Misfire

Matt H

New member
What, exactly, should one do when a misfire occurs? For instance, during fire forming, with the bullet jambed into the lands. Thanks.
 
Make a false shoulder?
falseshoulder.jpg
 
What, exactly, should one do when a misfire occurs? For instance, during fire forming, with the bullet jambed into the lands. Thanks.

What is your definition of a misfire? Did it just go click, or did it fizzle? If it didn't fire at all you can immediately extract it. If it made more noise than just the hammer drop, wait at least 5 minutes or so in case you had what is called a hangfire.

In any of the above, make sure the bore is not restricted before going further.
 
What is your definition of a misfire? Did it just go click, or did it fizzle? If it didn't fire at all you can immediately extract it. If it made more noise than just the hammer drop, wait at least 5 minutes or so in case you had what is called a hangfire.

In any of the above, make sure the bore is not restricted before going further.


Thanks Jerry. The "how long to wait" was one of my questions.

With a jambed bullet, one would like to avoid spilling the powder into the chamber and action.....so is it ok to open the bolt and tap the bullet and cartridge back with a cleaning rod?
 
Thanks Jerry. The "how long to wait" was one of my questions.

With a jambed bullet, one would like to avoid spilling the powder into the chamber and action.....so is it ok to open the bolt and tap the bullet and cartridge back with a cleaning rod?



A little tip I was taught that helps!!!!
Before you open the bolt tip your rifle up on the butt plate. By doing so this reduces the chance of spilling powder out into your chamber and trigger.
And getting powder every where just makes your day go to poo. Ask me how I know lol
 
Thanks Jerry. The "how long to wait" was one of my questions.

With a jambed bullet, one would like to avoid spilling the powder into the chamber and action.....so is it ok to open the bolt and tap the bullet and cartridge back with a cleaning rod?

One more thing. If you stick a cleaning rod down the barrel from the muzzle, for any reason never, never, take your hand off the rod till it is out of the barrel. Two benchrest shooters have already died from going from the muzzle to dislodge a stuck bullet.
 
One more thing. If you stick a cleaning rod down the barrel from the muzzle, for any reason never, never, take your hand off the rod till it is out of the barrel. Two benchrest shooters have already died from going from the muzzle to dislodge a stuck bullet.


Got it. Thanks.
 
Even if you think, the bullet, exited the barrel. Try to check barrel, for obstruction. IE. unburnt powder...... Easy on bolt action.
There is a youtube vid of a guy looking down the muzzle. He shoots his nose and hat off...............
Indoor ranges. The first 3-5' past the firing line. The floor is covered with unburnt powder.........If the lighting, is good, you can see the color changes.
Range I go to most often(in winter). They clean this up every 6 mos. Tried to get some. It was HELL NO! No way I would load it.
I was told the flash is brighter than a road flare. Got my answer......
 
Make a false shoulder?
falseshoulder.jpg

I've been looking into that for 6MM PPC.

I've seen enough signs of pressure variations I don't think I will fire-form my cases the way I have been. Maybe I skipped some step that stretches the case out, I don't know.

I just ran a little test on expanding a turned 6mm up on a 25 caliber expander. That in itself is pretty scary. It turned a .0085 wall into .008.

It came back up to .0085 in the section that got squeezed back down. Pretty scary again. With enough magnification it might look like an accordion. 10 power it looks fine.

If I just started out neck turning them at 25 caliber I could skip some of the strain.

I have know idea how long a case would last that has been through the ringer like that. It does look like a case that will make it through fire-forming safely and with out the variations in pressure.
 
Not necessary on a ppc. Thats for like a dasher where the shoulder is way far away. A ppc has to be bumped back so just bump it to where it fits like a fired case. Never had an issue like this on a ppc and nobody else i know have either
 
A little tip I was taught that helps!!!!
Before you open the bolt tip your rifle up on the butt plate. By doing so this reduces the chance of spilling powder out into your chamber and trigger.
And getting powder every where just makes your day go to poo. Ask me how I know lol

I'd like to suggest that before pointing the muzzle in an unsafe direction raise your bolt until the camming surfaces make contact. At this point the firing pin is not in contact with the primer and cannot reach the primer if the firing pin was inadvertently left in the cocked position.
 
