Author Topic: LIGHT PRIMER STRIKES (AGAIN) (Read 1053 times)

lendar · « **on:** March 06, 2009, 11:58:34 AM »

I am back to my same old problem, light primer strikes in a 308 handi. With the 2506 or 45 colt barrel the strikes are fine, but with the 308 barrel the strikes are light and 1 in 3 don't go off. I changed the hammer spring and that helped for a while. I also changed from CCI primes to Winchester and that also seemed to help. But now to be honest I think its the barrel and needs to be sent back but I sure don't want to do that. I would send it back to the old factory in a heartbeat but not the new one. Anyway my question is, would it work to take just a little metal of the top of the hammer, where it hits the frame, so that the bottom of the hammer hits the transfer bar more, or will this work?

quickdtoo · « **Reply #1 on:** March 06, 2009, 12:21:18 PM »

That's one way, but then you may risk primer perforations on the other barrels, of course you can always replace the hammer then. If it's an extractor barrel, you likely can use the extractor post to correct for too much headspace by shimming in the extractor post notch.

Tim

lendar · « **Reply #2 on:** March 06, 2009, 12:31:06 PM »

I thought about to much head space and due to the fact that I neck size I just can't see that being a problem. The plan is to order a spare hammer and if the strikes are still light then shave just a little off the top of the hammer. I do understand about not taking to much off and screwing up the strikes on my other barrels. Again, many thanks for your help.

trotterlg · « **Reply #3 on:** March 06, 2009, 01:12:26 PM »

Before you do too much you should figure out what the problem really is. Measure the headspace using one of your resized cases, if it is too much then you may be bumping back the sholder too much when you neck size them. If the chamber is cut too deep you can also do a little modification on the ejector or extractor to hold the case back against the breach. Try priming a piece of fired brass without resizing it and see if you get a good primer strike. If two other barrels work and one doesn't it seems to be silly to modify the frame to make a bad barrel work. I would fix the broken part. Larry

udtjim · « **Reply #4 on:** March 06, 2009, 01:19:29 PM »

Are you using the same brand of primers? and are they seating to the bottom of the primer pocket?

trotterlg · « **Reply #5 on:** March 06, 2009, 01:36:58 PM »

revbc had the same problem a while back, hope he can tell us if the mod to the ejector/extractor worked for him. Larry

Chas. · « **Reply #6 on:** March 06, 2009, 03:29:05 PM »

I'm having the same problem with a revolver and been advised to try some Federal primers as they are softer than others. Problem is, right now I can't find any.

trotterlg · « **Reply #7 on:** March 06, 2009, 04:52:23 PM »

The thing that limits the fireing pin travel is not the hammer/transfer bar, it is the sholder on the fireing pin, it hits the bottom of the hole in the frame to stop the pin travel. The hammer stop is there so that the hammer cannot touch the fireing pin when the transfer bar is not in the up position, so taking some metal off the hammer stop could allow the hammer to strike the fireing pin with no transfer bar in position. I think taking metal off the hammer stop will fail to produce any increase in the fireing pin protrusion at all. Larry

lendar · « **Reply #8 on:** March 06, 2009, 07:15:02 PM »

Larry, I think it will. Someone on here has to have tried it. When I push the firing pin with my finger it sticks out real far but when I push the firing pin with the hammer and the transfer bar it only sticks out about half as far. Was there a standard amount the firing pin was to stick out? Also the primers in the 308 and the 25-06 are the same. I also don't believe that neck sizing will push the shoulder back.

trotterlg · « **Reply #9 on:** March 06, 2009, 07:25:56 PM »

A fireing pin protrusion of about .035 is what I would say is standard. If you have about this with the trigger pulled back and the transfer up with the hammer down then it is probably correct. I would do some careful measurments to see just what you have going on with your rifle. Larry

revbc · « **Reply #10 on:** March 07, 2009, 05:36:53 PM »

Thanks to Larry and Tim, my new sb1 357 maxie now fires every time I pull the trigger!

Larry, I ended up with the medium spring about 1/4 inch long, filed about .010 off the face of the extractor, ground enough off the end to get it to travel a little below the barrel face with the spring in place.............and all is well. My load didn't shoot a clover leaf, but did have 2 touching and 1 flyer about an 1 inch away.

