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First time using my Pre-mil 99F in .300 Savage at the range this morning and my first experience with handloads yielded interesting results. I first sighted in the Leupold LVI 2x7 with Federal 180G factory loads and these were the results: I fired 2 lots of 3 shots at 100 yds and the other shots you see came from sighting in at 25 yds. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />




Next, I tried my handloads: Federal once fired brass, 180G Nosler Silver tips, H4895 starting at 34G and working up to the max of 38.5G with win LR primers. The first 3 shots were fantastic. Imagine my glee when I saw this, and the 34 grains were actually .5 grains below the minimum suggested in my loadbook. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />




After this, however, the shots kept rising on me, and accuracy got worst. The 38.5 Grain did not hit my target. (100 Yds) I adjusted the scope and tried some Winchester factory 180G loads, and the results for 6 shots turned out pretty good also. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />




Now for the bad news. Six of my reloads misfired, and two fired after a second or two delay. What gives? Did I seat the primers to deep with the RCBS handprimer? The firing pin was hitting because the primers were dented, and all factory loads worked out perfect so it�s not the gun. Is it safe to pull the bullets out with visegrips or something, and save my powder, and then try firing the primers alone again? What�s the best way to handle this? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/help.gif" alt="" />

And finally where do you think I should go with load development?

You may not have some primers seated down far enough in the primer pocket. This can cause the firing pin to push the primer on in, and not fire. If they fired the second time you tried, then that was probably the cause of the misfire. Don't use plyers to pull your bullets, buy a hammer type bullet puller. That saves your bullets and powder. Also you got some good groups, but I would try some 165 and 150 grain bullets. Also you might try a different brand of primer. All these things can either help or hurt your accuracy. It's just a trial and error, but will come out with one load your rifle will really like and that's the one you should use. Chip

All MOD (minute of deer), and not bad for a 7 power at all. My old EG likes factory 180gr, or lighter handloads with H4895 also. So that looked very familiar.

Hey, working up loads is half the fun! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

If you`re getting hang-fires thats a pretty serious issue. I`ll step back and wait for a more experienced hand loader to help you deal with it.
good luck...........Bob

I forgot to add that the gun was one sweet shooter. The first shot, especially, hit home with me. Oh so soft! I couldn't really get a good reading because of the misfiring. And chip, after looking at the shells and comparing it to factory loads, I think I'm just a little tad not deep enough. I think I'll go with Winchester brass and 165g bullets with the same powder and try again. And Fun, Calhoun, yel, what a way to spend Saturday morning. Great therapy!

I would also think about the age/ place of storage/heat/humidity that those primers were subjected to.

Failure to fire and hang fires may be the result of contanimated primers. If the case lube you used was on your figers when you primed the brass you may have rendered them inert.

Should you have a failure to fire wait a minimum of 30 seconds before ejecting them. This is to insure that you do not open the bolt on a hangfire. If the cartridge was to ignite while the bolt was open or part way open disaster, injury and possibly death will result.

Vlad

If you've already had delayed fire, I'd hold that bullet in there for a good 2 minutes. Paranoia is your friend...

As a kid, I had a misfire when shooting some old gov't ammo (circa 1900) in my .30/40 Krag. (Don't raise your eyebrows- the stuff was plentiful and cheap and nobody was collecting it 40 yrs. ago, so we shot it up. Guess that's why it's so valuable now!) Anyway, I ejected it immediately whereupon it blew up on the ground maybe 5-10 seconds later. Shredded the brass, etc, no injuries. Scared the bejapers out of me. Made me wonder what would have happened had it gone off while still confined in the chamber but with the bolt unlocked.

Ever since then I wait a looooong time before opening a gun that's had a misfire.

BlueCharm99, by any chance are you loading Remington 9 1/2 large rifle primers? I picked up a bad batch recently and have been having mis-fires about every 30 rounds. Thought it was the rifle first (savage 99 EG) until the misfire happend in one of my Ruger 250 savage. Just switch back to CCI Large rifle.

