Misfire on Homeloads

[Roebuck243]

Hi can anyone put light on my constant misfires .
Rifle was a new 6.5x55 Tika T3 .
Lapua cases with Remington primers, N160 powder 129gr sst.

Rifle was knew about 2 yrs ago and I had this problem about 15 rounds in from new I stripped bolt and cleaned and sprayed and never had a problem since . Out shooting bucks other night the misfires started again I've had 4 in 2 days luckily still got the bucks. I even tried the misfired bullet again but didn't fire . Misfire again this morning !

It's annoying as I've stripped bolt down again and still happening.
not sure where to start apart from try different primers.

misfired round bottom , fired round on top in pic.

 

[finnbear270]

Stopped using Remmy primers long way back, CCI's for me, are you keeping your primers & cases clean / away from contaminants?

 

[Roebuck243]

Yep ,
i reload and fire 40 rounds a week of 204 at Vermin never have a problem week in week out.
these were new Lapua 6.5 cases and don't think got anything on them.

 

[NigelM]

Not many options on what can go wrong here. 1. Weak firing pin spring - but it doesn't look like it in the pics, 2. dodgy primers - unusual unless stored badly, but very easy to test by buying some new ones, 3. head specs issue caused by knocking the shoulders back too far when FL resizing. Can't think of what else may cause it.

 

[Apthorpe]

Treat these thoughts with some suspicion as am only a learner:
Assuming the bolt is in proper working order, then either the primers could be defective (can you be confident they're not?) or perhaps they are seating too deep in the primer pocket (is this even possible?).
Alternatively a headspace issue? Could the case be too short and sliding up the chamber? Over-FL sized?

Irritating for you!

 

[Druid]

I'd go for dodgy primers, I had a few similar with Remington primers. The strike from the firing pin looks adequate to set them off.

 

[VSS]

I had five in a row misfire - turned out that I'd missed out a row of cases when measuring out the powder

 

[Roebuck243]

Cases were brand new out of box, not sure but my suspicion would be the primers,either because I left in garage in a draŵ this maybe affected them. But then this happened not long after new.
Is there much to go wrong with a firing pin spring

 

[finnbear270]

Cheapest / easiest option ... change primers.

 

[kennyc]

Cheapest / easiest option ... change primers.

+1 the strikes look good just check you are seating the primers fully home

 

[bk]

And check your headspace - how are you sizing the brass?

 

[Border]

I had five in a row misfire - turned out that I'd missed out a row of cases when measuring out the powder

OP I was going to suggest this, can you hear the powder if you shake it? (presume that it's not a compressed load)

 

[finnbear270]

I think I vaguely remember one dead man's click, out of thousands of CCI's

 

[Roebuck243]

Hi
yes can hear the powder in the case if I shake
I've just shot probably 80 no probs since previous misfire happened .

 

[paul dillon]

+1 on the primers strike looks good to me any chance you may have had damp or sweaty hands when handling the primers leaving them in a garage drawer some could of attracted moister from a damp garage

 

[finnbear270]

All my priming is done from safe, to autoprime,any leftovers back into pack & back on shelf in safe.

 

[Dickie]

Try some factory rounds that should help work out a rifle defect if all good then check out your home loads

 

[Roebuck243]

Yes talking of damp my safe and my cabinet are a pain for damp !

 

[Alantoo]

Yes talking of damp my safe and my cabinet are a pain for damp !

Can you rig a low wattage lamp in there to just keep them dry? Or one of those short tubular greenhouse tube heaters?

Alan

 

[Highlandsjohn]

Yes talking of damp my safe and my cabinet are a pain for damp !

View attachment 82801Just changing this one, put one in the bottom of your cabinet, job done. Come in all sizes..