Took the M-39 out to the range to try out some of my handloads today. The first three of the 110gr. loads were great, #4 was a hangfire, #5 resulted in a squib with the bullet lodged barely in the leade but too tight to dislodge without external means. What is really strange is that there was a large plug of powder stuck together like it had been wet or something. I'm going to break down the remaining 15 loads to see if I can figure out what happened. It seems like a powder prob. since the primer obviously popped or the bullet wouldn't have moved out of the case but these are new cases, fully prepped, and assembled with only Lee lube on the outside and inner neck (very light). I can't see any way that they would've been had any moisture in them.
there could be the possibility of too much lube contaminating the powder. im kind of anal about such things so i tumble a second time after lube and sizing. good luck sorting this out.
You handload Nagants? Are the shells rather expensive? :uzi:
...if you insist on shooting Norma...
If you only want a plinking rifle the milsurp stuff is cheap. SOG sells silvertips for less than $3 a box. If you want to shoot MOA, reloading is recomended to find the load your rifle likes best.
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You handload Nagants? Are the shells rather expensive? :uzi:
Not really, I just like having the added variety of being able to build a load for a specific purpose such as the aforementioned 110 gr. H.P. varmint loads. I haven't tried to figure my handloading costs yet, but I'm sure they fall somewhere between surplus and S&B or Win.
sounds weird you would need a LOT of lubricant to foul a full charge of powder.
How long had the cartrige in question been loaded?
What kind of powder was it?
sounds weird you would need a LOT of lubricant to foul a full charge of powder.
How long had the cartrige in question been loaded?
What kind of powder was it?
This particular load is 47 gr. of Accurate 2520 behind a 110 gr. Sierra H.P. Varminter in new Grafs cases using CCI large rifle primers. I load these using only a trace amount of Lee lube which dries really fast. I keep all of my powder sealed in the original containers in a cool area and there is no sign of moisture in the remainder of this can. These have been loaded for around three months and kept in a MTM Case-Gard ammo box.
You described the exact same thing that happened to me. It looked like the powder had been wet but I knew it wasnt. It was not contaminated by lube or moisture.
I switched from CCI primers to Federal and never had the problem again.
I know others may disagree but it worked for me.
You described the exact same thing that happened to me. It looked like the powder had been wet but I knew it wasnt. It was not contaminated by lube or moisture.
I switched from CCI primers to Federal and never had the problem again.
I know others may disagree but it worked for me.
Thanks for the input Snakebite, that is one of the theories that I'm going to test. I tried a burn test on the lump of powder that came out of the case and it burned just as well as the powder right out of the can. I compared it to a known good sample of Win. 760 and it burned almost identical although the 760 burned a little slower. I'm going to try the same load with Win. primers and I'm tempted to try magnum primers if all else fails. The bad thing is, if it is a primer prob., I've also got 25 rds. of 180 gr. loads with the same primers that will prob. need to be fixed. Ahh, the joys of handloading !
Gosh it sounds impossible the primer fired and didnt ignight the powder.........
check the hole in the primer pocket maybe?
I am at a loss................
its a mystery wrapped in an enigma shrouded in silence wrapped in an enigma beyond understanding not abideing to the laws of man and nature, wrapped in ..........well you know.
I agree with Snakebite's choice of primers but I'd still question the powder quality out of the 'can' or the amount of the powder charge.
Although primers can go bad under some conditions it takes far, far more for them to go bad than it would be for mis-cared for powder and storage, improper charge quanity, etc.
How old is the powder?
Is it in the original sunlight blocking container?
Was the container kept tightly closed (especially on high humidity days)?
Did you buy the powder from a store (and not given to you or sold by an individual to you - could it be that two different powders got mixed some how)?
Did you personally load the rounds without help?
Did you put the necessary amount of powder in the charge (no half charges, etc.)?
Those are just a few of the questions I'd first ask myself before suspecting lube was the culprit.
For me to suspect lube would mean that one-heck-of-a-lot of lube would have been used.
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Well, I broke down the remaining loads last night,and found absolutely nothing wrong with any of them. The powder charges all weighed within 1\10 of 47 gr., no sign of moisture or lube fouling, etc... I changed to Win. primers and am going to try them again tomorrow. I also whipped up a few 150 gr. S.P. loads to try as well as the 180 gr. loads that I've had loaded for almost a year now.
WOOHOOO!, got a chance to try the handloads again after the "rebuild" of the 110gr varmint loads. All of the remaining 15 rds fired perfectly as well as the 10 150 gr, and 20 of the 25 180 gr. load as well (kept 5 180 gr rds in case any communist coyotes showed up.) After punching a little paper, my stepson Nick and I decided to go find some live targets. The 110 gr Speer Varminter and the 150 gr Hornady Spire Point both literally explode Tx. jackrabbits! Lots of red mist and fur on body shots and heads just flat disappear, especially the 150 grainers.
oww thats funny and Jack Rabbits are TOUGH animals
I have had to shoot them multiple times with .22lr as a young man in Evant Texas.
I think back that if I had had a M44 and a case or two of Ammo back then.... Gawd I would have been a terror on the cottontail and jack rabbit population.
the armadillo,skunk, and possum population would have been in trouble and
My God the turtles would have never survived!!!
I remember shooting a single shot .22lr rifle untill it got too hot to touch.
We could go shoot turtles ALL Day and come back the next day and there would be just as many, and No carcassas left over too.
just the empty shells....both .22 and dead turtle shells.
Ifen I had a had a M44..... I still imagine it........
...If you ever get the bullet stuck like that again: grab another case, put some powder (maybe a half charge?) in it, but don't load a new bullet. Put tape over the top and put a wad of paper in there to keep the powder in, then just take the tape off, shoot the half full case, and the bullet should at least come out of the barrel. Think rifle-grenade style with a home made blank and no grenade.
If you've got a rod to get it out, that'd work too. :P
I'd caution heavily against that practice. If the bullet got cocked out of kilter, it could be stuck pretty good. Might make an over-pressure condition.
A wooden dowel is safer.
Ahh, the joys of handloading ! 
