It went click and then nothing...

AlexPdHJ

AlexPdHJ

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So, I am new to reloading and I made my first 60 rounds of 30-06. I was using 178 gr Hornady HPBT Match bullets, with CCI primers, and I did 20 rounds of IMR-4350, 20 rounds of IMR-4895, and 20 rounds of IMR-4064. I went to the range, fired all 20 rounds of IMR-4350, then the 20 of IMR-4895, and then a few rounds into my batch of IMR-4064 my gun went click... not bang. So I waited my 60 seconds and ejected the round, looked at it carefully, and it had a good primer strike. I could hear it had the 46 gr of powder in it, so I put it in the unfired round disposal and continued. A few rounds later it happened again. Good primer strike, powder in the case, all appears good. The primers weren't proud, or too deep. They didn't appear to be crushed, or damaged and I did all 60 rounds in the same batch. Any idea what could have caused this? From what I have read, primers failing is VERY uncommon.

I cleaned and checked all my primer pockets with the primer pocket cleaning tool. My brass was really clean. I didn't even hear a primer pop. Just a click from my firing pin, as if I dry fired my rifle.

Thoughts?
 
I had that happen to some of my first batch and it turns out I didn't dry my brass long enough after ultrasonic cleaning. There was some moisture in the brass and must have screwed the primers.

How and when did you clean your brass? Other than that, have you ever had light primer strikes before? What's the gun?
 
Try firing them a second time, and keep them so you can tear them apart next time to see if anything looked off. Also waste of some good brass and a bullet.

Could have been wet brass if that's how you clean them or the primer not seated deep enough. Firing them once will seat them properly and typically they go off a second time.
 
You tossed out good HPBT Match ammo and brass?! Are ya knuts or rich?! :) If I can borrow a line from Seinfeld.... "That's GOLD, Gerry!!"

Did you try firing them a second time? I'd have brought home the duds, pulled the bullets, pour out the powder and see if it burns (outdoors of course!) and try pop the primer again. If the primer doesn't go BANG, carefully decap the primer from the case and toss it.
 
When I started reloading, I had a couple of dud primers and a honest-to-god hangfire. I put it down to contaminating the primers during handling. Ever since I have been more careful when dealing with primers and loading my hand priming tool, and no more issues.
 
Although highly unlikely you would have two from the same batch, I have seen primers that were missing the anvil....they will not fire, of course.

Good idea to keep the "duds" and pull them down to do an analysis on them.

Contamination would appear to be the most likely suspect.

Regards, Dave.
 
I like to try and fire them a second time. It's possible your rifle has a weak primer strike. My brother has a remington 700 from the 70s that 1/5 winchester primers won't go. But 100% of federal and CCI rock and roll.
 
I had this happen with 3 in a row and when I pulled the bullets I discovered there was no powder in them. Pull the bullets and find out why this happened.
 
The primer should be seated with a "slight" primer crush or "preload", if the primer is not bottomed out in the primer pocket the firing pin hit on the primer will be diminished or blunted. (soft hit)

Boxer-Primer_zps2da9c2c8.jpg


"If you examine some new primers you'll see that the legs of the anvil stick out past the bottom of the cup. When the legs hit the bottom of the primer pocket you feel that first resistance. As you continue to apply pressure you bring the cup over the legs and then the second level of resistance begins as the center of the anvil begins to compress the pellet. Stop!"

http://riflemansjournal.########.com/2009/11/primers-seating-pressure-and-pre.html
 
Wow! Thank you all for the great replies!

I have a browning x-bolt stainless stalker with a fluted barrel. I have fired around 600 rounds of factory rounds without a single misfire. I doubt its the rifle. It is a year old.

I didn't try to fire them again. I''ll do that if it ever happens again. I use corncob media for cleaning. Moisture wouldn't have been an issue. I hear that oil is the worst contamination for primers and that a good way to deactivate primers if you want to decap something that misfired is to soak them in oil over night after you have pulled the bullet and dumped out the powder. I asked a guy at my work who does tons of reloading what he suggested and I realize I should have saved the rounds to take apart and find out what happened.

If it happens again I'll pull the bullet and get the powder back.

I think it was either contamination or not a fully seated primer after reading all of your replies. Thank you all!
 
I had one this am and found out a piece of media was blocking the flash hole, I usually check but I missed this one. I did have one batch of bad primers , they were wolf primers that are normally quite good but a full 50% would not go bang so I got rid of them , and by the way it takes a lot of oil for a long time to completely neutralize 100% of the primers.
 
Don't dump the powder from the duds back into your good jug of powder! If the powder from the dud was contaminated, then you can frack up the remaining good powder.
 
Have had it happen twice with my 338/378 Weatherby. Only my primers went pop and did not ignite the powder. Now that's weird.
 
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