I did not function check prior to deer season

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I did not function check prior to deer season

Postby hard h2o on Mon Nov 23, 2015 10:24 pm

I must out myself on a mistake I made.

Worked up loads, using same bullet, for the .300 WSM and the .30-06 prior to the MN firearm deer season. Reloading and range time went off without a hitch. First time loading 185 Sierra Game Kings for each of them.

Rounds fed and fired fine in both the Savage Model 11 .300 WSM and the Weatherby Vanguard .30-06.

Brought both rifles to camp the first weekend. I chose to carry the Savage and all was well except for the lack of whitetails.

Second weekend decided to utilize the Weatherby and did not bring the Savage to camp. Left it at home in the cabinet.

Got to the stand, Scent wicks out, sent my boy up, I climbed up, hoisted our gear and unloaded firearms up.

Loaded the lever .30-30 for the boy and then the .30-06. Didn't see anything that morning. Time for lunch I unloaded the .30-30 and lowered the boy's gear and rifle. Worked the bolt on my rifle and I was treated to a bulletless case and powder spilling into the magazine.

Back at camp a tap with a cleaning rod dislodged the bullet. Blew it out with the compressor. Next times out to the woods I loaded the magazine but did not chamber. I figured I would chamber if I was presented with a shot.

Rounds are loaded to correct OAL. I did not notice any issues in feeding during range sessions. I must not have needed to unchamber a loaded round. Different bullet I have never used before. I assume ogive is a bit different causing it to just enter the chamber enough to stick. Load was very accurate in the .30-06.
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Re: I did not function check prior to deer season

Postby MJY65 on Tue Nov 24, 2015 4:52 am

Wow! It seems odd that a SAAMI spec OAL would stick in a factory chamber. Did you check the recommended OAL for that load in the Sierra manual?
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Re: I did not function check prior to deer season

Postby hard h2o on Tue Nov 24, 2015 8:54 am

MJY65 wrote:Wow! It seems odd that a SAAMI spec OAL would stick in a factory chamber. Did you check the recommended OAL for that load in the Sierra manual?


Yes I did.

I have been to busy after the season to do some double checking though.
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Re: I did not function check prior to deer season

Postby Lumpy on Tue Nov 24, 2015 1:16 pm

If I'm following this correctly, you're saying that the rounds chambered and fired fine, worked in all other ways, but failed when being unloaded from the chamber. That's a new one to me.
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Re: I did not function check prior to deer season

Postby MJY65 on Tue Nov 24, 2015 1:30 pm

Lumpy wrote:If I'm following this correctly, you're saying that the rounds chambered and fired fine, worked in all other ways, but failed when being unloaded from the chamber. That's a new one to me.


It can certainly happen if the rounds are a bit long and stick in the rifling. Dumping the powder into the mag genuinely sucks when you don't have a good way to clean it out in the field.
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Re: I did not function check prior to deer season

Postby Sigfan220 on Tue Nov 24, 2015 4:20 pm

The spec for OAL is just for reference. Loading to that length may produce a round that will not chamber. You must check each different bullet for OAL in your gun.
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Re: I did not function check prior to deer season

Postby MJY65 on Tue Nov 24, 2015 4:22 pm

Sigfan220 wrote:The spec for OAL is just for reference. Loading to that length may produce a round that will not chamber. You must check each different bullet for OAL in your gun.


That is true, but the recommended OAL is usually pretty conservative to allow chambering in any factory spec rifle.
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Re: I did not function check prior to deer season

Postby andrewP on Tue Nov 24, 2015 11:35 pm

Given that there are several brands/models of pistols that have a reputation for having short/tight chambers (Walther and CZ spring to mind), I wouldn't be at all surprised to learn that a similar phenomenon exists with rifles. There's that old reloading saw about how every gun is a law unto itself, after all.
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Re: I did not function check prior to deer season

Postby Seismic Sam on Wed Nov 25, 2015 9:36 pm

Were the rounds that you fired at targets and the rounds you took with you to the stand from THE SAME batch that were all made together?? Or did you reload the cases you shot for hunting?
Reason I ask is having a round that is long enough to stick in the throat of the rifle can jack the pressures astronomically, and possibly blow the bolt out or destroy the rifle. How EXACTLY did it happen that you wound up with a round that long in your reloads??
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Re: I did not function check prior to deer season

Postby hard h2o on Wed Nov 25, 2015 10:17 pm

I always reload and do testing and then reload a batch for use in the field. I do final testing from the same lot that I intend to take to the field. I do final zeroing with the final batch.

I haven't had a chance to look things over yet. I am going to check OAL versus the standard and make sure it was not my error.

The loads were not maximum loads. I did not see any signs of extreme pressure. Cases extracted fine. Primers looked good after firing.

My plan is to reseat a bit deeper and shoot them up.

The loads with the same bullet in the .300 WSM cycled in the Savage just fine.
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Re: I did not function check prior to deer season

Postby Seismic Sam on Fri Nov 27, 2015 8:52 pm

Well, glad you're OK. Don't see anything wrong with your technique at all, but having a bullet jam in the throat can be very serious, and it doesn't take a maximum load to jack the pressures through the roof.

Two years ago we had an incident at Oakdale where a member came in on Sunday with a brand new high-buck blue anodized AR for three-gun competition, and he had handloaded his own ammunition. (Apparently he had just got into handloading...) First round jammed tight in the barrel and the bolt wouldn't close, and it took one of the OGC brass rods to knock it out of there. Next day I'm lead RSO, the Comp range is closed to the public, and I get wind of a gun BLOWING UP over there!!! :( :o :shock: :?

Go over, and heard 2nd hand it was a guy with a brand new comp rifle who had fired 7 shots, and then the right side of the receiver completely blew out on the 8th shot. The guy was pretty shaken up, but not so much that he didn't clean up scrupulously and leave NO TRACE of anything. No brass, no gun fragments, no nothing. That was very odd, and more than a little suspicious.

Like I said, I can't see what could have gone wrong with the way you did it, but somehow something DID go wrong. If you figure it out, let the rest of us know so maybe we can learn from your experience.
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Re: I did not function check prior to deer season

Postby hard h2o on Sat Nov 28, 2015 7:47 pm

Rounds are measuring right at at 3.340" OAL.

I will have to reseat a tad deeper and see if it will feed and extract the loaded rounds.

I have had no issues with the other bullets I have used in this particular rifle. Only thing I can think is that the throat is a bit short on the chamber and this particular bullet has an ogive that is not tolerand of a shorter throat.

It is my fault for not running a few through the action prior to the season.

When I used to reload for my .30-30 I always function checked them. The lever gun I have is a bit finicky with feeding so it made sense to do that. Running a bolt gun I think I got a bit lazy. So it is my fault for not finding out at the bench before heading into the field.

I am not lazy when it comes to the other aspects of reloading. I operate very methodically and do one task at a time. One powder open at a time. One operation then move to the next...
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