Help Troubleshooting Misfires

crashmore · December 21, 2008, 05:30 PM

I'm just getting started reloading and could use some advice in troubleshooting misfires.

I have a dillon 550 up and running with tool heads for both 9mm and 45acp setup. A friend of mine did my setup on the 9mm and I did the setup for the 45. I've had no problems with any of the 9mm I've loaded up but am having occasional misfires (where the primer doesn't go off) with my .45 loads.

If I put them back through a 2nd time they generally fire ok. Since I did the setup on my .45 toolhead myself and am very much a rookie, I'm somewhat paranoid I've done something wrong in my setup.

I've searched the forums here and read that many times this is caused by the primer not being seated all the way. Today when loading some rounds to practice with, I tried to focus on making sure I was consistently pushing the lever forward all the way to be sure I was seating the primer correctly. I think I may have cut down on my number of misfires but I still had maybe 4 out of 200. These all fired fine when I ran them through a second time.

Is there anything else I should check to troubleshoot? I'm thinking I still may not be consistently seating them properly but I'd like to rule out any other possibilities.

I am also pretty sure it's not my pistol as a buddy of mine who took some of my rounds to chrony for me had a few that did the same thing through his pistol.

Currently I'm using mixed brass, mostly winchester whitebox stuff I had saved before I started reloading. Winchester primers, titegroup and berry's plated bullets.

Any general advice would be greatly appreciated.

Alleykat · December 21, 2008, 05:32 PM

I've had some trouble over the years with Win LP primers. I'm loading on a 650, so I don't know how the priming system works on the 550. I had to do some shimming on my 650, in order to get the primers seated deeply enough.

kraigwy · December 21, 2008, 05:43 PM

Tell me about your crimp. Are you using a roll crimp or a taper crimp. Something to look at if you are using a roll crimp. You crimp them too hard you screw up the headspace (45s headspace on the mouth of the case). What could be happening is your cases are going in the chamber too far, not allowing the firing pin enough reach to set off the primer. This is just a guess since I can't see them from here. But you mentioned you carefuly tried them again and got them to work. Sometimes the extractor will hold the case allowing them to be fired anyway.

Just something to look at if you are using a roll crimp.

glicerin · December 21, 2008, 07:03 PM

You're probably using a taper crimp and it can be over-applied causing mouth of case to be u'size, same effect as roll crimp-bad headspace and fail to fire. Case should end up basically parellel for last 1/2 inch. or possibly tapering down only one or two thousandths of an inch. Could you have overly dirty primer pockets? Primers should be from flush with case head to 2-4 thou below. Try a knife edge or steel rule across primed case, hold up to strong light. Proper primers? don't want rifle or pistol-mag primers. Did you change the primer punch from small to large? Read a loading book, study and evaluate, good luck

Shoney · December 21, 2008, 07:28 PM

If a primer is not seated all the way down, the firing pin will strie it and seat it without dtonating it, the second strike usually does. Not seating primers completely is a common mistake for beginning reloaders.

Wait at least 30 seconds to a minute, then look at the primer to see if the firing pin has dented the cup. If the unfired primer has a light indentation, you may have a weak spring. If the unfired primer has a fairly deep indentation, you didn't seat the primer fully. This presumes that it will detonate on a second strike.

crashmore · December 21, 2008, 09:16 PM

Thanks for all the input.

I'm using the dillan dies which is a taper crimp. I just checked my crimp with my mic and it was about 2 thousands. From what I was told and the research I was doing here I was trying to make sure I wasn't over crimping.

I don't think my primer pockets are excessively dirty. Most of what I have used has been once fired.

I think I'm getting decent dent from the firing pin on the misfires. I'm guessing that that first strike is finishing the seating as suggested and then it fires ok the next go round. I'll do as suggested and check the seated depth tomorrow.

