Low charge?

[sniper]

I was at the range the other day, shooting my 257 Roberts. 100 gr. gas check boolit, 12 gr. Unique, Federal brass, CCI large rifle primers. COLD! All was going well, until I got a pull...click! SAY What?? !

I waited the required time to be sure It wasn't a hangfire, then opened the bolt. The mouth of the case was all sooted up, to about the neck/shoulder junction. I checked the barrel...no bullet stuck.

I check each case for powder level before seating the bullets. That's just part of my reloading procedure.
Soooo... I either missed one, or somehow the powder was contaminated.

All the rest of my loads shot without a hitch, so I figure it had to be me. Fortunately, the primer by itself had enough oomph to kick the bullet free of the barrel.

So, now I will double check the powder level, no matter what the load, especially with small charges of powder in the bottleneck Roberts case.

Other than that, a good day!

[atr]

hey sniper,,,
I think you are lucky the primer had enough umph to drive the bullet without sticking....

I too worry about these reduced loads (12gr Unique) in large capacity cases....so I check then DOUBLE check with a very bright Mag light the powder levels before I seat the boolit.
I also found that if the boolit has alot of lubrication sticking to its base then it is possible for some of the powder to stick to this excess lub, resulting in a load with some contaminated powder.....
glad to find another 257 Roberts shooter out there !!!

[454PB]

Just my opinion.....but I don't think a primer alone would have enough power to push the boolit completely through the barrel. I suspect either the powder charge was underweight, contaminated, or simply didn't burn completely. I had a few squibs in handguns where the powder didn't burn completely, and the boolit stuck in the barrel.

[hornsurgeon]

hey sniper,,,
I also found that if the boolit has alot of lubrication sticking to its base then it is possible for some of the powder to stick to this excess lub, resulting in a load with some contaminated powder.....

thats why i started using a 1/2 grain tuff of dacron in my reduced loads. it keeps the powder against the primer and away from the boolit base. i just loaded and tested some 45/70 loads with a 390grain lee hp boolit and 2 1/2 grains of trailboss and a tuff of dacron. just shooting leaning against a door frame, i got about a 2" group at 25 yards and it was nearly silent. reduced loads are a great tool.

[NSP64]

I agree with 454 maybee the powder was undercharged or contaminated, did it have unburned powder down the bore?