Ruger #1 Miss-Fire?

[Mainehunter]

I have been having some issues with my custom 35 Whelen Ruger #1 as of late. I pretty much know the issue is headspace and have researched they do have issues with miss-firing. I'm using Hornady brass but even with new, unsized brass compared to fired brass, the difference is around .020. That's a lot in my opinion. So far, I'm trying out fire formed brass and just neck sizing seems to be the trick but still need to do more testing. This is my first attempt on reloading for the Ruger #1 and wanted to share and thoughts that you may have.

Mainehunter

[GunnyMack]

Define your misfire,
Light firing pin strike?
Heavy strike?
Will it go off after a second hit? Are your primers seated correctly?

If you are getting light strikes then it mechanical or headspace is excessive.
Heavy strike it's a primer issue.

What primers are you using? Try Federal Gold Medal.

I'd take it apart, make certain the firing pin channel is not burred, firing pin has no burrs, hammer spring is not broken, check sear engagement allows hammer to fall freely. Make sure the extractor & extractor cut is clean . Degrease all internals, lightly lube all pivot points.

Granted my #1 has been 100% reliable with every factory or reload I've put through it.

[Rockrat]

Sounds like your "smith" ran the reamer in a bit too far. Bought an O3A3 barreled action from a guy once and turned out he had lapped the lugs so much, the headspace was off and it wouldn't fire any '06 ammo. I had to fireform brass for that gun only. Was a royal pain, so just stuck it in a corner.
As far as mis-fires, I do have one #1 that has misfired since new. Headspace is OK, but will only fire at its best, half the time. Tried different primers, but no change. When it shoots , its very accurate. Can't trust it hunting though. Sent it to Ruger, on my dime, but they sent it back saying it was fine. Went from misfiring 70% of the time, to about half the time. Can put a breechblock from another #1, in the gun, and it works 100% of the time. Go figure.

[Mainehunter]

Define your misfire,
Light firing pin strike?
Heavy strike?
Will it go off after a second hit? Are your primers seated correctly?

If you are getting light strikes then it mechanical or headspace is excessive.
Heavy strike it's a primer issue.

What primers are you using? Try Federal Gold Medal.

I'd take it apart, make certain the firing pin channel is not burred, firing pin has no burrs, hammer spring is not broken, check sear engagement allows hammer to fall freely. Make sure the extractor & extractor cut is clean . Degrease all internals, lightly lube all pivot points.

Granted my #1 has been 100% reliable with every factory or reload I've put through it.

Light primer strike
won't go off on the second hit

CCI primer

Took it apart, cleaned, reassembled, still miss-fire.

I've reached out to the gunsmith, and he did suggest to send it back. He would pull the barrel and set it back a thread. I'm seriously considering sending it back to him.

[44shooter]

[/quote]

I've reached out to the gunsmith, and he did suggest to send it back. He would pull the barrel and set it back a thread. I'm seriously considering sending it back to him.
[/quote]

That is the best thing to do in the long run. You could try to neck up to 9.3mm or .375 and then partially neck size back to .358 and create headspace at the neck/shoulder junction, but cutting the breech back will make things much more simple.

[GunnyMack]

Yes, setting it back a turn is the best thing to do, its definitely excessive head space. Send it!

[drone]

Quite often the problem is the interruptor, if the lever doesn't push this in far enough (put this down to the nut holding the lever as I've done it twice in the last 5 years) if it's not that then there needs to be some adjustment made.
The good thing about this issue - yes every cloud has a silver lining - is you rapidly discover if you have flinchitis.
Look at the tear down drawings to understand the mechanics of the system then figure the problem back from there.
Just my 0,02$.

[cas]

Is this brass you've fired before? Or first time shooting it?

I've never owned a 35W, but do have a 375H/S and as mentioned above, I can't just neck up -06 brass, I have to go larger and make a false shoulder for it to headspace off of for the first fire forming loads. (Of course this is a semi "improved" version of the 375/06, so the shoulder is a smidgen farther forward.

[Mainehunter]

Is this brass you've fired before? Or first time shooting it?

I've never owned a 35W, but do have a 375H/S and as mentioned above, I can't just neck up -06 brass, I have to go larger and make a false shoulder for it to headspace off of for the first fire forming loads. (Of course this is a semi "improved" version of the 375/06, so the shoulder is a smidgen farther forward.

Hornady brass, first time using them.

I recently talked to the gunsmith because I was curious what the thread pitch was on the #1 and he said it was 1/16th so that's .0625. He's going to give it a full turn but I'm wondering if that's too much? I only need like .020 +/- .003. I'm going to send him some dummy rounds so he can check the chambering, but I have a funny feeling it won't close but you would think he should have a set of GO/NO-GO gauges in 35 Whelen.

Mainehunter

[GunnyMack]

He has to go a full turn, extractor cut has to line up again. As well as the forend hanger. So he has to set it back then chase the chamber and hopefully he can get it right for your ammo. And YES he should have used GO /NO-GO gauges. Wait is this an
'improved ' chamber? When using the improved version of a cartridge the norm is to treat the GO as the no-go and an unfired case as the GO. That give just a touch of crush upon closing. When I did my 257 AI I used a factory Roberts that I pulled the bullet and powder.

[Mainehunter]

He has to go a full turn, extractor cut has to line up again. As well as the forend hanger. So he has to set it back then chase the chamber and hopefully he can get it right for your ammo. And YES he should have used GO /NO-GO gauges. Wait is this an
'improved ' chamber? When using the improved version of a cartridge the norm is to treat the GO as the no-go and an unfired case as the GO. That give just a touch of crush upon closing. When I did my 257 AI I used a factory Roberts that I pulled the bullet and powder.

No, it's not an improved 35 Whelen. I understand why he has to do give it a full turn because of other "alignment" issues. I just wished he paid a little more attention to when the chamber was cut. When I first alerted there was an issue with the light primer strikes and headspace issues, it sounded like he didn't cut the chamber himself and it was another gunsmith that did it.

Mainehunter

[GunnyMack]

Ah gotcha! Still the head space should have been correct before it was returned to you ! Trying to pull a fast one? Make darn sure he/ they foot the bill for their screw-up.