Shooting today I had a round not fire. I was shooting Federal Match 168gr. .308. I thought that I might have short cycled the bolt when the gun went click, opened the weapon, out the round came. A good dent on the primer. Attempted to shoot it again, still a good dent on the primer but no go. It sounds like there is powder in the round, and I cannot figure out why this is happening (I am shooting in my state's police and fire olympics in about a month, all of my ammo is this lot). All of the other rounds in the box fed and fired with no concerns. A freak occurance?
Federal Match Misfire
- Thread starter fed168
- Start date
Probably a freak. But just to be sure, if you have a reloading scale -- weigh the misfire and the rest. Then you'll know for sure if the problem was no propellant, and if any others have that problem. It would be easy to do. Just weigh one that you know has propellant, set the scale to that weight...and any cartridge that doesn't balance it out is low/empty.
Hueco
Hueco
Even if there was no powder in the round the primer would still fire. Sounds like a dead primer to me. Is it possible that the round was oil contaminated at some point? If not it is one of the rare cases of a factory dud. I've had them happen with shotgun shells but not with rifle. Then again I shoot a lot more shotshells than centerfire rifle.
Sometimes a rifle lock time is slow. Primers need a sharp blow and a slow firing pin can crush the priming compound without setting it off. When that happens, a second strike usually won't work either. If a rifle is on the edge, it may get only an occasional misfire.
Excess headspace can cause the same thing because the cartridge is not well supported and the firing pin pushes the cartridge forward rather than using all its energy to fire the primer.
Since you are part of a team, are the other members using the same ammo, and if so are any having similar problems?
Factory duds are fortunately very rare, but they do happen.
Jim
Excess headspace can cause the same thing because the cartridge is not well supported and the firing pin pushes the cartridge forward rather than using all its energy to fire the primer.
Since you are part of a team, are the other members using the same ammo, and if so are any having similar problems?
Factory duds are fortunately very rare, but they do happen.
Jim
Mad Dog, I was shooting my 700PSS. Since I have had it I have shot close to 800 rounds through it, and have never had any malfunctions, whether it be with Federal, Black Hills, or the occasional military M852 that I shoot through it. Last October it was PMA'd when I had it tuned up.
Jim, unfortunately I am in an odd situation, sparing the details, two of us have had to buy our own ammo whereas some other members will not have to (don't get me started). I have shot the others ammo, same kind, no problems. My coworker who bought the same lot as I did has not had any problems with it. The misfire was round #14 of the day out of the 20 I shot. All of the others did their thing quite nicely.
As of note, we bought this at a gunshow from an unbroken, unopened case. All of it is the same lot; we are picky since ammo that is out on display could be tampered with, i.e., someone mixing in another round from a different lot and so on. Fingers are crossed.
Jim, unfortunately I am in an odd situation, sparing the details, two of us have had to buy our own ammo whereas some other members will not have to (don't get me started). I have shot the others ammo, same kind, no problems. My coworker who bought the same lot as I did has not had any problems with it. The misfire was round #14 of the day out of the 20 I shot. All of the others did their thing quite nicely.
As of note, we bought this at a gunshow from an unbroken, unopened case. All of it is the same lot; we are picky since ammo that is out on display could be tampered with, i.e., someone mixing in another round from a different lot and so on. Fingers are crossed.
fed168, Just don't let it shake you up at your match! Get some from a different lot and as Federal about the lot you have or repeat several times before the match "HankL has fired 6000 rounds of this ammo with 0 malfunctions" At any rate, don't let it get into your head. Good luck with your match!
hksigwalther
New member
Could also be a primer wihtout an anvil.
------------------
- Ron V.
------------------
- Ron V.
Out of the thousands or rounds of .38 spl match I fired while I was on different military teams I had ONE misfire. It was just like yours fed168. Just a click. It was in my S&W Mod. 52 I tired it again and click. I later tried it in a S&W K-38..click! I finally broke it down and voila! Just like Ron V. said there was no anvil in the primer. Rare but it do happen.
------------------
Carlyle Hebert
------------------
Carlyle Hebert
No anvil or primer compound sounds like (as with others above). As with anything else, mistakes happen.
Really is amazing how un-prone ammo is to having (m)any defects at all .... can't remember the last time (other than .22 LR) when it didn't go bang.
I'd write Federal, detailing the lot#, etc. AND that your confidence may be shaken with Fed ammo, blah, blah .... you may get a case or two outa the deal. Especially after detailing that you have to actually buy it - not like those "other guys."
<sorry>
Really is amazing how un-prone ammo is to having (m)any defects at all .... can't remember the last time (other than .22 LR) when it didn't go bang.
I'd write Federal, detailing the lot#, etc. AND that your confidence may be shaken with Fed ammo, blah, blah .... you may get a case or two outa the deal. Especially after detailing that you have to actually buy it - not like those "other guys."
<sorry><BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by HankL:
Carlyle, Did the misfire occur during a match or practice? Did it make you wonder every time you pulled the trigger for a while or did you fall back on the confidence the thousands of other rounds gave you?[/quote]
Hank, It happened at pratice. I never even gave it a second thought. It never entered my mind during firing. (course the wife says there's a lot of empty space up there ) I did write to Remington but that was in hopes that they may have sent me something, like a case of that fine 148 gr. Wadcutter
. No such luck 
.
------------------
Carlyle Hebert
Carlyle, Did the misfire occur during a match or practice? Did it make you wonder every time you pulled the trigger for a while or did you fall back on the confidence the thousands of other rounds gave you?[/quote]
Hank, It happened at pratice. I never even gave it a second thought. It never entered my mind during firing. (course the wife says there's a lot of empty space up there ) I did write to Remington but that was in hopes that they may have sent me something, like a case of that fine 148 gr. Wadcutter
. No such luck .------------------
Carlyle Hebert