Large Rifle Primer Sensitivity When Hunting

[GunAdmirer]

Are Federal brand large Rifle primers more sensitive than other brands? I know people believe Federal primers are the most sensitive of pistol primers. I had an unfortunate situation yesterday where I fired at a deer with a handload using CCI BR large rifle primers and the only sound was a dreaded click. The primer showed a light strike. It was about 33 degrees. I fired that round without incident a little later and a second to check for reliability. The primers both showed strong firing pin hits. I am going to have that Rem 700 bolt checked but wonder if using a more sensitive primer could help insure against a light primer strike while hunting. I am okay with losing the spike but would hate to lose a bigger deer or hog.

 

[Stevenvalleyky]

There are several threads discussing this on the THR. While it' possible to have a broken firing pin or a bad spring, the most likely scenario is that the grease or oil that is in the bolt thickened up because of the cold which slowed down the firing pin strike. Best bet is to take apart and clean the bolt, then lube it with very light oil. It' happened to me before.
The broken firing pin is very unlikely since it fired just fine later. They most likely fired later after the temp went up a little, allowing the lube to warm up and get a little thinner. Good luck.

 

[GunAdmirer]

Thank you for the reply. I will clean the bolt. Any idea about Federal primers being a little more sensitive than others?

 

[Nature Boy]

Any idea about Federal primers being a little more sensitive than others?

That’s the conventional wisdom, and may be the reason why federal packages them differently (larger trays with primers on their side and spaced further apart). Who really knows for sure. I have no way of testing it.

However, I think you’re on the right track in determining why you had a light primer strike. Fix the problem at the root casue and every primer should work.

I did have an issue with CCI SRP in .223 where i had 2 out of 100 FTF, but folks here helped in determing that I hadn’t seated them deep enough.

P.S. conventional wisdom also says that BR primers are more sensative that regular primers. Consider this. Your rifle is designed to shoot any brand of primer if the ammo is constructed correctly and your rifle is in good working order

 

[GooseGestapo]

I had a slam fire with my Garand with Federal primers. Was single loading them and dropping bolt.

I don't do that any more!!!

I'll always use a single-shot adapter clip, and Use only CCI LRP, if and only IF, I CANT get CCI#34's

I got lucky, I only chipped the reciever at the right lug mortise, and busted the stock.I got a Boyd's replacement stock for ~$100. Took about 3hrs to change out Hardware and fit. No loss of accuracy from previous CMP Special stock, made for CMP, by Boyd's.
I knew that Federal Primers were "verboten" in Garands. I failed to notice and heed the data I WROTE on the ammo box. Brain fart!!!
I've also gotten failures to fire with them in my Colt Lt Rifle in '06. Doesn't do that with CCI or Federal. The cups on the Win are .002-003 shorter, so seat a tad deeper.

Winchester primers used to be acceptable, till they got CHEAP and quit NICKEL plating the cups. I've had two lot #'s blow out at the corner radius damaging the bolt faces of several of my rifles. I shot them up in cast bullet loads, but still a couple let go, just not enough pressure/gas to blow torch a pit on the bolt faces.
I do use Federals in my other rifle calibers, just not FMJ or Match Hollow Points that are used in my Garands.

 

[Nature Boy]

I had a slam fire with my Garand with Federal primers. Was single loading them and dropping bolt.

Don’t they say not to do that?

(Again, “conventional wisdom”)

 

[GooseGestapo]

Read a little further...BTDT, WON't do dat again. Got my immediate attention.

 

[FROGO207]

From what I can tell by my really unscientific personal testing ALL Federal primers are more sensitive to firing pin strikes. I am also in the camp that your primer was NOT SEATED FULLY enough in the primer pocket to work on the first strike on it. I would however clean the bolt/firing pin channel and lube with light oil just because.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I don't think Federal Rifle primers are any more sensitive than others. The CCI Benchrest primers are one of the most reliable primers on the market. If it did not fire the first time but did on a second strike it's was most likely a primer not seated completely. The temps you were hunting in were not very cold either. I'm fairly sure it was a improperly seated primer. Like I said, the CCI Benchrest primers are super high quality.

 

[mcb]

Federal small pistol are more sensitive in my experience. I had my S&W 610 tuned where it would only run Federal primers reliably. I would get at least one failure to ignite in almost every cylinder with any other primer, factory loaded or reloaded.

But given the story told by the OP it sounds like the most probable cause is a high primer.

 

[GunAdmirer]

Interesting that several of you suggested a high primer. I had not considered that possibility, I seat the primers with a seating die by feel. Maybe so. I thought maybe it was crud in the firing pin mechanism or excessive headspace. The rifle was bought new in 1995 and hasn’t been fired much. I recently inherited it from an older friend and it was in pristine condition. I’ve fired it more than he did. It has always fired reliably and hasn’t been exposed to dirty conditions. I will be more careful about primer depth.

 

[stringnut]

You didn't say what kind of rifle you were using. Bolt, semi, lever. At 33 degrees virtually all oil is fluid enough to allow a good firing pin hit in a bolt action. However, you never know what it may have been used on it in the past. I saw a bolt on a Model 700 that had to be soaked in diesel fuel before the firing pin would come out! No rust just kind of a black goo. Levers and semi auto don't seem to strike the primer as hard to me and and are more sensitive to being clean. My only misfired were when I first started loading ammo 40 years ago and were due to not seating the primers deep enough.

 

[Kaldor]

CCI 200s here in 308. Never had an issue even at 10 below. BRs actually have a slightly thicker cup IIRC, but are generally regarded as some of, if not the best primers out there.

As @Nature Boy said, check your bolt.

 

[GunAdmirer]

The rifle in question is a Remington 700. It was purchased in the mid 90’s but almost never shot. I inherited it from an old friend a month ago. I bet he only shot 5 rounds with it (I was with him 9 years ago). It was clean and in 99% condition when it was given to me. I’ve shot about 20 rounds since I got it.

 

[Hondo 60]

Are Federal brand large Rifle primers more sensitive than other brands?

In my own personal experience, I'd say yes!

The cups seem softer & the compound seems a bit less stable.
I've 2 or 3 primers go off while trying to seat 'em.
It's only been Feds. Never had any other brand do that.

Just my 2¢ worth. YMMV

 

[FN in MT]

Have a Smith or someone who knows what they are doing...take the bolt apart and degrease. THAT is your issue.,......unless your primers were VERY high and not seated properly.
Twenty year old rifle, the maintenance of which is a mystery. Degrease the bolt.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Didn't every one see what the OP said in his first post? He said the round fired on a second strike. That is almost always an indication of a improperly seated primer. Add the fact a second round he fired after the failure all fired correctly only strengthens that line of thinking.

 

[30Cal]

I would put my money on it being WD-40 varnish or other gunk the bolt over an actual issue with a primer.

 

[GunAdmirer]

I fired three rounds, one handload and two factory loads, without a problem this afternoon. The primers show strong indention. I’m going to chalk it up to a high or faulty primer. I’ll also have the bolt checked eventually. I understand disassembly of the bolt requires a tool.

 

[243winxb]

Old oil will slow the velocity of the firing pin, causing a misfire in cool weather. Same with new rifles when the bolt has not been cleaned.

Federal primer msds lists Nitroglycerin , other brands dont.

 

[MislMan]

Just a thought, once at your hunting site parking spot, dry fire your rifle (ensure empty) a couple of times to limber things up. May or may not help with any form of stiction in the bolt. Then proceed to your hunting blind or area.