First time for me: primer detonation but did not fire

[ANATION]

I was trying some 38 special handholds through my King Cobra this afternoon and I had a primer detonation but no discharge. I hand load on a single stage press because most of my reloading is for bolt action rifle. I didn't think I forgot to charge it but I checked. I pulled the bullet and sure enough there was 5.6 grains of Unique sitting under the pill. I loaded 20 rounds last night and all the others fired fine. In fact, it's one of my more accurate loads. Anyways, the only thing I can think of was the primer wasn't seated flush or, more precisely, was loose. When I pulled the bullet the primer fell out so that gives some credence to my theory. If anyone can think of another reason for failure to fire please share. BTW: the brass was nickel plated.

 

[.455_Hunter]

Was the flash-hole fully open and clear?

 

[ANATION]

Was the flash-hole fully open and clear?

it appeared to be. I didn’t notice anything unusual.

 

[Mark_Mark]

did you buy the primers from a Pirate ship off the coast of British columbia?

 

[JJFitch]

Reread you title and post. Was detonate or failure to detonate?
Makes a big difference!
Smiles,

 

[ANATION]

did you buy the primers from a Pirate ship off the coast of British columbia?

Well, considering the scarcity of primers, that was an option. But these were new Federal.

 

[higgite]

How do you know it detonated? Any aural or visual clues other than it looked like a spent primer? Smoke? Sparks? Pffft sound?

 

[Another_Kelley]

Was your brass tumbled in walnut media? If you know for certain that the primer had burned and that the powder was untouched, then you had a plugged flash hole, or no flash hole at all. When the primer fell out, was the compound inside burned?

 

[jmorris]

Photo of the cup/anvil of the primer? How are you cleaning the cases?

 

[docbrown]

1. Dud (no ignition at all)
2. Flash hole blocked
3. Contaminated primer compound that provided inadequate ignition
4. Contaminated powder (unlikely since the rest went bang).

Can be other issues, but those are my best ideas. Need pictures of the primer front and back - might give some insight.

 

[EricBu]

Well, I'll tell you........I've never had so many primer failures as I've had with the current new production stuff. Getting about 3 per 1000. Including one instance where I heard the primer go, but it was a much softer pop than a squib, almost a calibri sounding pop (I shoot suppressed with no ear pro, so it's mush easier to tell the difference). In my case it was also a 38 SPC in a Marlin 1894. Round was intact. Pulled it later, powder was all intact, punched the primer, and it was definitely scorched. Was also new production Federal. I'm thinking QA is falling behind production.

 

[Thomasss]

Do you wet clean your shells or use dry media? Another thought is have you ever picked up range empties in the rain or with heavy dew on the ground. It will surprise you how long moisture can be in a case without evaporating.

 

[AK Hunter]

Do you wet tumble your brass with SS pins? It could have gotten a pin stuck in the flash hole.

 

[Mark_Mark]

Real talk, I had a series of squibs in my .460 mag, got good at punching out bullets. the primer would fire but not ignite the powder. It just squib the bullet in the barrel and let the powder in the cylinder. So I do believe the OP

Solution was to use a very heavy crimp

 

[ANATION]

How do you know it detonated? Any aural or visual clues other than it looked like a spent primer? Smoke? Sparks? Pffft sound?

Yes. A pop and smoke.

 

[ANATION]

I use dry media, Remington because I couldn't find Frankford. I guess it could have been a plugged hole but I visually inspect my brass before priming. I may have missed a plugged hole. I wouldn't think so but.....maybe.

 

[jag22]

It happens. The primer ignited but for some reason it didn't cause complete ignition of the powder. You get the pfffft and some smoke and the powder you find will be burnt. Be happy because those same actions frequently lead to a squib which is a whole new set of problems.

 

[Mark_Mark]

Yes. A pop and smoke.

try crimping more! you might be getting bullet jump. It happened to me, but after a nice tight crimp, problem solved

 

[Mark_Mark]

It happens. The primer ignited but for some reason it didn't cause complete ignition of the powder. You get the pfffft and some smoke and the powder you find will be burnt. Be happy because those same actions frequently lead to a squib which is a whole new set of problems.

brass punch and a small hammer! bang bang drop

 

[Bfh_auto]

I use dry media, Remington because I couldn't find Frankford. I guess it could have been a plugged hole but I visually inspect my brass before priming. I may have missed a plugged hole. I wouldn't think so but.....maybe.

If it went off without igniting any powder. There was probably media in the flash hole. When the primer popped. It would have blown the media into the case. But might not have enough flame to ignite the powder.
A lot of ifs, could haves, and mights...

 

[.308 Norma]

Yes. A pop and smoke.

Wow! A pop AND smoke? Sounds kinda strange to me. Where did the "smoke" escape from the cartridge?
You said you pulled the bullet later. So to me that means the only place the smoke could have escaped from was around the primer, right?

 

[Carl N. Brown]

.455_Hunter said: Was the flash-hole fully open and clear?

My very first thought.

If the primer fired but the primer pocket hole was clogged with cleaning media, the clog could prevent ignition of the powder but drive the burnt clog into the powder.

Back pressure on the primer with a clogged primer pocket hole could explain the loose primer.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

OP was 38 special handholds through a King Cobra and speculated maybe the primer wasn't seated flush or was loose. When the bullet was pulled the primer fell out.

If my primers are not seated flush in my .38 Special handloads/reloads, the cylinders on my Ruger, Taurus or Rossi revolvers won't turn. I would expect the tolerances on a King Cobra to be as tight or even tighter. First symptom of "primer not seated flush" should be "cylinder won't turn".

I'd go with a casing with oversize primer pocket or an undersized primer as possible answers.

 

[.308 Norma]

I'd go with a casing with oversize primer pocket or an undersized primer as possible answers.

Me too. Especially seeing as how the OP said there was "smoke." Where did the smoke come from if it didn't escape from around the primer? I guess there might have been media in the flash hole too.

 

[higgite]

If the flash hole was plugged, it’s not too big of a stretch to imagine the pressure in the primer pocket pushing the primer out. Since the powder didn’t ignite, there would be no rearward force on the case to reseat the primer as usually happens, so it could have simply backed out, releasing smoke and a pffft.
Anation, did you try reinserting the primer to see how loose or tight the fit was?