Took my .243 to the indoor range today to try out some new berger bullets which I had just loaded several hours prior. First shot went off with a puff instead of a pow? Pulled the case out and it had several pieces of unburned powder left in it and I have no idea where the bullet ended up but it wasn't on paper. The next 5 went off just fine, what could I have screwed up on during the loading process?
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
Puff instead of POW!! What happened?
- Thread starter Easy E
- Start date
L
Larry Elliott
Guest
How were you charging your cases? If the next five worked well it doesn't seem likely that you dropped a light charge in that case from a measure, and if you weighed charges it'd be unlikely that you somehow dumped half the charge all over the bench. If for some reason you were using a measure and hadn't fully cleared it of a previous slower powder you could have thrown the proper charge but the wrong (too slow) powder. If those weren't possible or likely, it could have been a bad primer, but primers either work or don't in my experience.
Strange occurrence for sure.
Strange occurrence for sure.
N
nhkuehl
Guest
Wet case? - nhk
C
chuck furniss
Guest
If I had to guess I would say moisture in case left from cleaning. I have had this happen many years ago with the results you mentioned.
Chuck.
Chuck.
M
mike in co
Guest
what powder ? long grain powder can bridge at the exit of the powder measure and give you a light load....
pistol primer ?
mike in co
pistol primer ?
mike in co
Andy Cross
New member
puffer primers
I agree any of the causes could be responsible for a puffer primer. It doesn't take much contamination of a primer to do it. About two years ago a friend was in the top end of Australia shooting pigs. The temperatures were - in your scale 95 degrees f - but the humidity was almost 100%. Just exposing his primers to that condition saw the last rounds he made about 6 in all go puff. They were the primers that were exposed the longest to the conditions. So it don't take much.
Andy.
I agree any of the causes could be responsible for a puffer primer. It doesn't take much contamination of a primer to do it. About two years ago a friend was in the top end of Australia shooting pigs. The temperatures were - in your scale 95 degrees f - but the humidity was almost 100%. Just exposing his primers to that condition saw the last rounds he made about 6 in all go puff. They were the primers that were exposed the longest to the conditions. So it don't take much.
Andy.