Catscratch
5 year old buck +
Did some shooting today and a few did not fire. Ammo is old but stored well. Primer isn't dented as much as I think it should be but figured I'd ask the pro's; gun issue or ammo issue?
Light pin strikes?
- Thread starter Catscratch
- Start date
Gravel Road
5 year old buck +
Looks like gun related with those light strikes. What kind of gun? Could just be old grease or rust slowing down the firing pin.
Native Hunter
5 year old buck +
My Bushmaster AR was doing the same thing. I stripped it down, cleaned and lubed. Same ammo is running flawlessly now. Of course, it could also be the ammo, but I would clean and lube first.
Catscratch
5 year old buck +
It's a breach load bolt. No brand, homemade.
The latch that holds the pin is seating all the way down. Spring is plenty strong. Pin looks shallow. I may have to take it apart and see what's up.
The latch that holds the pin is seating all the way down. Spring is plenty strong. Pin looks shallow. I may have to take it apart and see what's up.
Jerry-B-WI
5 year old buck +
Is that a homemade 50BMG? Doesn't look your pin is extending past the bolt face far enough. Have you fired this before? Excessive headspace maybe?
Catscratch
5 year old buck +
Yes it's a .50. I agree it doesn't look like the pin is extending far enough. Yep, fired it a bunch of times, but hadn't for a while. When I set the headspacing I used an average of 4 different ammo's. None of them measured exactly the same, but they were close.
I'd forgotten about it but a couple of years ago I was getting some blowback while shooting her. Turned out the cases were cracked in quite a few of the shells in a certain batch of ammo I'd bought. Maybe that blowback was getting into the bolt assembly and fouling things up. Looks like I need to tear into her, give a good cleaning, and maybe look for wear or galling.
Foggy47
5 year old buck +
Those strikes look pretty weak. There is a spec for the amount the firing pin extends past the bolt face....but I do not remember what it is. I had a gun with a firing pin issue once.....a good cleaning solved much of the issue.....but I also replaced the spring for insurance.
Catscratch
5 year old buck +
I made the original spring so a new one is always possible, but man that was a long time ago.
I'll take apart and clean when I get some time. The kids really want to shoot this gun so I need to get her up and running. There's a chance that there is some galling on the retaining latch (just from looking at the pic I posted). If that's the case a file and some smooth paper would do the trick.
Jerry-B-WI
5 year old buck +
Why not get a proper "go-no-go" gauge and set the headspace the proper way? Are there SAAMI specs for a 50BMG chamber and headspace?
Where were those cases cracked? In the neck, by the case head, on the body of the case? Could be indications of excessive head space.
Catscratch
5 year old buck +
The barrel is threaded AND welded to the receiver. No changing it now.
The cracks were in the neck and shoulder. They were cracked before firing, I didn't notice until I felt blowback and started checking things out.
The cracks were in the neck and shoulder. They were cracked before firing, I didn't notice until I felt blowback and started checking things out.
Gravel Road
5 year old buck +
Now, that's a crack!
Catscratch
5 year old buck +
It was originally much less prominent. Something you felt by scraping your fingernail across it more than seen. It got wider after I pulled the bullet and goofed with it a while. Most of that box was like that.
Catscratch
5 year old buck +
Was that the one of the kid shooting a deer with it? I need to check to see if it's still on YouTube or if it got pulled.
Wind Gypsy
5 year old buck +
This is the one that this thread reminds me of:
I hope you aren’t still shooting that ammo @Catscratch !
Catscratch
5 year old buck +
I'd forgotten about that video! Watched a long time ago and scared the shit out of me. Was certainly worth watching again. Kind of makes me want to skip the milsup stuff and just shoot the hunting loads. I've got a box of Hornady A-Max 750g that I'd feel more comfortable with. Thanks for the nice reminder!
