Primer strikes

[El Chivo]

Well, I recently tested my first 30-30 loads, and at least half of them would not go off the first time due to light strikes on the primer. Most went off the second time, two required three strikes. No duds.

This is with a Win 94 Ranger with rebounding hammer. I have had a few misfires in the past with Remington ammo, but more like one in 20, not half.

I am using CCI primers, and our store carries both Federal and Remington.

Is there a difference in sensitivity of the primers? Which brand are easier to set off?

I'm going to have the trigger worked on anyway, but I'm curious about different brands.

[PPpastordon]

Yes, there is a difference. I like CCI, but they seem to be the hardest, the most difficult to ignite. My past response has been to make my firearm hit harder - or get a different firearm.
Grace and Peace.

[20cows]

...with rebounding hammer.

I'd install a half-cock hammer assembly (see the one sticky for how), just because I prefer that system. I expect the light hammer strike would go away with that.

[1886]

Dumb question but I have to ask. Are the primers seated fully? I own numerous 86s and a 95 with the rebounding hammer feature and have yet to have a light striker issue. I seat all primers with a hand priming tool and can feel the primer seat in the pocket and can accurately apply consistent preload on the primer. I like CCI-300 primers with many of my leverguns loads. This primer being a large pistol primer is shorter than the large rifle variety. This should actually aggrevate light striker issues. No problems to date with many hundreds of rounds fired except some pierced primers on my 86 T.D. .45-90. If I had light striker issues how could the striker pierce the primers? I have read where others have had issues however and primer seating depth always comes to mind. Just one guys experience and I am by no means the last word on any subject. 1886.

[Hobie]

I use CCI primers almost exclusively and have yet to have but one light strike issue. That was with a TC Contender and the hammer springs on those will have issues after a while. Theoretically, a rebounding hammer could have light strikes because of how it works. So, some have solved the problem by switching to the old standard hammer and spring system.

[J Miller]

sobenk,

Since you have misfires with factory ammo you have a gun related problem, and a reload problem.

Since it has had misfires with Remington factory ammo, you need to get it looked at. It should not do this. Burrs, misfit parts, rough mating surfaces will all work against this rebounding hammer action.
Over the last several years there have been many threads about this. Many cures too.
From totally replacing the action with the older one, to carefull polishing and smoothing up the existing parts.
What ever you need to do to correct the misfires needs to be done.

Now, your reloads are showing symptoms of improperly seated primers. You've got a problem with the action having light strikes in the first place, so it does not have enough power to complete the seating of the primer and fire it.
You need to seat all the primers below flush. You can check this with a straight edge by laying across the case head over the primer and holding it up to the light. You will see quickly if the primer is proud, level, or below flush.
If you're using a hand priming tool you might need to use two hands to get a consistent feel for it.

If your rifle is functioning properly, and you get the primers seated properly it won't matter what brand of primers you use.

Joe

[El Chivo]

I was going for flush seating on the primers, checking with the ruler some are a little above.

I use the RCBS priming press, and I did push pretty hard on some of them. They don't go in as easily as pistol primers do.

But that would make sense if the first strike is pushing the primer in the rest of the way, so the second strike works.

[Modoc ED]

For what it's worth.

I have a Winchester Model 94AE .30-30 Ranger and it has mis-fired two times. Both times were with Factory ammo (Winchester Super X 170gr PP) and the mis-fires happened when shooting off a sandbag rest off the bench. I've never had a mis-fire off the bench when shooting from the shoulder with a firm grasp on the rifle, the lever tightly engaged against the stock, and the rifle pulled firmly into the shoulder and I've never had a mis-fire with handloaded ammo.

Just what does that prove. Danged if I know. I'm just putting it out there. I suspect an infirm grip on the lever with just enough pressure to release the grip safety per-sey may have something to do with a light strike from the bench as myself and most guys I know don't hold onto their rifles at the bench with as firm a grip as if they were in the field.

[win92]

I was going for flush seating on the primers, checking with the ruler some are a little above.

I use the RCBS priming press, and I did push pretty hard on some of them. They don't go in as easily as pistol primers do.

But that would make sense if the first strike is pushing the primer in the rest of the way, so the second strike works.[/quote]

Primers need to be seated all the way down for best performance. With the anvil legs touching the bottom of the pocket for maximum sensitivity.
Seating for flush could well be your problem