I'd like to suggest that before pointing the muzzle in an unsafe direction raise your bolt until the camming surfaces make contact. At this point the firing pin is not in contact with the primer and cannot reach the primer if the firing pin was inadvertently left in the cocked position.

Thanks for your reply.

So if the bolt is fully rotated away from the closed position, there should be no danger that tapping the cartridge backwards with a cleaning rod, would result in the firing pin striking the primer?
 
If you have rotated the bolt completely to the point it will move reward in the action then yes it's impossible for the firing pin to touch the primer. Now with that being said the last thing you want to do is drive a live round out with a cleaning rod. People die doing that. The safest way is to remove the barrel and work on it that way. Never ever drive a bullet back into the powder column.
 
Not necessary on a ppc. Thats for like a dasher where the shoulder is way far away. A ppc has to be bumped back so just bump it to where it fits like a fired case. Never had an issue like this on a ppc and nobody else i know have either


Like I said I must have missed something in the instructions.

It's been at least thirteen years since I prepared and turned any cases. I sort of remember a step to run the cases through a die to straighten the walls. I think at this step I didn't have a die that would touch the 220 Russian or resize the neck in anyway that would cause the neck sizing rod to stretch out the neck. Looking back though my dies now I see one I may have gotten that will work but I dropped the sport for a while and am once again trying to sort everything out.
 
If you have rotated the bolt completely to the point it will move reward in the action then yes it's impossible for the firing pin to touch the primer. Now with that being said the last thing you want to do is drive a live round out with a cleaning rod. People die doing that. The safest way is to remove the barrel and work on it that way. Never ever drive a bullet back into the powder column.


Got this one too. Thank you.
 
Like I said I must have missed something in the instructions.

It's been at least thirteen years since I prepared and turned any cases. I sort of remember a step to run the cases through a die to straighten the walls. I think at this step I didn't have a die that would touch the 220 Russian or resize the neck in anyway that would cause the neck sizing rod to stretch out the neck. Looking back though my dies now I see one I may have gotten that will work but I dropped the sport for a while and am once again trying to sort everything out.

You use your regular 6ppc die with the bushing removed. It bumps the shoulder back so the bolt will close ok. If the die is already set up for fired cases you wont even have to adjust it. Once you bump the russian cases back it looks like 2 angles on the neck and the bolt closes without alot of force.
 
Would you explain a bit more

If you have rotated the bolt completely to the point it will move reward in the action then yes it's impossible for the firing pin to touch the primer. Now with that being said the last thing you want to do is drive a live round out with a cleaning rod. People die doing that. The safest way is to remove the barrel and work on it that way. Never ever drive a bullet back into the powder column.

Dave, In the effort to learn something I do not know would you explain what the danger is in driving a bullet back.
I am only guessing that compressing the powder rapidly might cause it to detonate?
I believe you but I see this at my range and I like to move away as quickly as possible just in case.
Centerfire
 
Thanks

Thanks Dusty I understand this but at my range a lot of things are done.
I am trying to find out just what is happening regarding centerfire cartridges.
IE what is causing what to happen.
Centerfire
 
What, exactly, should one do when a misfire occurs? For instance, during fire forming, with the bullet jambed into the lands. Thanks.

I raise the bolt handle and put the rifle upside down in the cleaning craddle; pull the bolt back to get the case out slowly so as not to go anywhere near the trigger, tap gently the stuck round with a bronze rod I always carry and blow the powder out, down, through the barrel with a can of compressed air, and clean, of course, to get rid of all the powder grains that are stuck in the chamber area and against the tenons because of the grease we put on the lugs. After 30 years of competition I have seen that happen so many times that I automatically bring rod & compressed air bottle to the range officer in case of need by anyone.
My issue with the butt down is that powder may fall into the trigger.
 
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