Is my problem a bad lot of primers or light firing pin strikes???

[7magsavage]

I was out shooting today with my new 308. I have about 50 rounds down the tube from previous sessions and zero problems. Today I was trying to shoot an OCW test and I had multiple FTFs. The pin struck the primer but no bang. I actually snapped a couple of the rounds more than once and they still didn't fire. I had a total of 52 rounds and 10 of them were FTF. I am positive nothing got on the primers like oil or water. I'm so obsessive compulsive that I reloaded the rounds with rubber gloves on as to not get any oil on the primers (which I rarely touch anyway).
If it were light firing pin strikes, then why would some rounds snap and re-snap and the next round fire? Is it possible that so many primers were faulty? Kinda disconcerting. I'm using CCI BR2 primers and they have lived in a small room with a dehumidifier running and they only come out of that room to make their way to the reloading bench.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Steve

 

[George Az]

I would like to see a macro photo of the primer strikes. I had an issue with an AR I was building and learned it was a combination of improper chamber size [which took a chamber reamer to fix - just shavings, I took it to a smith who properly measured and gaged it and fixed it] and reloads not sized properly. It had nothing to do with the primers. I am the biggest slob ever reloading, my bench would make most people freak out, but my primers, some of which are well over 10 years old still go bang.

 

[7magsavage]

I will snap a few pics and post them tomorrow.

 

[George Az]

My buddy got a new to him (older .308) Winchester. He had very,very light primer strikes and very light marks on the primers- no bang. I had some factory military junk from like 1970 something - all went bang. I blame the reload. The primer strikes are barely present and I hear the firing pin "click" very difficult to extract. Me thinks he needs to re zero or rather calibrate his die for loading.

It only takes a few thousanths to make a difference.

 

[JGorski]

Whats the rifle you're shooting them in?

 

[Big Z]

Try a false shoulder if it's new brass..also could be too much firing pin protrusion (take your bolt apart recently?). Additional strikes from the firing pin don't usually make a round go off.

 

[roggom]

you would happen to be using PPU brass are you? Both my Remmy 308's will shoot every thing from S&B, Lapua, Norma, RP etc but PPU is a no go. Both with br-2 and Rp primers. At least 1 out of 10 is FTF. I finally scrapped the brass.

 

[rodnocker1`]

I've found loaded rounds (rifle and pistol) at the range that had pretty deep primer strikes on them (not just a ding like from an AR) and looked like they should have went off. After pulling the bullet and dumping the powder, I'd put them in my firearms and "most" of the time, the primer fired. I couldn't begin to tell you why the other Shooter's firearm didn't set them off.

 

[7magsavage]

Ok, so it wasn't all that easy to get a good pic. Here are five examples of FIRED rounds.

And here are five that did NOT fire. I took two shots to try and get some slightly different angles.

As for some of the questions earlier, the rifle is a trued Rem 700 with a Timney Trigger.
I have not taken anything apart on the rifle (bolt etc.)

 

[McSweep]

Might check some unfired ones and make sure the primers are seated correctly. If they are a bit high, might take one or two attempts to fire before they seat fully and actually fire.

 

[former naval person]

Check your headspace. Take your bolt apart and make sure there isn't a particle of metal (from the truing) or a granule of powder cushioning the firing pin. If trued, did the gunsmith rechamber the barrel? Or is it a custom fitted barrel (new)? If the factory barrel with out being set back a thread and rechambered, you could have excess headspace. Or...the chamber could be too deep. New 700 spring is only about $7.00. Is it a J lok bolt? Spring could be dragging. Could be dragging the firing pin on the new Timney. Lots of causes.

 

[JGorski]

Had a similar problem with my Model 70 '06, every once in awhile it wouldnt fire these old WLR primers I have, once I changed to a heavier firing pin spring, all is well. My other 700 rigs always fired them fine, btw.