Failure To Fire-Hep Me Please

[macmail]

I've given up as to what the cause is. Please help.

Equipment:
Lee Classic Turret
Lee dies
Priming on the press

Components:
Once (or twice) fired CBC headstamped cases, cleaned but not polished. Primer pocket WAS NOT cleaned.
Win 231 powder
Precision 230gr Moly coated LRN
Winchester Primers
1.215-1.22 OAL

Shooting out of an XD45 4" Service. It has only happened so far with the CBC cases

I've reloaded and shot about 300-400 RP headstamp cases with the same components and all shot fine. I loaded about 100 CBC and shot about 30 fine. I shot about another 20 and in that 20 I had 3 Failure to Fires. I then shot another 50-60 with no problems. The first FTF had NO firing pin dimple the other two did.

I then loaded another 50 CBC and 50 RP cases. Had One(1) FTF in the CBC and none with RP. The FTF left a pin dimple.

What's going on? I'm new to reloading so I don't know exactly what to look for.

If the firing pin was bent or broken, could it still perform OK?
The primers appear to be seated correctly. Maybe not?
Slide not fully returning?

Any suggestions? What are areas to check? What other info do you need to help?

macmail

 

[Big D]

Are you crimping the cases?

 

[Rainman]

Probably "not" your problem but I will tell you of my happening.
Bought a used Glock 27 from a guy, took it out shooting and the 1st and 2nd rounds was a FTFire. (very lite strike on the primers). Did fine after that.
Took it out month or so later and FTF on the 1st round, did fine after that.
Took it home this time and stripped the slide, and cleaned the firing pin channel with QTips. It was gunked up bad!

I'm guessing the gunk piled up in front of the firing pin and was enough to keep it from striking the primer fully, but smashed it out of the way enough to fire the next rounds (until the next time out and it built up again).

After cleaning it good, (10 QTips), never had that problem with it again.

But you're dealing with reloads so...
But cleaning the FP channel couldn't hurt.

 

[beauxdog]

On the FTF, since you are new to reloading, I would think that you don't have the primers seated deep enough. When the firing pin hits it drives the primer all the way down. It happens to everyone. The primers should be seated firmly and it will be just below the bottom of the case. It will never be protrude above the case bottom.

I am not sure by your statement of the slide not returning fully. If the slide is not fully set in battery it shouldn't even fire. The two problems are not related. You did not say what powder charge you are using. A light charge of WW-231 might not work you gun enough to overcome the spring pressure needed to return the gun to the ready position.

The next time you take your gun to the range, bring a camera and try taking photos of the problems.

Hope this helps,

Beauxdog

 

[jimdana1942]

There can be aan ever-so-slight problem with the primer pockets of your cbc cases. Like beauxdog says, if the primer isn't seated correctly against the case then when the firing pin hits it there is enough slack that the primer will move slightly forward.

But, being that you saw no mark on the primer it could mean your firing pin channel is cruddy enough to interfere with the fp movement.

But, being that is only happening on the cbc cases it might be primer pocket differences in the cases.

 

[macmail]

The gun is clean, firing pin and channel are clean.

5.1gr Win 231

When it first happened the primer not being seated was the first suggested issue. I will have to pay closer attention to this detail.

As an aside, why wouldn't the primer go off when the "slack" was used up and the primer was pushed into the pocket? Is there not enough force from the pin at that point?

Thanks for all the replies,

macmail

 

[Richard in LA]

what about too much crimp/too short of case length and headspace issues causing light primer strikes?

also, like suggested above, if the primer is not fully seated, it will take some of the force of the firing pin to seat it fully, I.E. the primer is abosrbing some of the force, instead of dimpling and firing correctly.

 

[Richard in LA]

As an aside, why wouldn't the primer go off when the "slack" was used up and the primer was pushed into the pocket? Is there not enough force from the pin at that point?

macmail

maybe if you rechamber it, that round might go off the second time. I suppose while we are "speculating", it *might* be possible that you got some oil/grease/crud in the primer that caused it to fail since you are using the press to prime, and if you do not have the auto-prime feature, you have to touch every primer as you place it on the ram.

 

[Akajun]

auto pistol rounds are sometime hard to reload due to the taper crimp. You are using a taper crimp, or a lee factory crimp die right? Too much crimp, you have excess headspace and the round goes too far forward and you get light strikes, to little the slide does not go fully into battery and you either dont get primer strikes at all or also get light strikes. You might want to buy a case checker gauge.

Primers should be seated flush with the base of the rim with firm pressure. Too much pressure with crush the primer and you will get misfires, seat it to high and you will get slide out of batterys, misfires, or the dangerous slamfire with an out of battery discharge which may damage you or the gun.

If you would like some personal advice of help, I am off of work for a few weeks and available if you want to cross the river.

 

[Akajun]

Almost forgot, make sure you are using large pistol primers and not large rifle. If you mix them up, the rifle are harder and most handguns can not set them off.

 

[Storm52]

CBC cases have issues with the brass being thin at the neck, thus causing crimping issues even if you don't crimp. The brass doesn't have enough thickness to properly hold the bullet. I don't use CBC or MagTech brass.

 

[macmail]

Try to fill in the gaps here:

Priming off the press (I am using the safety prime. I don't touch the primer)
Just a touch of taper crimp. A little more than none.
I am indeed using Large Pistol Primers. (Don't have any Rifle primers)
Have not measured the bullet, but will.
Got my bullets "locally" as well.
Will try some FMJ/JHP and see.

Thanks
macmail

 

[scooterj]

Are you using the factory striker spring? I had changed my striker spring to a lighter one and had the same problem. Reinstalled OEM spring and problem went away.

 

[macmail]

Factory Spring