Had My First Reloaded Shot Shells Failure In A Long Time

[woodyz]

Recently took my Grandson to shoot his 20 gauge and used a box of shells I had reloaded about 2 years ago.

Tried about 10 and got 2 to fire. Hummmmm, not something that happens to me very often. First I thought it was his firing pin. He has the ROSSI triple in .22/,243/12 w/ a .410 insert. So I put the .22 barrel on and the firing pin was fine.

These were stored in a storage building without temp control, but in an ammo box with O2 absorbers, but I was thinking they must have gotten wet.

So I got a fresher box and we fired all of them with no problems.

Looking into the problem today it just didn't seem likely moisture was the problem. I took more of the boxes from the same loading session and 3 more boxes had some of the same issue. But only 3 boxes.

So I tore some of the shells apart and used some of the components over again.

What I think I found was a bad batch of primers. Seems just one lot of 100 was the issue.

I do remember around the time of that reload we were having a primer shortage. I couldn't find large rifle primers for several months and when I bought some by mail order I got some shotgun primers at the same time from the same location I had never used before.

For some reloading I keep notes on the box about the loads, but not on just run of the mill reloads and never on shotgun shells.

All I do is put the date on the outside of the case. I have long ago reached the point where I pretty much use the same formula for a given load. The exception being when I have to deviate from my tried and true loads due to using a strang/different component.

While I am on the subject I also have worked up my loads where I can use the same powder as much as possible. For example I use IMR 700x for all of my shot shell reloading and for all of my pistol reloads. I will agree there are better powders to use for competition etc. but it suits by purpose for a generic powder. My .243/.30 06/.308/7.62x39 all use IMR 4831 powder. The only exception is I have some .308 long distance specific loads I still use Varget, 4064 powder.

[USCGME2]

Off brand 209's or were they Winchester?

[woodyz]

off brand

[USCGME2]

Off brand primer have given troubles with squib loads before. i stock up and use Winchester 209s almost exclusively

[woodyz]

I use win primers in all of my "normal" reloads, but at the time I got these I couldn't find any win WLR primers. So I found some off brand on the intranet and since the shipping wasn't going to change I bought some of their shotgun primers at the same time.

I bought a lot of 1000 and only had one box of 100 that were bad.

By my normal loads I mean what I shoot everyday. When I load some of my 400 yard .243 and 800 yard .308 I use federal 210 primers. Its like a voodoo ritual when I load for long distance, everything is always the same and every case/charge/etc has to be perfect. I weigh the bullets and only use a lot that are exactly equal. My wife accuses me of counting the grains of powder (I don't count the grains but I do weigh the charge 3 different times) Don't really know why the load uses federal primers except it always has clear back to the early 80's when I worked the loads up.

But when I load to just shoot I am a little less anal/superstious and use the WLR primers saving my federals for "special" loads.

[USCGME2]

While we are on primers, what is your feeling on using magnum pistol primers (CCI) 550 vs 500's in a 38 special plinking/target load? I do have about 700 regular ones but, like a dummy I bought 1K of the mag primers by mistake. Im wanting to use Alliant American Select and 158 gr lead RN. If you have suggestions on a recipie Im all ears. I'd be using my GP 100 3" stainless six gun. It handles 357's with ease so Im not overly worried about blowing it out, but I still dont want overpressure issues anyway.

[woodyz]

I know nothing about 38 or 357 reloading, pistols I reload 9mm and very few .45. I was looking at some .380 dia's today but I don't think I will reload them either. I reload 12ga in shotgun because I want the capability, I don't think its cost effective. I load .243/30 06/.308/7.62x39 in rifle.

I know 7.62x39 are cheap and I buy them by the case, but I like to reload a hunting load and a sub-sonic load in them.

The .243 I have only shot my own reloads in for so long I don't think it would take anything else. I load .308 for long range and I load 30 06 because I have the dia's and have several people who shoot them. I think a 3006 is the most versatile caliber existing. I can load it for varmints or for a moose. Some people think a .243 is too small for game but I have shot mule deer and elk with mine and never gave it a second thought. Just an 85 grain BTHP but placed in the neck or eye it might as well be a sledge hammer.

I have killed deer with my .243 out to 400 yards and bob-cats at 300 it just works for me. The only reason I even bother with a .308 any more is I just got used to shooting it in the Marine Corps. Can't shoot it into an ace of spades at 800 yards any more with my eyes but I still like its consistency/predictability at long range.

Sorry got off track.