Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Thoughts on primer failure

Years ago I had about half a box of remington 30-30 ammo that didn't fire after sitting in a cabinet in a non-airconditioned house for a few years. Later I had several misfires out of CCI-250 primers in handloads. I've never had a misfire out of a federal primer. In my hunting ammo I only use federals now, I don't trust the others. However, I have shot about a gazillion CCI's at prairie dogs.

Hmm. The first strike takes the slop out and the second hits home. Could be, but not as likely with a belted case like the OP is using.

Oakster, I'd pull the bullets on your misfires and see if:
the powder is scorched but didn't fire, I've see it.
I forgot to powder the cartridge, I've done it.
the primer didn't fire, try firing the primer again in the empty case.

Verify the cause first.

My powder is in coolers in the garage, primers in a heated building...

Let us know what you find!

I had the same non firing issue with CCI 250 magnum rifle primers. I loaded some rounds for a new custom 300 H&H built around a #1 action. Some worked some didn't. My first thought was the rifle. The smith changed springs but the problem persisted so he changed the firing pin, still didn't work. I pulled the bullets from 4 factory rounds and the primers all went bang. I changed to Federal 215 primers in that rifle and have had no issues.
A friend bought new Remington 30-06 ammo for a hunt we did in Texas. He had 4 rounds that didn't fire.

I have had this issue before and it was the same as the OP, CCI large rifle Mag primers.

I had this issue again recently, picked up a case right off the boat from Korea 223 Rem 55FMJ's PMC ammo.
12 out of 40 rounds went click with 2 different bolt action rifles. all rounds fired through an AR, super hard primers !!!!

My 91 year old friend keeps a ton (literally) of reloading components stored in a drafty unheated outbuilding. Most all of this stuff he accumulated during the 60's to 90's. For example: a bazillion Alcan pistol and rifle primers, Herter's powders, IMR powders in rusty old DuPont cans, etc. He's given me carte blanche to tap into his stock, which I've gladly taken him up on. Even after surviving countless season changes (and Maryland summers are hot and extremely humid) the stuff still goes bang, even though I view it with a lot of trepidation and frankly don't trust it for accuracy testing/match shooting/hunting. I have yet to encounter a DuPont can from the stash that was rusty on the outside that had spoiled powder inside, ditto Alcan primers whose cardboard boxes were dilapidated from dampness.

Don't get me wrong, I subscribe to proper protocols for primer and powder storage for my personal stash but have come to believe that this stuff is hardier than we think.

I have the remains of a big stash of Frankford Arsenal FA-70 large rifle primers I bought 40 years ago. Pre-war chlorate priming compound that had a reputation for being very resistant to extreme environmental conditions (which is why the gov't insisted on keeping those corrosive primers in service long after non-corrosive primers took over the civilian market). Those old primers still go bang when I use them, and still form the basis of some very accurate handloads which is why also that savvy handloaders in the 40's-60's hoarded them. (No big deal to use them today- simply clean the dammed barrel after shooting.)

Very light.

Although it’s hard to be sure from that photo, my first thought was a very light primer strike.

Start investigating. Control the variables, test one possibility at a time. Could be fun.

Unless rifle primers are VERY old, "contamination" is unlikely. I know a lot of "mature" handloaders are afraid of even getting a little natural oil from their fingers on primers, but most brands (especially American) have been sealed against contamination for decades. Some experiments have even soaked them in various oils and lubes for days, then loaded the primers and they still went bang.

Oakster: I taught myself to reload Rifle cartridges at age 12 back in 1959.
I have NEVER had a misfire since then!
And some Varmint/predator heavy years I would go through 2,000 plus rounds of self made centerfire munitions.
I have never and will never store ANY of my components (brass, primers, powder or bullets!) in any environment where cold, temperature extremes or moisture could ever get to them.
This policy is one of the reasons I NEVER buy my components from private parties - retail outlets only for me when gathering components.
I have a life long friend who lives in the Puget Sound area of Washington state who stores his components in an unheated garage (moisture and cold is prevalent thereabouts) and his instances of "mishaps" is FAR above the norm.
My advice store your components in a warm, dry, stable temperature environment.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

WOW, you have led a charmed life my friend !!!!!!!!!

Take your bolt apart and clean the firing pin.

My money is on the firing pin as the culprit

That sounds like primers not properly seated.

I reseat the primers on a box and see if the results were different.

Keep in mind, CCI primers cups are probably the hardest made in the US. Some S&B are harder. So if you have any mechanical issues in your firearms ignition systems this primer choice will make them more apparent. Federal and Winchester primers tend to be softer. Often the change in brands will mask the underlying problem and the gun will go bang again.

I posted Mauser M-12. I think it's a M-18. I had worked with it, adjusted the trigger, ended up impressed with the quality for a lower priced gun.

So, it shouldn't be gunk in the bolt causing firing pin drag. It's a new gun.

And, I don't think we're dealing with a head space issue.

I've yet to ID the primer. May have been vintage W/W, but they've been in climate controlled storage.

Hope they didn't shoot it again to see if would go bang, but can pass it to me so I can pull the bullet and examine the primer. I appreciate that suggestion.

Will report anything I learn.

Thanks, again.

DF

New gun, light primer impression, possible metal burr hanging things up? Takes five minutes to find out and then can move forward.

Will check that.

Thanks.

DF

It's possible for primers to be fully seated in the pocket without being seated enough to set the anvil.

I've had a factory dud once. CCI ammo/CCI primer. Also read more than one complaint about CCI primers. But all my handloads with them have yet to fail even once.

I don't shoot a whole lot. Having said that, when I last disassembled the bolts on BA rifles, they were almost spotless inside. So much so, I don't anticipate a need again.

Oil will get stiff in cold. I've had misfires from over oiling.

Just my thoughts. Such as they are.

I had that happen on a Kimber Super America 308. It has less than 300 rounds through it and had never been stored with a compressed firing pin spring. The primers looked like they had been stuck just like the OP's, Nonetheless after checking firing pin protrusion and the loads I replaced the firing pin spring and it has been reliable ever since.
here is what I did with the input of some here on the fire. Clean out the bolt, check for any interference with the firing pin or spring with the bolt and if that doesn't work, either look for a softer primer brand or replace the spring.