Failure to fire.. bad primers?

Strbrd22 · Sep 2, 2024

Loaded up some 260 with Federal gold medal primers. The primers were from about 2018 but always kept in a sealed ammo box . Had about every third one not go ‘boom.’ I think I’m getting a decent primer strike and even attempted to fire one of the rounds a second time.. no joy. Is it common to have a ‘bad batch’ of primers or am I missing something? Thanks!

CK1.0 · Sep 2, 2024

The primers probably aren't seated well enough.

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Rocketvapor · Sep 2, 2024

Too much bump causing soft hits?

Strbrd22 · Sep 2, 2024

CK1.0 said:
The primers probably aren't seated well enough.

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Can you expand on ‘well enough?’ I’m using an RCBS primer and have been using it for years with no issues

CK1.0 · Sep 2, 2024

Strbrd22 said:
Can you expand on ‘well enough?’ I’m using an RCBS primer and have been using it for years with no issues View attachment 8492750

Well, if it's not that, then it's probably too much shoulder bump like @Rocketvapor mentioned.

Strbrd22 · Sep 2, 2024

CK1.0 said:
Well, if it's not that, then it's probably too much shoulder bump like @Rocketvapor mentioned.

Interesting. I’ll look into it- these are all factory Lapua brass. Thanks!

Rocketvapor · Sep 2, 2024

Measure fired vs duds.
Gently transfer one unfired primer to a fired case.
Chamber and fire the primer.

sloporsche · Sep 2, 2024

they look like light hits ,try the ammo in another weapon or other ammo in the same weapon weapon . What is the firing pin protrusion measurement compared to spec ?

Rocketvapor · Sep 2, 2024

to me they look like deep enough hits, primer didn't fire.
Verify primer in a fired case.
Look at pin under magnification. Clean bolt.

spife7980 · Sep 2, 2024

Measure the primer heights and the primer pocket depths and ensure that you are putting them all the way down to the bottom of the pocket.

Measure your headspace and ensure you don’t have enough space for the round to slide forward and absorb the strike without detonating. The firing pin can just push the case forwards into empty space instead of denting the primer deep enough to go off. You can crush a primer slowly alright, it needs speed/momentum to go off.

Take the bolt apart and ensure that it’s clean and that there isn’t grease or lube in the firing pin channel that’s dried and gummed up.

Measure how much the firing pin sticks out of the bolt face when it’s uncocked/in the fired state. Should be .040-.060 or so.

Measure the back of the firing pin in relation to the bolt shroud in cocked and fired states to ensure that your trigger/action combo is giving you enough fall distance for an adequate smack. Should be at least .240

918v · Sep 2, 2024

Those look like light strikes to me. Maybe your headspace is too short and the bolt isn’t rotating all the way into battery? That will interfere with the FP strike.

Doom · Sep 2, 2024

The easiest way to determine if its the primer is to try firing a second time. If it goes then it likely not seated deep enough to push the anvil against the compound. It it doesn't the either the primer is and or you have have too much headspace.

I agree these look like light strikes.

db2000 · Sep 2, 2024

spife7980 said:
Measure the primer heights and the primer pocket depths and ensure that you are putting them all the way down to the bottom of the pocket.

Measure your headspace and ensure you don’t have enough space for the round to slide forward and absorb the strike without detonating. The firing pin can just push the case forwards into empty space instead of denting the primer deep enough to go off. You can crush a primer slowly alright, it needs speed/momentum to go off.

Take the bolt apart and ensure that it’s clean and that there isn’t grease or lube in the firing pin channel that’s dried and gummed up.

Measure how much the firing pin sticks out of the bolt face when it’s uncocked/in the fired state. Should be .040-.060 or so.

Measure the back of the firing pin in relation to the bolt shroud in cocked and fired states to ensure that your trigger/action combo is giving you enough fall distance for an adequate smack. Should be at least .240

I’ve had primers go off in my rbcs hand loader tool squeezing too hard into crimped pocket probably. That’ll wake you up.

Strbrd22 · Sep 2, 2024

Thanks for all the advice everyone!

Rangemaster · Sep 2, 2024

Too much head space, seat your bullets a little furture out.

Rocketvapor · Sep 2, 2024

Being this is an "ALMOST" bolt gun

Fired cases should be at zero headspace.
Measure Datum (CBTS) of fired versus duds.
IF there is a difference of maybe 0.004" or more Headspace is likely your issue.
(can be solved by JAM).
If primer is moved to a fired case and it goes off the primer was good.
I feel knowing what is causing this before loading long is better.

