Thread: Light Primer Strikes

Originally Posted by Jim356

Hi all,

Im having a problem with my Remington 700 doing light strikes on primers. I have just got my 280 AI up and running and was doing a ladder test when every 1in 5 rounds was not firing as the firing pin was not hitting hard/deep enough for ignition. I am using CCI 250 magnum primers as it was all I could get my hands on at the time with Peterson brass. I have done some testing around headspace and am confident that has nothing to do with the issue. Firing pin assembly looks cleaned with no gunk build up in it so can't see a major issue there. Firing pin assembly is a light weigh one supplied and installed by Gunworks.

With a few peaces of the brass that misfired I reprimed them making sure they were seated as deep as they could go to see if the firing pin was actually seating the primers further into the case. Off the 4 rounds 1 misfired again but I am not confident this is out of the equation.

I do have some federal gold match large rifle primers on the way to test as I have read that CCI primer are supposedly harder than the rest.

This is a new issue as I am not the first owner of this rifle. I had not shot this gun before getting it reamed into 280 AI but would imagine this problem only came about since I have owned this rifle.

Anyone have some suggestions of how to troubleshoot or where to go form here?

@Jim356

Did you recently swap stocks?

Lower the bolt handle all the way and pay attention to where it contacts the receiver, take the action out of the stock and check again to see if it is lowering the same amount.

Sometimes there is excess stock material between the bolt and receiver, preventing 100% contact, which will rob inertia from your firing pin.

If this is the case, file the bolt handle notch of the stock down with a file and hey presto.

I’ll have a look see if there is contact in there

You have any rain up there at the moment @caberslash ?
Ruined my stalk down here this evening.

How does it go on factory ammo if you can get it. How do you seat your primers? This is qlso classic FTF from primers not seated fully.

Originally Posted by Sideshow

You have any rain up there at the moment @caberslash ?
Ruined my stalk down here this evening.

No, thankfully.

Will gladly exchange your rain for this shitty North-North East wind we are getting up here!

Originally Posted by caberslash

No, thankfully.

Will gladly exchange your rain for this shitty North-North East wind we are getting up here!

Yeah that’s got to be a little on the cool side for you! I need to take at least five more roe bucks to get my numbers down before the rut.
But the weather, walkers and they aren’t playing ball

anyone else think those primers are seated rather deeply???? might just be angle of photo but I reckon if you placed a ruler across base there would be 1/2mm gap.... could just be the champher showing up well in photo,but????maybe????

Originally Posted by johnd

How does it go on factory ammo if you can get it. How do you seat your primers? This is qlso classic FTF from primers not seated fully.

The problem would be getting the ammo to try

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

anyone else think those primers are seated rather deeply???? might just be angle of photo but I reckon if you placed a ruler across base there would be 1/2mm gap.... could just be the champher showing up well in photo,but????maybe????

Ill try seat some about as shallow as i can and see what happens

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

anyone else think those primers are seated rather deeply???? might just be angle of photo but I reckon if you placed a ruler across base there would be 1/2mm gap.... could just be the champher showing up well in photo,but????maybe????

No, never a good idea to 'under seat' a primer. The anvil in a Boxer primer needs to be 'set' by the priming arm pushing into the cup slightly.

A standard Rem 700 will correct firing pin protrusion will strike them just fine.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

anyone else think those primers are seated rather deeply???? might just be angle of photo but I reckon if you placed a ruler across base there would be 1/2mm gap.... could just be the champher showing up well in photo,but????maybe????

Well made sure to seat primers just below flush, less pressure/depth than I usually than I usually would and had a 80% misfire rate

hmmm so no better??? wonder if they are deeper than normal primer pockets??? using lee hand priming tool I can feel when primer touches bottom,stop pushing and very very seldom had an issue.... something definately weird going on here..... pity you so far away or would give you some other primers to try.... @Curtis27 or anyone else close by,can you help this fella out with dozen to try???

Would not be lose primmer pockets? As the pin strikes it pushes the primmer into the pocket? I’m thinking no as then it would fire the next time around but….maybe?

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

hmmm so no better??? wonder if they are deeper than normal primer pockets??? using lee hand priming tool I can feel when primer touches bottom,stop pushing and very very seldom had an issue.... something definately weird going on here..... pity you so far away or would give you some other primers to try.... @Curtis27 or anyone else close by,can you help this fella out with dozen to try???

Got a mate with some different primers hopefully try tomorrow and go form there. Next step will be firing pin and/or spring replacement

See if he has different brass too.
Try some factory rounds that way you can take the rifle out of the equation.