OT: Reposted here: Misfiring in the .357

[Scott64A]

I posted this at the original forum, and got a few replies. I was able to read a few of those replies, but that poor forum is acting up, so I reposted it here and apologize if you already read/posted to it.

Posted - 12/11/2007 : 4:11:57 PM
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I loaded some once fired brass today with 14.0 gr Lilgun, and capped them with 140gr JHPs.

I took a friend of mine to the range, as he was very interested in shooting, (He owns a Marlin 336 in .30-30 and is interested in reloading,).

Well, after looking at a link I found in another handgun shooting "help" thread here, I was ready to try some of the techniques described on the web page.

I loaded 6 in the cylinder of the Ruger BH and slow-fired from a modified Weaver stance at 20 feet. The first bullet hit the bullseye. The second I pushed low and left, so I took a deep breath and reset the stance. I fired four more: one was touching shot number one, and three were touching 3/4" away from the first shot.

So I shot a dead on 1-1/4" group at 20 feet, and have found my groove with this gun.
I let the youngster try it, and coached him a little. His first one went low and left. I told him to try and "roll" the trigger over, nice and slow. He shot one dead center!

His next shot went "Ffft!"

I had him keep the barrel aimed downrange, and took the gun from him.
I waited a minute, and then went through and popped out the shells and bullets. The round that misfired had left a lot of clumped up powder in the cylinder, so I tapped it out. I removed the cylinder and saw the bullet lodged not 1/16" from the throat of the barrel.

Hmph.

We packed it in and went to my house. I got an aluminum shaft from an old arrow I had laying around and I popped the bullet out and cleaned the gun. The bore looked fine, all shiny and clean.

I calle dmy dad and he thinks it's a bad primer. He said it probably had just enough oomph to push everything out of the case but not anough flash to set the powder off. I hadn't had any problems with this can of powder so far, so I tend to agree.

The cases were all clean and inspected by me befroe priming and loading, and none of it got wet or anything.

My question to all: Does this sound like a bad primer?

Feel free to mull it over with me.



Love Your Lever.

[centershot]

Scott,
No. It sounds more like a contaminated powder charge to me. A primer (with no powder loaded in the case) has enough power to push a bullet out of the case and lodge it in the bore. In your case, the primer pushed the bullet AND the powder out, but the added resistance of the powder prevented pushing the bullet through the forcing cone (If I am understanding your description of what happened). Perhaps there was some fluid or lubricant in the case when you dropped the powder charge into it during the loading process. If the primer had been defective, I really doubt it would have had enough force to expel the contents of the case.

[Scott64A]

Well, I loaded these this afternoon, and am 99% sure the cases were clean, though they sat unprimed and uncharged in a loading tray for near two weeks. Maybe something fell in it? Like a bug? I don't know, but the replies I got before posting it here pointed out Lilgun's usefulness for bullets at 158gr and above.

I'm going to pull the whole batch and load 18 or 19gr of the same powder instead. Then I'll pick up some Unique or something for lighter bullets.

Hodgson doesn't list Lilgun with any bullets under 158gr, so I guess I learned a lesson here.

[centershot]

Hmmmmm............ you may be correct about that, 14.0 gr is a moderately heavy charge for a 180 gr bullet (I load 14.0 with the Hornady 180 JHP), but it is REALLY light for a 140. I load 18.0 gr under 158's with very good results, 14 may have produced a squib load in your case. If you want a high velocity load for that 140, try some 2400 or Blue Dot, they have both worked well for me in the past.