December 21, 2008, 05:30 PM	#1
crashmore Junior Member Join Date: December 21, 2008 Posts: 2	Help Troubleshooting Misfires I'm just getting started reloading and could use some advice in troubleshooting misfires. I have a dillon 550 up and running with tool heads for both 9mm and 45acp setup. A friend of mine did my setup on the 9mm and I did the setup for the 45. I've had no problems with any of the 9mm I've loaded up but am having occasional misfires (where the primer doesn't go off) with my .45 loads. If I put them back through a 2nd time they generally fire ok. Since I did the setup on my .45 toolhead myself and am very much a rookie, I'm somewhat paranoid I've done something wrong in my setup. I've searched the forums here and read that many times this is caused by the primer not being seated all the way. Today when loading some rounds to practice with, I tried to focus on making sure I was consistently pushing the lever forward all the way to be sure I was seating the primer correctly. I think I may have cut down on my number of misfires but I still had maybe 4 out of 200. These all fired fine when I ran them through a second time. Is there anything else I should check to troubleshoot? I'm thinking I still may not be consistently seating them properly but I'd like to rule out any other possibilities. I am also pretty sure it's not my pistol as a buddy of mine who took some of my rounds to chrony for me had a few that did the same thing through his pistol. Currently I'm using mixed brass, mostly winchester whitebox stuff I had saved before I started reloading. Winchester primers, titegroup and berry's plated bullets. Any general advice would be greatly appreciated.

December 21, 2008, 05:43 PM	#3
kraigwy Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2008 Location: Wyoming Posts: 11,061	Tell me about your crimp. Are you using a roll crimp or a taper crimp. Something to look at if you are using a roll crimp. You crimp them too hard you screw up the headspace (45s headspace on the mouth of the case). What could be happening is your cases are going in the chamber too far, not allowing the firing pin enough reach to set off the primer. This is just a guess since I can't see them from here. But you mentioned you carefuly tried them again and got them to work. Sometimes the extractor will hold the case allowing them to be fired anyway. Just something to look at if you are using a roll crimp. __________________ Kraig Stuart CPT USAR Ret USAMU Sniper School Distinguished Rifle Badge 1071

December 21, 2008, 07:28 PM	#5
Shoney Senior Member Join Date: February 21, 2002 Location: Transplanted from Montana Posts: 2,311	If a primer is not seated all the way down, the firing pin will strie it and seat it without dtonating it, the second strike usually does. Not seating primers completely is a common mistake for beginning reloaders. Wait at least 30 seconds to a minute, then look at the primer to see if the firing pin has dented the cup. If the unfired primer has a light indentation, you may have a weak spring. If the unfired primer has a fairly deep indentation, you didn't seat the primer fully. This presumes that it will detonate on a second strike. __________________ I pledge allegiance to the Flag - - -, and to the Republic for which it stands….Our Forefathers were brilliant for giving us a Republic, not a democracy! Do you know the difference??? and WHY?http://www.wallbuilders.com/LIBissue...les.asp?id=111

December 21, 2008, 05:32 PM	#2
Alleykat Junior member Join Date: July 26, 2007 Posts: 3,668	I've had some trouble over the years with Win LP primers. I'm loading on a 650, so I don't know how the priming system works on the 550. I had to do some shimming on my 650, in order to get the primers seated deeply enough.

December 21, 2008, 07:03 PM	#4
glicerin Member Join Date: October 9, 2006 Location: Northern Ontario Posts: 36	You're probably using a taper crimp and it can be over-applied causing mouth of case to be u'size, same effect as roll crimp-bad headspace and fail to fire. Case should end up basically parellel for last 1/2 inch. or possibly tapering down only one or two thousandths of an inch. Could you have overly dirty primer pockets? Primers should be from flush with case head to 2-4 thou below. Try a knife edge or steel rule across primed case, hold up to strong light. Proper primers? don't want rifle or pistol-mag primers. Did you change the primer punch from small to large? Read a loading book, study and evaluate, good luck

December 21, 2008, 09:16 PM	#6
crashmore Junior Member Join Date: December 21, 2008 Posts: 2	Thanks for all the input. I'm using the dillan dies which is a taper crimp. I just checked my crimp with my mic and it was about 2 thousands. From what I was told and the research I was doing here I was trying to make sure I wasn't over crimping. I don't think my primer pockets are excessively dirty. Most of what I have used has been once fired. I think I'm getting decent dent from the firing pin on the misfires. I'm guessing that that first strike is finishing the seating as suggested and then it fires ok the next go round. I'll do as suggested and check the seated depth tomorrow.