First hangfire in 45 years.

[mike308]

Nearly had a disastrous start to my weeks stalking in Argyll. First morning out I saw 4 roe feeding about 140 yards away. Rifle up on sticks, squeezed the trigger, the dreaded click. Rifle pointed in a safe direction and after 20 seconds it went off with a woompff not a bang.
The deer hadn't moved. The bolt was very stiff but managed to eject the case. I removed the bolt and looked down the barrel, the bullet was stuck in the barrel.
Back to the caravan and luckily I was able to knock the bullet out with the cleaning rod.
I've been stalking for 45 years, reloading for 20 years and that's the first hangfire I ve had.
I'm assuming it was a faulty primer.

I tested the rifle and no problems and finished the week with 6 Roe.

 

[VSS]

A good reminder on the importance of checking the barrel after any shot that doesn't sound or feel right, hangfire or not!
Could have ended rather badly for you otherwise.

 

[Andy RV]

Which primers are you using?

 

[Border]

Homeloaded round? Squib/undercharged load or no powder?

 

[Will the chippy]

Homeload? Was the case damp or wet when being loaded? Any tumbling media in the case?

 

[NP435]

Nearly had a disastrous start to my weeks stalking in Argyll. First morning out I saw 4 roe feeding about 140 yards away. Rifle up on sticks, squeezed the trigger, the dreaded click. Rifle pointed in a safe direction and after 20 seconds it went off with a woompff not a bang.
The deer hadn't moved. The bolt was very stiff but managed to eject the case. I removed the bolt and looked down the barrel, the bullet was stuck in the barrel.
Back to the caravan and luckily I was able to knock the bullet out with the cleaning rod.
I've been stalking for 45 years, reloading for 20 years and that's the first hangfire I ve had.
I'm assuming it was a faulty primer.

I tested the rifle and no problems and finished the week with 6 Roe.

Im glad you investigated before attempting another shot. Was there powder in the case?

 

[Foxyboy43]

Hmmm.
Sounds like a missed powder charge, the primer can drive the bullet out of the case and lodge it in the barrel with disastrous results if you chamber and fire a second round! Not for nothing is it called “the dead man’s click”!
I had my first hang-fire only a few weeks ago - 6.5x55SE homeload of which I have shot thousand without mishap - decided to double the standard 30 seconds wait and it went off shortly past that - scared the bejasus out of me but rifle was pointed in a safe direction so no harm done.
You just never know…

 

[Bowland blades]

Scary long one that!

 

[Foxyboy43]

Scary long one that!

Yep but even after thousands of reloads in many different chamberings it was a very good lesson for me - the thought of 130 gns of Sierra TGC screaming off into the far yonder terrifies me!
I really don’t get why a hang-fire can take so long but plenty of evidence on t’internet!
Everyday a skool day…

 

[long_range_rob]

My only experience of this was on a 22RF where a round had the airtight seal broken causing the powder charge to absorb moisture from the atmosphere and clump.

If your primer pocket was a little loose maybe this was the cause. Factory rounds usually have a sealing compound applied (like nail polish)

 

[mike308]

The case wasn't damp , I dry tumble, all the cases are checked for tumbling media. Brand new Lapua cases first reload, none of the other 50 that I reloaded have had a problem and there was remains of powder in the case. This is the first time in several thousand reloads. I've had a handful of clicks, no more than I've had with factory ammunition.

 

[Tikkat1x]

After reading this earlier today I thought I’d never had the dead man’s click in my CF’s. Fast forward 1 hour doing some load testing and a few shots in ‘click’ waited a minute and ejected it. Firing pin struck. Places it well away from me. Will have to investigate later as to possibly cause. Magtech primers but used a fair few 100 of them with no problems before. I always check there’s powder in after charging my loads so shouldn’t be that.

 

[borbal]

Rifle pointed in a safe direction and after 20 seconds it went off with a woompff not a bang.

Congratulations on negotiating that without mishap.

 

[Foxyboy43]

Congratulations on negotiating that without mishap.

Yes well done that man.
Mind you the crack of an unexpected 45gns of Viht N160 and the unbearably long milliseconds before the thump of 130gns of Sierra’s finest burying itself in the safe backstop does etch itself indelibly on the old neurons….

 

[Scipio]

It's important that we share these kind of stories, so That we remember to stay vigilant out there, and what the correct procedure is, if it happens. Thanks lads