6.5x55 misfires

[Battis]

I loaded up a bunch of 6.5x55 rounds a month or so ago, using Reloder19. I went to the range today with my Swedish Mauser and 22 rounds. 3 of the 22 rounds were bad. By this I mean, twice the primer ignited but the powder didn't (bullet jammed in barrel). The 3rd time, the primer popped, and after a 1 second delay, the powder ignited.
I'm not a reloading newbie, but by no means an expert. I'm guessing that the powder in those three cases was contaminated. That bunch of brass was cleaned by hand - now I have a tumbler.
The other 19 rounds were fine.
Contaminated powder?
I'm going to pull the other rounds that I loaded and clean the brass in the tumbler.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

after you attempted to fire those squibs where the bullet jammed in the barrel, and ejected the case, was there unburnt powder in the case/chamber/magazine ? meaning if there wasn't any unburnt powder, maybe they could have been loaded without powder ?

boolits or bullets ?
if boolits, what lube ? stored in hot car ?
any water in your cleaning process, whereas there could have been some water/moisture in the case ?

I think you lucked out with the hangfire...that could have been a KaBOOM !

[lefty o]

no powder or bad powder.

[junkbug]

I have had something like that happen with IMR 3031 and really light loads with undersized jacketed bullets in the 8x56r Steyr. This was using Lees reloading information printed on their die instructions. Very light powder charge and undersize bullet meant very poor ignition.

[Battis]

The two ejected cases had powder in them. The bullets were 120 gr jacketed, with 36 grs RL-19. I reduced the max load of 40 grs by 10% (4 grs). I did use water to clean them. The 19 rounds that fired were fine. I'm thinking those three cases had moisture in them when I loaded them. I learned when shooting black powder to wait awhile after a hang fire. I'm going to pull all the rounds that had water cleaned brass - I bet I'll find some clumped powder. Why did I wait to get a case tumbler...I'm not sure.

[higgins]

If you water clean brass, just put them upside down in a reloading block, or better yet in a ammo box tray for .45acp-size cartridges. The ammo box tray is better because they have open bottoms where water can drain out and air can circulate. Put these upside down cases in the sun for a day or two (depending on sun brightness and temperature) and all moisture will be driven from the primer pockets and case heads even with the fired primers in place.

[Ben]

Certainly sounds like the water bath cleaning process you used is at the foundation of your mis-fires.

Ben

[Battis]

The more I think about it, I don't think it was water - I think it might have been excess case lube. I always dry the heck out of the cases after I wash them, but sometimes I over-lube. Now that I have the case tumbler, more questions arise - from what I've read, some reloaders:
deprime/size, tumble, prime
Others tumble, deprime/size then prime
Others deprime/size, prime, then tumble
Others even deprime/size, prime, load then tumble.

[aspangler]

The more I think about it, I don't think it was water - I think it might have been excess case lube. I always dry the heck out of the cases after I wash them, but sometimes I over-lube. Now that I have the case tumbler, more questions arise - from what I've read, some reloaders:
deprime/size, tumble, prime
Others tumble, deprime/size then prime
Others deprime/size, prime, then tumble
Others even deprime/size, prime, load then tumble.
This is NOT a good idea. Especially if the projectile is pointed.

[Battis]

This is NOT a good idea. Especially if the projectile is pointed.

I agree. For me it's tumble clean, deprime, size, prime, load...

[462]

"Others deprime/size, prime, then tumble"

It may not matter, but why take the chance of media getting stuck in the flash hole?

If you deprime then tumble, make sure to clean the flash hole and primer pocket of any media. Tumbling first eliminates that step. Do it whatever way you are most comfortable with, being aware of all the potential checks that any method will require.

[Calamity Jake]

The more I think about it, I don't think it was water - I think it might have been excess case lube. I always dry the heck out of the cases after I wash them, but sometimes I over-lube. Now that I have the case tumbler, more questions arise - from what I've read, some reloaders:
deprime/size, tumble, prime
Others tumble, deprime/size then prime
Others deprime/size, prime, then tumble
Others even deprime/size, prime, load then tumble.

This is also a NO-NO

[Battis]

So far I'm on track with ... "For me it's tumble clean, deprime, size, prime, load."

[462]

That's it.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

when I prep rifle cases I've fired, Many times I just wipe them clean with a shop rag by hand.

If I buy a batch of used brass (or pick it up at the range), I prep as follows:
Deprime,citric acid bath (if needed),FL size,trim,uniform primer pocket,tumble,prime, load.

[1johnlb]

I had a similar problem in 7mm mag using imr 4831 when I reduced the load using standard primers. Not hot enough to ignite the slow powder at a reduced load with a air gap in the case. Swede firing pin can cause the blown primer.

[Battis]

Follow up question - should you resize a case after pulling jacketed bullets? I searched this question and there seems to be two responses - yes and no (and a few "depends").

[1johnlb]

If the case mouth was crimped, yes.
If the case mouth was not crimped,and your putting jax back in then, no.
If you want the most consistent ammo, yes.
Yes or no just depends what you got or what you want or are doing. There's no real right answer, but for the most consistent ammo ,you should resize.
If your just trying to fireform brass it's not necessary.
If your reloading lead boolits in it, just flare the case mouth.