Ok ... I keep .......

shootist22-250

shootist22-250

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reading about the ability of a primer to push a bullet out of the case into the rifling. Now, I am strictly speaking about rifle loads.

After 40 years of reloading, I have made my share of OOPS!! loads.
Fortunately never a double charge which in the loads I make is not possible. However, I have had a few where there was no powder in the load. When fired, I get a sort of pop and no bang. In this situation not a single bullet has left the case or even moved.

So, is it an old wives (reloaders) tale that the primer fire can push the bullet into the barrel???

Chime in guys!!!

Thanks
 
The only time I ever got a bullet stuck in my revolver was when I undercharged a cartridge, but there was still some powder in there... I too wonder how a lone primer can create enough gas to push a bullet into the barrel.
 
Jacketed rifle bullets tend to need a bit more of a push to get it out of the case than a cast handgun bullet does. Especially if a crimp is used. A primer most certainly does move a cast handgun bullet into the barrel.
 
The primer only, has twice stuck the bullet in the barrel with me. Once with a 30-06 and once with a 45-70. In both cases there was no audible noise, at least not enough to be heard under ear muffs. Of course, you think it was a dud, but when you finally open the action, an empty comes out, with a fired primer.
The bullet sticks in the barrel, but that is all. Only, maybe half, of the bullet gets into the rifling and is easily tapped out with a dowel.
No, it is a little more than an old wives tale.
 
H4831 said:
The primer only, has twice stuck the bullet in the barrel with me. Once with a 30-06 and once with a 45-70. In both cases there was no audible noise, at least not enough to be heard under ear muffs. Of course, you think it was a dud, but when you finally open the action, an empty comes out, with a fired primer.
The bullet sticks in the barrel, but that is all. Only, maybe half, of the bullet gets into the rifling and is easily tapped out with a dowel.
No, it is a little more than an old wives tale.
Click to expand...

This I can believe.
However, mom didn't raise a fool. When a primer only goes off, it is only common sense (sadly lacking these days in certain quarters) dictates that one should look at the extracted case to ascertain that the bullet is still in it.
 
I've had two instances of the primer blowing a bullet out of case. They were in a .270 Win, loaded with Winchester magnum primers and no powder. The rifle in question had a long eroded throat. At the time there was an pop and hiss, loud enough that the guy at the next bench looked up and asked what the hell that was. It took a tap with a cleaning rod to dislodge the bullet.
I've also had loads with no powder not do anything but click, so its not like its a 100 % type of thing. The Winchester large Magnum primers are probably the hottest commonly available, which may have something to do with it.
 
I've had a couple of primer-pops that don't push the bullet out, or only push it out a little ways, and one (.303 Brit) push the 123gr bullet completely out of the case.
 
I guarantee ANYONE that loads thousands of rounds on any progressive press runs into a squib load from time to time....it happens.

I have even read about factory squibs.

With handguns the bullet will usually be in the bore....

Never had one yet with a rifle...
 
I had that happen to me using 175 gr silvertips in my Glock 20 (10mm). Three times in three boxes of ammo. I was able to push two out myself, but the third I had to take the barrel to my gunsmith. I'm not sure if it was just a primer or if it had a SMALL charge of powder. It kinda made a BooWoooP! sound, and just pushed the bullet into the rifling enough to prevent the chambering of the next (the slide cycled and stripped another) round.
 
This is similar to the growing trend to lighter primers for more accuracy, the thought being that, a heavy primer will start the bullet and primer slightly before ignition, causing erratic/inconsistent ignition. This is not something you can feel or see and i don't know how it would be measured except for the testing being done by many incl. myself looking for better accuracy. This only applies to med. or small cases using easy to ignite powders, it also applies to the big cases using Black Powder. In the latter I am finding best results with large pistol primers and a firm crimp.
 
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