Firing pin issue?

[Pa pap]

I picked up a TC Venture late last year in 270 WSM.
I have been working up loads with it all summer and had no issue with primer ignition.( WMR primers)
Just before this years Pa hunting season I took it out with my sons to run a couple through it just for the fun of it. The temps were much cooler than previous outings. I had a couple rounds that did not fire. After looking at the primers, I noticed they weren't dimpled very deep. I noticed some primers seemed to be set deeper than others. I looked through the rest of the box and picked one with the most pronounced primer, tried it and it shot. I then went home, pulled the remainder of the loaded ammo and re primed all the shells seating the primer as close to perfectly flush as I could. ( I have an RCBS hand primer)
Now, not having the opportunity to check this, I ASSUMED this would take care of this issue. Well, two "clicks" of two different shells on the same deer yesterday proved I had fixed nothing.
Do you think there is too thick of lubricant on the firing pin, not enough lube? Does anyone know how to disassemble the bolt on a TC Venture to look at this?
Any thoughts and advice are greatly appreciated!
Pap

 

[jimbires]

how are you resizing the brass case ? do you have the die set to just bump the shoulder back about .002 ? I'm thinking you may be sizing the brass to short . I've read about this same type of problem a few different times with the 270 WSM . I also have a friend that owns a 270WSM that won't shoot his reloaded ammo , but it shoots factory loads perfectly . he sets his dies per the instructions of camming over . I'm wondering if the dies are setting the shoulders back to far when adjusted like this .

 

[Mikecr]

Could also be the firing pin grease viscosity, and badly seated primers(not seated to pocket bottoms).
This is an example of why you should test your system under conditions before actually hunting with it. How will you know where the gun actually shoots under those conditions, once you get it shooting at all? Test it

 

[Gene]

how are you resizing the brass case ? do you have the die set to just bump the shoulder back about .002 ? I'm thinking you may be sizing the brass to short . I've read about this same type of problem a few different times with the 270 WSM . I also have a friend that owns a 270WSM that won't shoot his reloaded ammo , but it shoots factory loads perfectly . he sets his dies per the instructions of camming over . I'm wondering if the dies are setting the shoulders back to far when adjusted like this .

As Jim suggested, try some factory ammo first. If no problem, then its your reloads, and because I had the same experience, I can assure you its because you are pushing the shoulder back too far, creating excessive headspace. Move your sizer die up.

 

[Pa pap]

Thanks all, I will give it a shot. (pun intended)
Do you think I can save these cases or just scrap them?
Pap

 

[Gene]

There is no way to push the shoulders outward except the pressure created by burning powder and a moving bullet.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

How to fix your brass that has been sized too much....


Neck your cases up to 30 cal (300 wsm or 300 rum die) then back down with a properly set 270wsm die... you'll create a false shoulder to headspace on. You may actually need to set your dies a bit long for this as you'll want to save a bit of brass life and you've already destroyed some by overworking the sizing.
Option two is to set your bullets into the rifling for the next shot (target load, etc. backed up on charge to account for the jamb) and blow them all out.

 

[Pa pap]

I will pull the bullets, reduce the powder, seat the bullets into the rifling, see if it will shoot and then back out the die.
I think I will try something first...I will go to the range, remove the bolt, put it on the dash vent for the defrost, set everything up and try a shot. If this shoots, I will let it get cold and try another shot. If it doesn't fire, I will re try the heat and try the same shell with the warm bolt.
I tried the same shell twice before with no ignition. Maybe this will show me something.
How do I know when I am at the correct shoulder length?
Should I feel any tension with the bolt?
Should I try to just neck size?

All great advice. I appreciate it.
Pap

 

[jimbires]

RCBS makes the precision mic that is very repeatable , but it is cartridge specific . hornady makes a universal tool that clamps to a caliper that will measure your fired brass from case head to shoulder . you will then adjust your die to shorten this measurement by about .002 . as you are slowly adjusting the die to get this brass sized shorter , it is normal for the brass to get longer for a few adjustments . think of squeezing a water balloon , as you squeeze the sides it grows in length . then when you finally get the die adjusted to contact the brass shoulder the brass length will begin to get shorter . if you have .002 clearance there will be no additional bolt effort . if you have bolt effort your brass is long . neck sizing only works for a few times then the brass gets tight in the rifle . I feel the best way is to get your full length die adjusted properly .

I like to use the redding competition shellholder set . it gives you shellholders that have a .002 increment . the set runs from +.010 to + .002 . so you just put the +.010 shellholder in the press and size the brass and measure . if it's to long , go to the +.008 . you just keep stepping down on the shellholder until you get your .002 shoulder bump . after you determine what shellholder is needed , you just put it in and start sizing brass .

I use these .
Competition Shellholder Sets | Redding Reloading Equipment: reloading equipment for rifles, handguns, pistols, revolvers and SAECO bullet casting equipment

I have this .
Hornady Manufacturing Company :: Reloading :: Metallic Reloading :: Tools & Gauges :: Lock-N-Load Gauges-Formerly Stoney Point :: Headspace Gauges :: Headspace Gauge Kits :: Lock-N-Load® Headspace Kit With Body 1 Each

I prefer this over the hornady , but it is cartridge specific , and isn't made for every cartridge .
RCBS Precision Mic 270 Winchester Short Mag (WSM)

this is also a universal digital headspace tool . I never used it , but it looks like it would work well .
Innovative Technologies - Reloading Equipment

 

[etisll40]

Good suggestion lefty! i like the bullet seating in the lands hopefully the primers aren't too deep.

Merry Christmas men.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

I set up my dies the old way and go with an obviously long setting to start with and walk the die in spinning her down a bit at a time ( trying the rifle every time I size the brass) until she's in. Time consuming but you only need to play once. I suppose a precision mic would be faster, but how many rifles a year do you set up??

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

Good suggestion lefty! i like the bullet seating in the lands hopefully the primers aren't too deep.

Merry Christmas men.

case fireforming 101

Create something to keep the case head at the back of the chamber. False shoulders and jambed bullets are the easiest ways. Otherwise you need to start with a longer version of the case and neck to dimension ( like 300 h@h to 7rem) then blow out.
You've got to keep the cartridge from being driven up the chamber when you drop the hammer/firing pin. Sometimes you even have to crimp the bullet a bit to hold it until pressure develops when you seat the bullets long.

Merry Christmas you you too etisll40 !!!