What happened?

[blindnoodle]

Today at the range I was testing my first 30-06 reloads for my garand. The first 15 rounds went flawlessly with number 16 being trouble. The primer was struck hard with a perfect dimple, but the powder did not burn. The bullet moved into the rifling, though not far (chamber flag won't go in).

Brass: HXP full length resized, trimmed and tumbled (in that order)
Primer: CCI 200 large rifle
Powder: 44.5 grains of H 4895
Bullet: Sierra MatchKing 150 grain

Any ideas of what went wrong? All the powder was still in good stick form (and now stuck to my garand)

 

[Half-cocked]

Is it possible that one cartridge was grossly undercharged, maybe with just a few grains of powder, so that once the bullet left the cartridge and the pressure dropped significantly, the grains stopped burning?

 

[Russ D]

Is it possible that one cartridge was grossly undercharged, maybe with just a few grains of powder, so that once the bullet left the cartridge and the pressure dropped significantly, the grains stopped burning?

From the pics I saw there was a good amount of powder left in the barrel. Enough that it wasn't an undercharged round. The only thing I've come up with so far is possible neck tension bullet set back problems?

 

[Trapper]

I'll agree possible neck tension issue, and add perhaps a bad primer, not enough "oomph" to ignite the powder? Did your primers perhaps get wet or have condensation?

 

[SamW]

Sounds like not all of the powder ignited due to weak primer ignition.

 

[Russ D]

Would a weak primer be enough to lodge the bullet in the barrell? Seems like one strong enough to do that should ignite the powder.

 

[SamW]

Good point. Could be bad powder or a low charge.

 

[Prospector]

Make sure you double check that no tumbling media is in the primer hole!!!

Steve

 

[Rockzilla]

Just a shot in the dark, sizing lube or anything oil based inside the case,primer may have had oil on it, any kind of Contamination via oil. Improper charge,neck tension on bullet or as mentioned media in the hole.

-Mike

 

[blindnoodle]

Would a weak primer be enough to lodge the bullet in the barrell? Seems like one strong enough to do that should ignite the powder.

I took my long 30 cal cleaning rod and barely tapped the bullet. It slid out. No pushing, no brute force. Practically gravity.

 

[Timberwolf]

No powder.

A squib.

The primer has enough bristance to for the bullet into the chamber.

Weight the remaining loaded ammo and if you see a 40 gr (approx) difference, pull the bullet.

 

[8milimeter]

I bought 2000 CCI200 primers at the frederick gun show in 2007.
I have had literally a 100 hang fires and multiple no ignition with these.
I have 900 left and only use them to fireform and foul clean barrels.

I have other CCI BR,41,34,450 and never had a problem.

I personally wont use 200's anymore.

 

[Russ D]

I bought 2000 CCI200 primers at the frederick gun show in 2007.
I have had literally a 100 hang fires and multiple no ignition with these.
I have 900 left and only use them to fireform and foul clean barrels.

I have other CCI BR,41,34,450 and never had a problem.

I personally wont use 200's anymore.

I think maybe you got a bad box that wasn't proper;y stored. I've never had a single issue and I've been through about 800 so far in my box of 1k.

Back to Blindnoodle's issue, he's tumbling after resizing so I don't think it's a contamination issue. Media in the flash hole could possibly be a cuase. How undercharged would a round have to be to cause this? Definitely not a squib because of the amount of powder strewn down the barrell.

 

[Cochise]

I think it was probably as was stated before tumbling media or something clogging the flash hole.
If the primer was bad, the bullet wouldnt have left the case, it sounds like there was plenty of powder s you are now cleaning it out of the action, and I assume the powder is OK as it is the same powder that worked well in your other rounds.
Not enough case tension would lower pressure but not to the point that the bullet barely leaves the chamber and the powder would burn just not efficiently.

 

[K31]

No powder.

A squib.

The primer has enough bristance to for the bullet into the chamber.

Weight the remaining loaded ammo and if you see a 40 gr (approx) difference, pull the bullet.

Re-read the OP. There was powder.

 

[blindnoodle]

Primer pockets are cleaned after tumbling. I break a skewer to fit through the flash hole then I sit and poke it through every flash hole before cleaning the pocket.

There was powder in the case, and a lot of it. I was cleaning it off every greased part of the receiver last night.

hmmm

 

[Trapper]

In that case I'd definitely say the primer was your issue. Either contaminated or bad, probabaly just enough power to push the bullet out but not enough heat/flash to burn the powder.

How large was your primer purchase and how many have you used? (2K bought, 100 used? etc.)

 

[blindnoodle]

In that case I'd definitely say the primer was your issue. Either contaminated or bad, probabaly just enough power to push the bullet out but not enough heat/flash to burn the powder.

How large was your primer purchase and how many have you used? (2K bought, 100 used? etc.)

3k bought, 16 fired

484 more loaded into cases.

 

[Trapper]

oooh. Definitely pay attention to how they shoot.
I take it you have 500 from the same box left? If so, open a few trays and compare them to primers from the other boxes and any other primers you have. If they are contaminated they will probably be off-color.

 

[rickyp]

it sounds like you had powder contamination. some kind of water or oil in the case.

The primer did fire with enough pressure to push the bullet into the barrel.

If the primer was bad or the flash hole was obstructed there wouldn't be enough pressure to push the bullet out.

if the primer went off with that much pressure it would have light off good powder.