Jagged 77 Posted September 2 Report Share Posted September 2 Loading some hunting rounds for my .260 and encountering an unacceptable amount of misfires (4 in 60 rounds). The primers are CCI 200’s probably around 10 years old, they might have been subjected to temperature swings with the seasons and possible high humidity. I’ve stripped and cleaned the bolt, primer strikes don’t look light. Cases f/l resized and primer pockets tight for the most part. As a belt and braces checked headspace and all good not that it should affect it. The only other variable I could think of is that the RCBS priming tools seating pin needs replacing as the thread has stripped (so not sitting tight and centred as it should). I have a back up hand primer which I’ll use next. The primers I’ve loaded however have been seated correctly and not crushed in (muscle memory after tens of thousands of reloads) My thoughts on the culprit is the primers and I shall find some new ones, however can anyone else think of anything else it could be failing that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leeman Posted September 2 Report Share Posted September 2 Firing pin spring getting weak? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No i deer Posted September 2 Report Share Posted September 2 Could there have been moisture in the cases after ultrasonic cleaning when you primed them 🤔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No i deer Posted September 2 Report Share Posted September 2 I ultrasonic cleaned some of my cases a month or so back.. I thought they were bone dry until I annealed them in my AMP and I had several that I could hear the water evaporating when the case got hot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jagged 77 Posted September 2 Author Report Share Posted September 2 23 minutes ago, No i deer said: Could there have been moisture in the cases after ultrasonic cleaning when you primed them 🤔 I did load the first batch which had been SS cleaned 5 days before and the thought occurred it might have been a rouge drop of water. I’m usually quite cautious about making sure the cases are dry. However the batch I just loaded was bone dry. I’m 99% certain it’s the primers but just wondered if anyone had experience similar. Rifle is a T3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No i deer Posted September 3 Report Share Posted September 3 I've had a T3 which started out as a 25-06.. Shot that barrel out then had it rebarreled into 6.5-06. I put 2500 rounds through it and had it rebarreled in 284 and that's done 2700 odd shots and it's never missed a beat. The T3 action is as slick as an action could be.. I can't fault it.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catch-22 Posted September 5 Report Share Posted September 5 Did you seat the primers deep enough to hit the bottom of the pocket? If you don’t, when the firing pin strikes, it essentially seats the primer deeper and doesn’t meet the resistance needed to actually set the primer off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No i deer Posted September 5 Report Share Posted September 5 I think the primer needs to bottom out and seat tight so the anvil is compressed so the firing can ignite the primer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jagged 77 Posted September 9 Author Report Share Posted September 9 This is a long but fascinating read on the subject: https://www.africahunting.com/threads/it-dont-go-bang-fires-hangfires-short-order-cooks.55913/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fox Tales Posted September 9 Report Share Posted September 9 Excessive headspace can also result in light strikes . Hornady had an issue with 223 ammo a while back , all of which had been sized excessively. The primers rely on percussion to detonate , poor chamber fit will allow the cartridge to ride the punch . I'm not dismissing the primers . I store mine in a plastic box with silica gel packs , I'm not sure if it makes any difference , it's more preventative medicine . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snakeman Posted September 9 Report Share Posted September 9 7 hours ago, Jagged 77 said: This is a long but fascinating read on the subject: Highly informative and an excellent read 👍 ATB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No i deer Posted September 9 Report Share Posted September 9 I got so far and stopped.. What was the outcome then..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jagged 77 Posted September 9 Author Report Share Posted September 9 41 minutes ago, No i deer said: I got so far and stopped.. What was the outcome then..? Buy fresh primers, store them in an airtight ammo box, make sure your action is true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snakeman Posted September 9 Report Share Posted September 9 I got so far and stopped..... but why? 🤔 What was the outcome then...? ahhh, that'll be top secret, can't tell 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No i deer Posted September 9 Report Share Posted September 9 I'm easily bored.. Long reads are not my thing 🥱 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jagged 77 Posted Monday at 05:14 PM Author Report Share Posted Monday at 05:14 PM For anyone interested I got to the bottom of the misfires. It wasn’t the primers at all, it was the firing pin, more specifically the spring. Easy to replace the whole firing pin assembly from GMK, it made a noticeable difference when cocking the bolt and everything now goes bang as expected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snakeman Posted Monday at 07:34 PM Report Share Posted Monday at 07:34 PM 2 hours ago, Jagged 77 said: whole firing pin assembly from GMK May I ask how much this cost? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jagged 77 Posted Monday at 09:18 PM Author Report Share Posted Monday at 09:18 PM 1 hour ago, snakeman said: May I ask how much this cost? Cheers £58 for the assembly. You’ll need to get a local RFD who deals with GMK to order it for you, they only deal with trade customers. Part no. S5850155 ∙ TIKKA(3) FIRING PIN ASSEMBLY - T3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snakeman Posted 15 hours ago Report Share Posted 15 hours ago £58.00! ...That seems an excellent price Cheers Jag 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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