Misfires?

[Jevyod]

I loaded up some loads for my 8mm Mauser ( 1918 K98) About half of them did not fire the first time. After two or three tries, they did eventually fire. What is the likely culprit? Would it be the primers? I was using CCI 200.

[steve4102]

Nine times out of nine this is caused by a high primer, one that has not been seated fully to bottom out in the primer pocket. The first attempt the firing pin seats the primer deeper, the second attempt sets it off.

[William T. Watts]

Firing pin/firing pin spring, CCI has the hardest cup, Federal primers the softest. I think the primary cause is your firing pin spring, check your firing pin too it may have been damage in the past and someone cleaned up the tip. You might try Federal LP (if you can find them) and fix your failure to fire problem if the spring is weak.. William.

[mehavey]

If commercial and/or milsurp ammunition fires reliably, and you have double-checked that the
primers in reloads are bottomed out firmly, consider also "the possibility" that you might be
oversizing the case relative to the chamber.**

If you are fully sizing (down to shell-holder and then some), can you put succesive pieces
of scotch tape on the base of case and still close the bolt?




** I realize that the extractor "should" hold the case close enough to the bolt face to prevent
movement, but if there's a little extra clearance........

[Slamfire]

Have you taken the firing pin out of the bolt and cleaned out all the grease and gunk out from the insides of the bolt?

Then, have you installed a new mainspring? I can guarantee that after 60 to 70 years of compression, that mainspring has taken a set.

I buy the lowest pound (I think 20 lb) Mauser spring that Wolff makes and install them in my Mausers. It makes a difference.

[LarryFlew]

plus 1 for primers not seated all the way in. The extra hits are pushing the primer to the seat and then they do fire.