I generally use CCI primers in just about everything, but if you have some overly tight primer pockets and don't want to trim them up, try Federal Primers. I find that their cups are softer and will seat easier then CCI.

Hangfires will make you jumpy which does nothing for your confidence. Also keep in mind that not all rifles will shoot well with the highest loads. Gaining an extra 200 FPS, but opening groups by two inches is a waist. Many of my loads are kept at the minimum, because my rifle liked it at that velocity and with that powder. Still kills em dead just the same. The load you had where you were happy, load up another dozen just like that and see if the rifle will shoot that load consitently. If so, you found your load.

I agree with Vladmer, It is time to stept back an review your loading stepts. How old is my powder, could it have been contaminated by sizing lub, moistureor oil products. It has been my experence tha thangs fires are caused by this type of problem not bad primers. Once you get a bullet puller take a few cases apart and examin the powder carefully, Look to see if it is clumped together or seems sticky. these would be signs that the power is bad.

Hopeful you did not load 100 rounds of this stuff.

Also please be carefel, if you try to shoot any more of these loads that you do not get a bullett stuck in the barrel and then fire a second round into it. That will ruin your day!!!

Not to worry, caution is the name of the game. The primers used were winchester large rifle, and they were stored according to directive, in a cool, dry place. I checked the seating of the primer and they all seemed to be the same, so why would some fire, and others not? I'm starting to think they were contaminated by lube (RCBS) and if not, they were bad before I bought them. I do have another 15 brass primed, but not loaded. I think I won't use them, and will start fresh. What is the best way to deprime these?

Shoot the primed cases in your rifle, no powder ,no bullets ,point in a safe direction. Then deprime as usual.

I've never had a hangfire or misfire in all the years I've reloaded. Lucky fer sure.

If you are being careful in handling them, there should be no failures. Throw the lot away and start fresh.

CCI or Federal is what I shoot.

Like I sed above, I would bet the problem is with the powder not the primers. If you have even a little case lube thats gets inside the case it will give you problems.

I would suggest you use Dillon case lube and not the thick case lube with rolling the pad. It is quicker does a better job and will not accumulate on or in the case if used sparingly.

I also would shoot the primers to see if they work or not. My guess is they will all fire.

RM

Thanks for all the advice. Yes, shooting the primed unloaded cases will soon let me know if the problem is with the primers. If you guys have shot for years with no misfires, I must have done something wrong. It's back to the drawing board for me. Hopefully, I'll get it figured out.

Step 3 of reloading rifles in THE ABCs of RELOADING states, "use a case neckbrush to clean and lubricate the inside of the case neck..." I think this may be the problem. As Rangemaster said, the powder may have got damp from this. With enough people giving input, the answer will come out sooner or later. Thanks, all, for your advice.

One thing I've noticed in several different threads is that a lot of handloaders want to absolutely minimize the time they spend prepping their brass, especially when it comes to lube removal. I don't want any trace of any kind of lube anywhere on or in my brass when I start reassembling cartridges with it. My sized brass gets washed in hot soapy water, thoroughly rinsed in hot water, and blown dry inside with compressed air. Then it takes a short ride in a 250 degree oven. After that it's bone dry and I know for sure there's no way a primer or powder charge is going to get contaminated by lube residue or whatever. I also keep my hands clean when I do my subsequent loading steps. I'm too picky to economize a lot on prep time. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

mathman

Mathman must not be married or he has an oven in his shop. If you have a case tumbler I suggest you give the resized case a second tumble after resizing. I use this process and have never had any problems with contaminated cases. This is not as good as mathman's method but it keeps the wife happy.

Also as said above get a different kind ot case lub. Dillon's comes in a 8 Oz bottle for $8.95. I believe is lanolin suspended in alcohol. Also I would not put any lub inside the neck of the cases. If you get even a little to much inside you will have problems. If the expander sticks at it enters the case you might take a bit of the Dillon lub put it on your finger then rub the expander. This will put the least amount on the expander and it will not be able to run into the case. The 300 savage has a very short neck so getting the expander is into the case is usually not a problem.

Hope this helps.

RM