Reloading. 2/10 reloads fired.?? Help

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zackstab

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So Im reloading 43 mauser from scratch. Im using some questionable powder so that is getting thrown out right away. Next batch I will be using varget.

I would still like opinions on what the issue was.

2 of 10 reloads fired. The other 8 the bullet went about 3 inches down the barrel and stopped. Made a pop sound like a wine bottle cork when I fired the 8 unsuccessful rounds. The 2 successful it was very low frequency and i had barely any felt recoil.

There was a TON of unburnt powder and some of it was even yellow??

This is all led me to beleive it was not enough powder but even on my lighter loads (my test loads ranged 18gr-30gr of powder)....
Primers looked like they suffered over pressure. Some popping out from their case. All very rounded and deformed. So that would be overpressure? But how can the bullet stay in the barrel and be over pressure with unburnt powder. Also the 18gr loads are wayyyy lighter then the 30gr im supposed to use with varget. It was a 4198 imr copy brand of powder. "Same burn rate as imr 4198"

Anyway. I have a few diagnosis.

1. Powder is old garbage.
2. I need magnum primers for the big case to light all the powder properly (i was using win large rifle)
3. My chamber is deformed and slightly too big? Causing pressure issues.

The 2 shots that were successful were 23 and 24gr of powder. But even then.... Cases had lots of black on them and a couple grains of powder hanging around. Primers didnt look great either.

Was shooting outdoors in the cold if that mattered.

Thanks guys.
 
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Sooty cases say low pressure loads. On low pressure loads primers are known to. Back out, higher pressure will cause case to fully expand and be pushed backwards reseating primer. You should be using the appropriate and exact brand of powder from a reliable manual. If your going to use smokeless instead of black powder IMR 4198 works well. Sounds like you substituted powers and got lucky, could have been over load. Never continue firing when you notice something wrong. Find out why. At least you nothing serious happened. Look data in Lyman or Lee. PM me and I can send data. Hope this helps. Mine is loaded with black powder only.
 
I think you answered your own question...don't use sketchy primers and/or powder. those primers may have popped out because of a wicked pressure spike from powder which has deteriorated and is no longer uniform or stable enough to use, or your load was too light and produced detonation because the powder didn't have the proper loading density for uniform ignition. safely bury the powder or distribute it on a garden, make sure no one else gets their hands on it. when reloading follow directions, each powder has its own density and pressure signature so follow those loading manuals like your life depends on it. (it does!!!) also, quite a few military surplus firearms are unsafe to shoot with smokeless powder because they were not designed to use smokeless powder. take your gun to a competent gunsmith and have him examine it for headspace and cracks before you shoot one more round. dammmm son, learn to respect fire.
 
Thanks for the answers guys. I wasnt holding the rifle while firing it by the way. I was behind a plywood barrier and using a coat hanger lol. Thanks for the concerns though. I just had a pound of this old powder handy so I wanted to try it out. Im going to look at known loads now... Just was wondering what was going on with these reloads. Hadent seen this before.

Thanks
Zack
 
zackstab said:
Thanks for the answers guys. I wasnt holding the rifle while firing it by the way. I was behind a plywood barrier and using a coat hanger lol. Thanks for the concerns though. I just had a pound of this old powder handy so I wanted to try it out. Im going to look at known loads now... Just was wondering what was going on with these reloads. Hadent seen this before.

Thanks
Zack
Click to expand...

Sounds like that powder would be better suited for the garden.
 
zackstab said:
Thanks for the answers guys. I wasnt holding the rifle while firing it by the way. I was behind a plywood barrier and using a coat hanger lol. Thanks for the concerns though. I just had a pound of this old powder handy so I wanted to try it out. Im going to look at known loads now... Just was wondering what was going on with these reloads. Hadent seen this before.

Thanks
Zack
Click to expand...

Um...
 
The powder is probably just fine. The loads you used (18.0 -30.0 grs) had far too little powder to produce enough pressure to be in the operating range, even at the low end for Varget. You got lucky twice is all.

What bullet weight are you using?

I recommend H4198 and 45-70 "Trapdoor" loads..
 
Id get some H4895 or imr 3031, ive used both with good suscess. I made some 900fps loads and up to 1700fps. Ranging from 30-40gr of powder and a 400gr bullet. The h4895 is a very versatile powder and nice powder to have on hand.
 
Had some old powder and wanted to see what would happen?
Please start with some published data for what you are doing. If not following it exactly extrapolate with knowledge of the principles involved and an abundance of caution.
We don't need the kind of press the media will generate when someone is injured blowing up an antique or any other kind of firearms.
 
vagrantviking said:
Had some old powder and wanted to see what would happen?
Please start with some published data for what you are doing. If not following it exactly extrapolate with knowledge of the principles involved and an abundance of caution.
We don't need the kind of press the media will generate when someone is injured blowing up an antique or any other kind of firearms.
Click to expand...

Wasnt random. I found a load for imr 4198 in the same gun.. I just started at the low end by a large margin to be extra safe. Suggested 32gr. I used 18-30 to test.
 
Andy said:
The powder is probably just fine. The loads you used (18.0 -30.0 grs) had far too little powder to produce enough pressure to be in the operating range, even at the low end for Varget. You got lucky twice is all.

What bullet weight are you using?

I recommend H4198 and 45-70 "Trapdoor" loads..
Click to expand...

400gr bullets. Even when they did fire off it felt really weak. Powder burn was all off though so im not sure the powder was still good for use.
Ill try some of those trapdoor loads for sure.
 
I have fired Winchester 45-70 factory loads that were nearly ninety years old and had just sat around in a house, or shop, or whatever, that is no special storage and they had the same velocity and reliability as it was stated they had when new, ninety years pervious. Shooting in outdoor temperatures will have no change, of anything, virtually any season of the year.
You don't need magnum primers and rare for primers to deteriorate. I regularly use primers that are fifty to sixty years old.
Most powder fifty years old is just as good as it ever was. Quit being so afraid of everything. Tear that damn plywood contraction down before you hurt yourself on it, wear good shooting glasses and earmuffs, shoot away and enjoy yourself.
I doubt if you have any reloading manuals. Get ONE good manual and study it.
 
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