Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire What causes hang-fires?

I’ve had hang fires and delayed ignition a few times. Needless pulling the trigger, hearing the click and thousand one, thousand two… bang is un-nerving.

Assuming the fire pin strike was not retarded, some powders are harder to ignite and more so at lower temps. It doesn’t have to be super cold, I’ve had loads that worked well in the 60’s give me a click, pause, bang in the 40’s.

Happened to me many years ago . I was with some friends at a Shooting Range testing some Reloads in a large Case . Seems it was about 30 Degrees . I don't remember any double click , but I got several hang-fires in a row . One of my friends switched Primers and Reloaded some of my empty Cases with my Powder and no more problems . It was long ago and I can't be sure but I think I was using CCI BR Primers and switched to his Remingtons.

Yes. I tested it and the primer leaves so fast there is not enough flame at the flash hole to ignite the powder.

I've had hang fires with both of those. I use Federal 215 for almost anything now.

HOW did you test it, Rich?

Took the gun to my gunsmith yesterday and he immediately suspected the trigger. He took it apart and it had lube in it -- thick, waxy stuff that slowed everything down. He removed it, cleaned it, put it back in, and everything is perfect now. Just got back from shooting it and even after having it out of the stock it never changed zero.

I never lube my trigger. The only thing I can think of is that some Hoppes or something ran down into the trigger. But even that seems odd because I store my rifles upside down. I hang the trigger guard on wooden peg in the wall, and rest the barrel on another peg. They're at an angle with the barrel downward.

Anyway, problem solved. Thanks for all your input.

Steve.

He mentioned it was a Winchester primer. The WLR is pretty strong among standard primers.

The mechanical issue made this moot anyway.

Guess you could call this a tale of two rifles, but actually three. Two rifles chambered to the 7x57 with test loads using Re17 and WLR primers. The third rifle a .280 Rem. using IMR7828SSC and WLR primer. Bullet for all three rifles was the Nosler 150 gr. ABLR. In three days testing there were two failures to fire from the .280. The rifle is a 1909 Mauser and firing pin fall makes a very solid thump. In both failures, the rounds fired on a second try.
With the two 7x57s, One an FN Mauser, the other a Winchester M70 Featherweight, one failure with the Mauser and three with the Winchester. The failure with the Mauser did not fire after three tries. Two on the Winchester failed to fire after three tries and one did go bang.
Groups from the rounds that did shoot were slightly erratic, usually two close together and one way out. No specific pattern as the which one was the one out of the group.
Primers were stored indoors in the house, not my reloading shed.
About the only good thing was after the FTF, the crosshairs were still where I was holding which eliminated me flinching.
What I did note was the firing pin fall from the Mausers were a good solid clunk while the M70 sounded quite light yet the primer indents from the M70 looked just as deep as those from the Mausers. Primers were seated with Lee hand priming tool.
I've never had those primers fail before and have used them in cold weather on elk hunts in Northeastern New Mexico without problem With loads using Re15 and W760. Temps running around 25 degrees during most hunts. Brass was brand new unfired.
Paul B.

I don't particularly care for WLR primers after a go-round with them in my Garand. They kept popping at the radius and didn't do my bolt-face any good.





That's a load only running 42 Kpsi, I wouldn't want to light up a 58.5 Kpsi load and admire the divot.

Yep, there have been a few leaky lots of WLR's out there.

The unplated WLR & WLRM primers I have are undersize on their diameter.

When WW left off the plating they forgot to allow for the diameter that plating gives metal.

They fit loose in good new pockets.

Good question, how would you test that?

I know they make kind of a pistol type thing to watch how they work as far as the flame goes, but not sure how to test a live round?