What would cause a delay in a round going off?

[rweldon]

I had my father load some .300 Win Mag rounds for me in the last couple weeks. When I shot the 20 rounds he loaded for me, I could feel a distinct delay between the firing pin "dropping" and the round actually going off...Some were instantaneous, but most had a delay (seemed like a millisecond). I've never encountered this before as my father has loaded a lot of 308 for me with no problems. He used the correct IMR powder, 52.5 grains(I can't recall the number right now...but it was spec according to the reloading manual); the primers were CCI large rifle; the projectiles were 180 grain Nosler Accu Bond. The powder is only about 6 weeks old, primers about 1 year old...both are stored in dry places. What could possibly cause this? Could the primers be seated too deeply? I'm thinking the primers are bad.

 

[High Binder]

Re: What would cause a delay in a round going off?

Sounds like something is up with the primers. Perhaps they're contaminated with excess lube or just a bad batch, either way, I'd say it's the primers.

 

[FLIGHT762]

Re: What would cause a delay in a round going off?

52 grains of powder in the 300 Win. Mag. is not the proper powder for the big case. You are getting hang fires, nothing wrong with the primers.

A slow burning powder is required. A normal charge weight for a 180 grain bullet would be around 72 grains. IMR 4831, 4350, 7828 etc.

I've experimented with faster powders in the 300 Win. Mag. and got hang fires.

Look up hang fires in the 300 Win. on the net.

Your Dad is using the wrong powder.

 

[Kiwi Greg]

Re: What would cause a delay in a round going off?

You might need to try magnum primers.
I have had it with the slower powders.
Click,Boom......

 

[BuzzBoss915]

Re: What would cause a delay in a round going off?

Well, we don't know the powder and guessing on the amount. If you shake them, you can feel a lot of airspace in the case.

Loading for other people is something I would never do and I'm sure, would not be appreciated, if I did it. But, we don't know anything because we are talking to the wrong person.

This could be anything from a clogged flash hole to clumped powder to the primer ignition launching over the powder charge and igniting backwards. Who knows?

Don't shoot any more, pull the bullets and weigh the charge, ask dad what he used and report back, okay? BB

edit: okay, I see that you only had 20 rounds so you can't pull bullets. But, let's just say that ol' dad used 308 data, this time? Possible?

 

[predatornut]

Re: What would cause a delay in a round going off?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: FLIGHT762</div><div class="ubbcode-body">52 grains of powder in the 300 Win. Mag. is not the proper powder for the big case. You are getting hang fires, nothing wrong with the primers.

A slow burning powder is required. A normal charge weight for a 180 grain bullet would be around 72 grains. IMR 4831, 4350, 7828 etc.

I've experimented with faster powders in the 300 Win. Mag. and got hang fires.

Look up hang fires in the 300 Win. on the net.

Your Dad is using the wrong powder.</div></div>


+1
Definitely sounds light too small a charge. I experienced the same thing when loading some light loads in a '06. Double check your info, cause that is nowhere near enough powder for a 300.

 

[roggom]

Re: What would cause a delay in a round going off?

Looking at current Hodgdons data, for a 180 Gr projectile, the min of any of the listed IMR powders is 66 grains. I would look at your brass, you may find that it has dimpled as well.

 

[Mike Sobr]

Re: What would cause a delay in a round going off?

I had the same thing happen and also a couple other rounds not go off from the same batch and turned out that the cases did not fully dry out overnite after being tumbled in SS media. When I pulled a bullet to see what happened the powder near the bottom of the case above the primer was damp and clumped together.

Now I give them a quick alcohol rinse after tumbling and they dry much faster and no worries about not going boom.