Let us know some results.

straightshooter1 · Sep 2, 2024

Strbrd22 said:
Loaded up some 260 with Federal gold medal primers. The primers were from about 2018 but always kept in a sealed ammo box . Had about every third one not go ‘boom.’ I think I’m getting a decent primer strike and even attempted to fire one of the rounds a second time.. no joy. Is it common to have a ‘bad batch’ of primers or am I missing something? Thanks!View attachment 8492743 View attachment 8492741 View attachment 8492742

Like some other's have said, it looks to me like light strikes, which could be from a not so good seating depth of the primer and/or the headspace is too much and/or the firing pin protrusion isn't enough (make sure the firing pin is clean unobstructed).

Mike_in_FL · Sep 3, 2024

I had this happen to a bunch of Prime (Norma) .260 ammo a few years ago. It was with a last of the Remington 700s before bankruptcy. They started using a different firing pin assembly and it always seemed weak. It got to the point where it ruined several primers. I ended up replacing the assembly with a NOS unit and solved the problem.

Strbrd22 · Sep 5, 2024

Penance.

Strbrd22 · Oct 19, 2024

Badger ordnance hooked it up. I’m thinking this might be the problem

CK1.0 · Oct 19, 2024

Strbrd22 said:
Badger ordnance hooked it up. I’m thinking this might be the problem View attachment 8528149

I've been there man, sometimes it is the equipment (and not us). I change my firing pin spring once a year now lol.

straightshooter1 · Oct 19, 2024

CK1.0 said:
I've been there man, sometimes it is the equipment (and not us). I change my firing pin spring once a year now lol.

View attachment 8528411

I've thought about doing that with my RPR's, but after 8 years with my .308 spring at about 14,000 cycles I estimate, it seems to be doing just fine (though I don't compete). A few years ago I bought a couple springs in anticipation of replacing the spring if I saw a need. Primer contacts for me are still looking good. I admit, I'm very surprised about this.

It must help that I always keep my RPR's decocked when they're not in use???

CK1.0 · Oct 25, 2024

straightshooter1 said:
I've thought about doing that with my RPR's, but after 8 years with my .308 spring at about 14,000 cycles I estimate, it seems to be doing just fine (though I don't compete). A few years ago I bought a couple springs in anticipation of replacing the spring if I saw a need. Primer contacts for me are still looking good. I admit, I'm very surprised about this.

It must help that I always keep my RPR's decocked when they're not in use???

IDK, but I imagine every action is different. I'm just guessing here, but as a complete off-the-shelf factory gun, I'd bet an RPR is mostly designed to be robust and go bang every time and make trips back for warranty service versus a "custom" action where they're also after things like light bolt-lift, faster lock time, and such for bolt-gun cork-sniffers lol...

Primer size probably matters too. In my case, with my Origin, I've never had a single issue with LRPs and old/worn firing pin springs, only with the harder-to-set-off magnum SRPs (CCI 450s) and/or mil-spec SRPs (CCI #41s or Win #41s), and even with those and old/worn springs, I've never had more than what could be counted on two hands over the course of many hundreds of rounds.

After first checking that it wasn't me (by bumping my brass too much or by not seating the primers deep enough), a fresh spring has always made everything work 100% again.

straightshooter1 · Oct 25, 2024

CK1.0 said:
IDK, but I imagine every action is different. I'm just guessing here, but as a complete off-the-shelf factory gun, I'd bet an RPR is mostly designed to be robust and go bang every time and make trips back for warranty service versus a "custom" action where they're also after things like light bolt-lift, faster lock time, and such for bolt-gun cork-sniffers lol...

Primer size probably matters too. In my case, with my Origin, I've never had a single issue with LRPs and old/worn firing pin springs, only with the harder-to-set-off magnum SRPs (CCI 450s) and/or mil-spec SRPs (CCI #41s or Win #41s), and even with those and old/worn springs, I've never had more than what could be counted on two hands over the course of many hundreds of rounds.

After first checking that it wasn't me (by bumping my brass too much or by not seating the primers deep enough

The one thing about the RPR that's been an annoyance is its bolt-lift. That seems to me to be like a design issue. It could be that and maybe is has a particularly robust spring too.

I've not had any issues with and LRP's nor SRP's . . . though there was an issue with CCI-400's in Alpha brass (several piercings

), so I won't use them in that brass any longer.

n2ishun · Oct 26, 2024

Definitely light strikes.
I've had problems with Elf triggers in a AR308 and PTGs in a 700.....
Both looked exactly like those rounds.
Replacing the trigger groups fixed the issue.

If it had only happened to me once with a solitary trigger assembly I wouldn't be so sure....
But once you've been there a few times it's obvious what you're looking at.

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