Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots Ruger #1 Light Primer Strikes

Working up a load for my son's new-to-him rifle and experienced several (3 out of 25) failures to fire. After rechambering, each fired on the second try. All 25 of the fired primers looked the same, pretty light.

These are cases which I bought already primed, so I dont know what brand of primers.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

What cartridge?

If a bottleneck cartridge, try some factory loads, and see if the same problem results. If not then the handloads might have the shoulder too far back.

Was this new brass or used brass and what cartridge?

338-06 AI.
New brass.

Should add, the brass is necked up 30-06, being fireformed to Ackley Improved.

I wouldn't think you will have a problem once it is fire formed but you won't know for sure until you fire form all your brass.

Thanks, that is what it is starting to look like.
I'm new to fireforming and new to #1's. Just curious if they had a history of light strikes.

I've owned several over the years and never had a problem but all of the ones I've owned have all been factory chambers.

okay - what I like to do on fireforming for a single shot, is seat the bullet against the lands, far enough that the breechblock can just close. This technique helps assure the case head is held as far back as possible when it's fired. The theory is the shoulder will then flow forward, and minimize stretching in the case web. It should help prevent light strikes, too.

I use loads that are well under maximum, since the bullet is firm against the lands.

Was it by chance a Winchester primer?? They are hard and sometimes do not fire. The bullet also needs to make a small "jump" to the lands

My .338-06 1B shoots the WBY factory load with no problem but it is not an AI and those that are so few on the ground that I doubt many 1 to 1 comparisons can be found. In fact, the dies also are probably so rare as to have very few in use and some risk of random variance from standardization.

1B

Looks like it is a headspace issue guys.
Thanks for all the good info and tips.

Bob.