Needless to say I'm real happy. Thanks to the great advice and instruction by some great guys!!!

Bobby

quickdtoo · « **Reply #11 on:** March 07, 2009, 05:43:13 PM »

Glad ya got it whipped!!

Tim

trotterlg · « **Reply #12 on:** March 07, 2009, 06:35:40 PM »

Then life is good.

Larry

lendar · « **Reply #13 on:** March 08, 2009, 12:09:59 PM »

More on my problem. I took the barrel of and had me a look. When I squeeze the trigger and hold it to the rear, the head of the firing pin does not pop out. When I jerk the trigger to the rear and hold it the head of the firing pin does pop out. For some reason the transfer bar is dropping before it can be struck by the hammer. I took it apart and had a look and everything looks fine on the inside. I understand about holding the trigger to the rear, I have 5 other handi's and they all work fine. About 6 months ago I did a trigger job on this handi and it worked fine after that. Something is wrong inside, anyone have any idea?

quickdtoo · « **Reply #14 on:** March 08, 2009, 02:01:59 PM »

When checking pin projection, I pull the hammer back and hold it, pull the trigger and let the hammer down, then measure the pin projection. If the t-bar is falling prematurely during actual firing, maybe the t-bar spring is broken or weak, or the t-bar it defective/worn so it's too loose? You might compare the t-bar to your spare or just replace it. But that doesn't really make sense if it only misfires on the one barrel.

Tim

model7lss · « **Reply #15 on:** March 08, 2009, 06:32:07 PM »

I got a brand new BC that had the same problem about setting off primers, the firing pin was hitting well off center of the primer, told me to send it back to get it fixed.Check that, good luck

lendar · « **Reply #16 on:** March 09, 2009, 10:38:22 AM »

I changed out the trigger group and it went to working again. Well most of the time. About 3 in 30 failed to fire. All 3 times I had a light primer hit as before. This should be doing this with all the barrels. I haven't tried it with the other ones. When it did work it has a great primer dent, right in the middle. The transfer bar is either falling before its time or is not coming up, just 3 times in 30. I have no idea what would cause that but I am going to keep replacing parts till it works. The transfer bar spring looks fine. All the parts look fine. I have no idea why it started working when I changed out the trigger group. Maybe the trigger extension but the 45/70 I put the old parts in, is working just fine. Handi's are a pain but they sure are lots of fun. I finally got to shoot the new 200 Gr cast I just got loaded up for the 308 and it was shooting one ragged hole at 50 yds.

OBXPilgrim · « **Reply #17 on:** March 09, 2009, 12:35:04 PM »

So, what kind of hammer extension do you have on the hammer? Or do you?

If you lowered the hammer - trimmed/filed/ground it down - and put a hammer extension on the shortened hammer or mounted the extension under the end of the hammer it could be contacting the barrel release button. If that barrel locks up with alot more contact than the others, it very easily could be confined to just that barrel - the barrel release lever/button may be sticking up higher when the action is closed.

A slight contact of the extension deflecting on the release could slow down the hammer enough to do just what you are describing.

trotterlg · « **Reply #18 on:** March 09, 2009, 07:24:46 PM »

OBXPilgrim has a good point, about the only thing that could single out a barrel from others that work on the same frame. Larry

lendar · « **Reply #19 on:** March 15, 2009, 06:59:00 AM »

What a pain. I replaced every internal part on the 308 with the parts from my 45-70. It still has light primer strikes. I then put the 25-06 barrel on and it also failed to fire with light primer strikes. The 45-70 works fine with the 308 internal parts. This frame has 4 barrels that have always worked fine and now this. Unless anyone else has an idea I have no choice but to send it back to the factory.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #20 on:** March 15, 2009, 07:21:30 AM »

Did you remove the hammer extension to see if that helped, if applicable? I've had scopes slide forward in the rings causing the hammer to hit the scope, just a shot in the dark?

Tim

lendar · « **Reply #21 on:** March 15, 2009, 10:17:37 AM »

I checked that on both the 308 barrel and the 2506 barrel. I also made sure the hammer extension was not hitting the take down lever.