainly hear the weak charge, more of a poof than a pop. I pulled out an old Alpha I had with me and also had a failure to pop the chute out.

I also had one motor during the high school launch that just took the rocket off the launch rod where it fell on the ground, but this one had a good ejection charge as it popped the chute out on the ground. On that one the nozzle had instant erosion to more than double the normal diameter.

Date code on the motors?

I don't fly many A8-3s but don't recall having had this particular issue with them....

__________________
Bernard Cawley
NAR 89040 L1 - Life Member
SAM 0061
AMA 42160
KG7AIE

A210321
A210421

Goodness….almost brand new motors. It might be worth an email to Estes’ customer service address (service@estesrockets.com), if for no other reason than to let them know.

__________________
Bernard Cawley
NAR 89040 L1 - Life Member
SAM 0061
AMA 42160
KG7AIE

I will be doing that this afternoon.

Yes, I bought both bulk packs last month at Hobby Lobby

Wouldn't hurt to file a MESS report for those A8-3's.

__________________
Dave, NAR # 21853 SR.

Ditto.....
http://www.motorcato.org/

__________________
Don
NAR 53455
"Carpe Diem"