Reloads didn't fire??

Suther

Suther

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I just tested my first batch of 270 reloads, and I had two rounds that didn't go off. Primer strikes look good, tried em a second time even. No dice...

Any suggestions on what may have caused this? I use a lee hand prime, and I think the tool is bottoming out before the primer is fully seated, and the primers don't seem to be quite flat either (one side isn't recessed into the case as much as the other side)

I have used the same tool to load 303brit, over 100rds without issue. I'm pretty sure the tool wasnt bottoming out on them (I haven't loaded any in over a year though)... my friend used it to load some 30-06 and also had problems with rounds not firing.

Suggestions on the cause? Possible solutions? Thanks!
 
I do not mean to be rude but are you sure you put powder in? I have made that mistake more than once. Or at least that was my verdict when I had the same issue with 30-06 and 303
 
Gnome75 said:
I do not mean to be rude but are you sure you put powder in? I have made that mistake more than once. Or at least that was my verdict when I had the same issue with 30-06 and 303
Click to expand...

I've done the same thing. Now I carefully look directly over the tray and make sure they're all full before I start putting bullets in.
 
Possible cause can be that your primers did not ignite, due to them being weak or non magnum. If you using ball powder it is well known fact to use magnum primers. Or you have case lube contamination that got inside the case during sizing and contaminated your primer or powder?

Suther said:
I just tested my first batch of 270 reloads, and I had two rounds that didn't go off. Primer strikes look good, tried em a second time even. No dice...

Any suggestions on what may have caused this? I use a lee hand prime, and I think the tool is bottoming out before the primer is fully seated, and the primers don't seem to be quite flat either (one side isn't recessed into the case as much as the other side)

I have used the same tool to load 303brit, over 100rds without issue. I'm pretty sure the tool wasnt bottoming out on them (I haven't loaded any in over a year though)... my friend used it to load some 30-06 and also had problems with rounds not firing.

Suggestions on the cause? Possible solutions? Thanks!
Click to expand...
 
Pull the bullets and see if the primers ignited. If they did then there is another issue. If they did not then could be as above. But I will bet the anvil or the compound got compromised in the process. Had it occur a few times, and even with CCI primers.
With the hand primer be sure to adjust the primer seater. It is usually a threaded piece into an aluminum body. You can adjust it to make sure you are seating completely to the bottom of the primer pocket. and yes, the seater comes in two types, small and large primer. Be sure to have a look and see that it is correct for your application as this could be causing some of the crooked primer seating you have described. a bent primer may offset the anvils...and voila....no ignition.
Be sure to also wash you hands before priming. if you have oils or reloading lube on them and touch those primers....bingo...

More often than not...I created a squib and forgot the powder in my haze of reloading. Today, I load no more than 10 at a time in my shell holder and look into every case before seating a bullet.
My 2c.
 
elkhuntr said:
Pull the bullets and see if the primers ignited. If they did then there is another issue. If they did not then could be as above. But I will bet the anvil or the compound got compromised in the process. Had it occur a few times, and even with CCI primers.
With the hand primer be sure to adjust the primer seater. It is usually a threaded piece into an aluminum body. You can adjust it to make sure you are seating completely to the bottom of the primer pocket. and yes, the seater comes in two types, small and large primer. Be sure to have a look and see that it is correct for your application as this could be causing some of the crooked primer seating you have described. a bent primer may offset the anvils...and voila....no ignition.
Be sure to also wash you hands before priming. if you have oils or reloading lube on them and touch those primers....bingo...

More often than not...I created a squib and forgot the powder in my haze of reloading. Today, I load no more than 10 at a time in my shell holder and look into every case before seating a bullet.
My 2c.
Click to expand...

I will pull them down when I have time later.

Primers used were CCI.

I will looking into adjusting the primer seater. I didn't know it was adjustable...

These were loaded 1 at a time (cased prepped as a group, then primed as as group, then powder added/bullet seated 1 by 1) so I'm certain I didn't miss the powder on these ones (also, you can hear the powder if you shake 'em.)
 
Yup....did so and have yet to find a result. You would need to completely plug that hole to get a misfire. I believe there is enough pressure to blow out debris from the ignition process. Time will tell tho and I take my time to pluck out those little buggers. Cleaning primer pockets is a maybe so notion. I have made thousands without cleaning and with cleaning the pocket. The big deal is that you have those primers fully seated so the anvil can do its work when the firing pin does.
Elky...
 
gewehr76 said:
Cleaning primer pockets is good practice as well before priming.
Well take them apart and investigate, you may have more duds if you don't?
You owe it to yourself to know what happened in order to avoid same thing happening in the future.
Click to expand...

I cleaned primer pockets as part of the case prep.

Bustercluck said:
Has anyone ever left a piece of cleaning media in the hole? I always wondered what would happen if I missed one.
Click to expand...

I don't use media, I wash my brass in a jug of soapy water. These particular cases were washed months ago, so they were definitely dry.
 
I took a look at the lee hand primer tool instructions. Not sure if this tool has an adjustable ram. Nevertheless, the instructions did note that a tipped primer may result in some different feel when seating the primer. May be some of the cause. If your tool does not have an adjustable ram or a means to ensure the primer remains straight into the pocket then keep on investigating. It may be tight primer pockets or something else. And if it is not allowing the primer to fully seat then have a look at your shell holder.
Enjoy the detective work.
Elky.
 
Suther the fact that another loader also had ignition problems definitely points to the tool being out of adjustment and the primers not being seated. I have fired 1000s of rounds without cleaning pockets and have never once experienced a misfire because of it. Either try to adjust your priming tool or throw that LEE POS in the garbage and buy yourself an RCBS bench mounted priming tool like I have used for 40 years............can't beat it and it never wears out and you can seat primers .005" below grade if you want to with this tool. I have even found that I can apply enough pressure to expand the primer enough to keep it from falling out of a slightly over used primer pocket.........for that one more firing. I have actually be amazed over the years at how much abuse and deformation a primer can sustain and still go bang, the only thing they will not tolerate is not having a solid backing to allow the anvil and firing pin to do their job.
It has been proven many times that the new sealed primers cannot be contaminated with finger oils or even submerged in oils for days. There was a thread here about a year ago disproving the oil contamination theory completely.
 
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