45 70 click ...pause....boom

C

czscotia

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Hey all,
I was shooting some of my reloads last week and I had one with a split
second between hammer strike and fireing. Not enough time to look up and think about it, but a pause. Have reloaded prolly 150
or so and this is the only time. Reloader 7 and remington primers ,I think.
What would cause this?
Thanks
 
This typically happens with either loads on the low end of pressure for the powder being used, or rifles with a long "leade", i.e. a long run-up until the bullet engages the rifling.

What load did you use?

What was your loaded OAL, and how far from the rifling did that place the bullet?
 
Don't use them anymore until you find the reason...very easy to get a ring in the chamber or bore with that ammo reaction!!!!
I would be surprised if you don't already have a ring somewhere from the one round.
 
Could also be a primer that wasnt seated all the way to the bottom of the primer pocket.
The firing pin hits the primer, the force drives the primer to the bottom of the pocket and then encounters enough resistance to fire the primer.

Seen it happen with rifles with weaker firing pin springs as well.

Just my .02 cents worth of observation.
 
Curly1 said:
With light loads, the powder can settle in the case causing a slight delay of ignition. A wad will fix that if so, otherwise I would look at primer seating and primer pocket issues.
Click to expand...

I had a similar condition with a Martini Henry in 577/450.

The powder I was using, didn't fill the case enough (IMR3031). I had to either use a filler, Dacron fiber(pillow stuffing) or place a snug fitting cardboard baffle over the powder before seating the bullet.

Remember, the 45/70 was originally a black powder cartridge and was stuffed with a charge of black powder that was compressed by the bullet it was loaded with. When we utilize modern smokeless powders, in modern or even antique firearms, the powders of choice usually are much less bulky and leave a large air space in the loaded case.

There are special bulky powders, like IMR4227 that will fill the case nicely with safe loads. It isn't always the best powder for any particular rifle though and of course, we use others.

Some people also like duplex loads, consisting of modern powders and black powders.
 
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Thanks for the replies,
The load was around 47 grains as per the Hornady book for 350 gr bullet - so there is a space

I just use a touch of case lube but May not have cleaned the primer hole
on that one.
 
The powder charge should not have contributed to that event. What rifle are you using? Marlin , Winchester 86 or???? Most likely event is primer ignition for one reason or another.
 
I have made combinations that would do that 19 out of 20 rounds.

It was a ball powder, light bullet, standard primer.

Given your case and powder/bullet combo, I would switch to a magnum primer. Another thing to do that will help is to use more crimp.
 
"...switch to a magnum primer..." That will do nothing if the powder has ever gotten damp.
"...around 47 grains..." Alliant says that's 10 full grains over Max for a Trap Door load. A Max load for a 300 grain Lever action. Both using CCI 200 primers. The rifle you're using is critical. Never start with max loads.
So you're issue is either bad primers or bad powder. Hang fires do not get fixed with magnum primers either.
 
stocker said:
The powder charge should not have contributed to that event. What rifle are you using? Marlin , Winchester 86 or???? Most likely event is primer ignition for one reason or another.
Click to expand...

czscotia, I think stocker is spot on and it was a primer related issue.

1. What type rifle are you shooting?

2. What do you use to seat your primers

I had a Ruger No.3 Carbine in 45-70 and shot everything from reduced mouse fart loads to maximum loads shooting 500 grain bullets made for the 458 Win magnum and "never" had a hangfire. I also learned to never shoot 500 grain bullets from a 5 1/2 pound rifle unless your into bloody noses, seeing stars and are into self abuse and pain.

Below, a "friend" at work gave me 3 Hornady .458 500 grain soft point bullets, and I only fired two of them, as you can see I kept the third bullet. The first one was fired from the bench and I thought it broke my nose. After firing the second bullet standing up the force and recoil blew the cleaning patches out of my nose I put there to help stop the bleeding from the first shot. After the second shot I went home and shoved cotton ball up my nose and contemplated my stupidity and Newtons third law.

45-70002_zps9cd58823.jpg
 
bigedp51 I have shot 430 gr moving 1800 fps out of my Marlin SBL and thats enough!! 500 gr sounds like fun ....lol
The rifle is Marlin 1895 SBL and I seat the primers with a RCBS hand squeezer..I always ....almost always... check to be sure they are flush.
Certainly could have missed one.
 
I have had many hangfires with light loads or extremme cold. I never got a ring. You dont have a really light load it was probably a bad primer. If it happens enough times i would switch to magnum primer to pressure up the case quicker so the smokeless powder can start properly without a low pressure fizzle to start. I have never used fillers but i believe any compressable filler will not solve your problem it will soak up primer pressure just like air.
 
bigedp51 said:
The first one was fired from the bench and I thought it broke my nose. After firing the second bullet standing up the force and recoil blew the cleaning patches out of my nose I put there to help stop the bleeding from the first shot. After the second shot I went home and shoved cotton ball up my nose and contemplated my stupidity and Newtons third law.
Click to expand...

lol!!
 
Reloader 7 is a fast powder
It's gd In 4570, I'm thinking you have contaminated primers
Or the primer is t hot enough and gave improper ignition
A dirty flash hole, would be my last and least likely thought
Switch to a CCI 250 magnum large rifle
Or a federal 210M I've had great sucess
 
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