No bang!!!

[wisconsinteacher]

Well as a nice doe walked through my lane today I pulled up and click. This was with the same reloads that I thought I had figured out. I made sure my primers were set very well. It looks like the pin just touched the primer. I fired two of my dad's factory Fusion rounds and they worked. The primers on those rounds are flush with the base of the brass where the reloads are below flush. After the hunt, I tried one more shot and it did not fire also. I don't know if it is a rifle issue or a primer issue. I am going to keep my dad's 30-06 around and try these loads in his gun. I am just happy that it was not a big buck. By the way dad got a spike and a doe by 8 am so we are good to go as far as venison goes.

 

[DrMike]

The fact that you indicate that the firing pin appears to have "just touched the primer" suggests that the primer wasn't fully seated or your spring is getting weak.

 

[GeorgeS]

Was it cold? The grease on the firing pin spring may have congealed enough to slow the firing pin down.

Degrease your bolt. Then, use powdered graphite as a lubricant.

mbogo

 

[Silentstalker]

I ad the same type thing going on with a muzzleloader of mine. Cost my son a perfect shot at a mule deer buck. Ended up being the rifle itself. Sent it to the factory and its good to go now.

I would think you either have a problem with your rifle or the cold/crud is limiting the firing pin? Good luck. Nothing worse than a gun that wont go boom when you pull the trigger.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

It was cold but I cleaned the bolt this summer when I had some issues with misfiring and did not use a lot of oil. I am going to send it back to Ruger next week when season is over. I think that while it is there, I am going to have them put a new factory barrel on it also. I know the original barrel was not cared for like it should have been when I was young and did not know how to clean a rifle the right way.

 

[jimbires]

when resizing the brass case , could you be pushing the shoulder back to far on your reloads ?

 

[YoteSmoker]

Winchester primers by chance? I had this happen with them at the range in a couple different guns this fall luckily at yhe range. I am done with them!

 

[truck driver]

Just for peace of mind remove the bolt and place it in a padded vise so you can cock and uncock the bolt. with e bolt uncocked check how far the firing pin is exposed from the bolt face. It should protrude pretty good. If it looks short than you have a problem. As someone else said when you resize your brass you could be setting the shoulder back too far also so that when you pull the trigger the firing pin is driving the round deeper into the chamber making for a short firing pin since factory ammo seems to work fine.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

They are new Winchester primers. As far as sizing, that was mentioned this summer when I had this issue so I bought a Hornady headspace gauge to measure my brass and they were not bumped back more than .007" from the fired cases.

 

[RiverRider]

If you can bump the shoulder 0.001" and have no difficulty chambering the resized brass, that is what you should do. I would always regard that measurement as being relative rather than absolute. I think 0.007" sounds like far too much.

 

[YoteSmoker]

Wiscosinteacher, mine were bought in the last couple months as well. We should compare lot numbers. I first thought firing pin or headspace the culprit but two other guns proved to me neither could be the problem.

 

[Oldtrader3]

It has always been my contention that I hand seat all primers .005/.010 below the case datum in order to assure some contact between the anvil and cup of the primer. I try to just feel the primer set and not to over seat it which flattens the cup of the primer slightly. I have never had a misfire with the seating method and my groups are satisfactory small employing this seating method.

 

[Divernhunter]

I had trouble with win large rifle mag primers this year. Shot 800+ without any trouble. Went to Africa and the first 2 rounds would not fire.
First time in my life for a dud. Been reloading since 1962. The rest of the rounds worked. Brought home the 2 duds and took them apart and all was fine except the primers not working.
If I had win primer dept address I would send them in with a note.

 

[gerry]

Things are not looking good for Winchester primers, good to know. I have some old WLRM primers that have been great over the years, had a few CCI's years ago that wouldn't go but have had no troubles with them for many years.

 

[rick smith]

RiverRider nailed your problem. Once fired brass doesn't need the shoulder bumped at all. I don't set the FL die until the cases get snug to chambering and then never set the shoulder back more than 0.002". I am using WLR/WLRM primers that are over 20yrs old and haven't had a dud in numerous different rifles.Rick.

 

[YoteSmoker]

I hand prime every primer and have never had a dud be it winchester, cci or federal until this year. Happened to b e same batch of WLR primers I used the same exact sizing and priming methods in 4 different rifles and calibers 30-06, 25-06 35 Whelen, and 7mm08. All had random misfires. You can theorize and question reloading practices which is what I did at first also but in the cure for me was switching primers and no problem since.

 

[SJB358]

If you can bump the shoulder 0.001" and have no difficulty chambering the resized brass, that is what you should do. I would always regard that measurement as being relative rather than absolute. I think 0.007" sounds like far too much.

Same here. I shoot for .001-.002 for mine.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

I understand the sizing issue, but I have had my die set up in the same place for years then when I switch over to new primers, I get misfires??? I know I have been bumping my cases too far but I just got the tool to measure them. The reason I got the tool was because of misfires this summer. I really don't know where to turn right now???

 

[RiverRider]

If you know you're bumping the shoulder too far back, address that now. That's something you should do whether you're seeing misfires or not. It may turn out that this does not solve the misfire issue, but then you'll have eliminated a possibility.

I've posted this somewhere, and not too long ago but I'll post it again for anyone who might not be aware:

For seating die adjustment, shoulder movement is about .001" per 5 degrees.

Five degrees is is a tiny bit less than the movement of the second hand on a clock in one tick, so setting this up properly will be a game of patience. If you think in terms of 1/4 and 1/8 turns, you're never going to achieve the precision you're looking for.

 

[jimbires]

I use the redding competition shell holder sets . they make setting up your dies very easy and repeatable . Jim