How come I get hangfires?

[tykempster]

I see all kinds of 45-70 cast bullet and Unique data, never mentioning filler.  When I try it without a filler I get a hangfire EVERY time, yet no one ever mentions this.  With a cotton ball filler, no hangfires, but unpleasant cotton floating in the air.

What am I doing different? 

[stimpylu32]

Ty

What load are you using ? I have fired over 1000 loads with Unique and a 405 cast bullet and never had the first hand fire and never used the first filler .

stimpy

[tykempster]

Tried 10-12 grains Unique under a 405 grain cast.  It doesn't hangfire near as often as long as I tilt the gun up before I fire, but how practical is that?

[GregP42]

Ty,

What primer are you using? I don't have an issue with hang fires either in 45/70 with unique.

Greg

[tykempster]

CCI 200 I believe, whatever their standard large rifle primer is.

Would a magnum primer work better?

[9x19]

A Winchester primer might... CCI primers have a reputation for being hard to light... could be the Handi isn't thumping them hard enough to get all the spark they can give.

[LaOtto222]

The first thing I would suspect is the primer. You may have some old ones that have been exposed to high humidity, gotten contaminated or just a bad batch. I would switch primers that are of known age and storage and see if the problem goes away. Make sure you are getting a good "dent" in the primer too. If not then it would have to be the powder. Again, it might not have been stored under the best conditions.

[tykempster]

This is actually happening in my Marlin 1895, works fine with normal level loads, or these loads with filler.  I'll try some with magnum primers.

[Smokin Joe]

If you can't correct the problem, try a start load of Trail Boss. You won't need any filler.

[stimpylu32]

Ty

What brass are you using ? the reason I ask is that the flash hole may be smaller on your cases and not let the primer fire the powder properly , all I use for my light loads are Remington or Winchester brass and CCI 200 large rifle primers .

Richard

[tykempster]

Winchester, tried Magnum primers today, 3 shots, no hangfires, I'll try some more of these, but I only have 5 cast boolits left. 

[Ranger J]

Trail Boss works great although it will give you blackened brass.

RJ

[cwlongshot]

Trail Boss works great although it will give you blackened brass.

RJ

This is not specifically a trait of this powder. Its common with any lo-pressure loading. It doesn't develop the pressure to "seal" the chamber.

 As to the hang fires, I am very caution of any such load where the powder isn't above 50%. When the case is horizontal and the powder drops below the flash hole, bad things can and do happen. There are many fillers that you can use, I have used flour, oatmeal, Dacron pillow filler and lately I use shotgun pellet buffer GRANEX. I want load a powder in a case of such lo density with out some. You have to be careful here too as some of these are pretty heavy and can up pressures themselves!!

CW