Strange Misfires, and very odd ballistics

[polarbear]

Hey, was wondering if anyone could help me with something...

Was at the range yesterday, trying out my reloads and making sure everything was gonna be up to snuff for deer season. Couple of problems, though.

1) out of 80 rounds, 3 were no-go's. 2 of those three left the bullet in the barrel, powder all over everything else. The rifle's new, the powder was bought a month or so ago, and the 2 cases that came apart had a lump of what looked like YELLOW powder in a lump, and the rest of the powder was normal or slightly yellowish. All I ever heard was the click from the trigger.

2) trying to sight in, i noticed that at 100 yards, there was at least a 6-inch difference in P.O.I. between 150-grain Noslers (BTs and Parts were about the same) and 180-grain Hornadys. Is that unusual?

I'm new to reloading, so if someone could tell me what's going on, that would be great. I had other issues as well that may have affected trajectories (finding out the front action screw is loose is not a nice feeling when your hex keys are at home), but I'm more concerned with those misfires. Load data was as follows:
Primers: CCI Large Rifle
Powder: Hodgdon H335
Bullets: Nosler BT and Partition, 150 Grain, Hornady Spire Points, 110 and 180-grain
Federal Brass

Rifle: Savage 30-06, 22 inch barrel, Simmons scope (package gun)

[BCWILL]

Originally Posted by polarbear

Primers: CCI Large Rifle
Powder: Hodgdon H335
Bullets: Nosler BT and Partition, 150 Grain, Hornady Spire Points, 110 and 180-grain
Federal Brass

With H335 I've had Best results with Magnum Primers.....
You don't give the Powder charge but I'd look there........
Sounds like the Powder is not igniting and the Primer charge is simply pushing the case contents into the Barrel.

Definately change something..........my oppinion H335 is not the Best Powder choice for the '06 either, although you should get better results then you did.........
Perhaps you've got some bad primers......it happens, change to mag primers and repeat your tests.
If the same thing happens I'd look at your Powder, maybe replace that too

[260_Rem]

h335 is for 222's & 223's

get some varget or 4350

[polarbear]

Yes, I had realized that H335 is not tops on the list, but it was the only/best available when I was at the gun shop that I had load data for. After using it, the best theory I can come up with is the powder is so fine that it uses very little case capacity, and may have been too far away from the primer to ignite properly. That, or too much humidity when I was loading. At any rate, I've loaded another 40 rounds (20 with 180-grain Hornady, 20 w/150 grain Nosler Partitions), to get a better handle on the Point of Impact issue. That has also taken care of the last of that powder, so I'll try one of the more traditional powders and see what comes out of that. It is a pretty fast powder, only using 42 grains as a start load for the 180s and 50 grains for the 110s.

[K-1]

Originally Posted by polarbear

Yes, I had realized that H335 is not tops on the list, but it was the only/best available when I was at the gun shop that I had load data for. After using it, the best theory I can come up with is the powder is so fine that it uses very little case capacity, and may have been too far away from the primer to ignite properly. That, or too much humidity when I was loading. At any rate, I've loaded another 40 rounds (20 with 180-grain Hornady, 20 w/150 grain Nosler Partitions), to get a better handle on the Point of Impact issue. That has also taken care of the last of that powder, so I'll try one of the more traditional powders and see what comes out of that. It is a pretty fast powder, only using 42 grains as a start load for the 180s and 50 grains for the 110s.

You could also try Reloader 19 or 22

[bushrat]

If your powder is clumping in the shell then there is something wrong with it. Was it in clumps in the jug? maybe some moisture in the case when it was loaded, or if you overdosed the cases with spray on case lube and got some inside some cases can cause contamination and clumping. While 335 isn't the ideal powder for the 06 and probably only fills half the case a large rifle primer should still light it up no problem unless its contaminated, a mag primer would be better with 335. Seems like the primer has to be firing in order to move the slug outa the case into the barrel.

As far as different weight bullets hitting in different places on the target, that is not unusual at all. Different bullets of the same weight may also do that. Whenever you change bullets you need to check and resisight if necessary.

[Mr. Dean]

Originally Posted by bushrat

If your powder is clumping in the shell then there is something wrong with it. Was it in clumps in the jug? maybe some moisture in the case when it was loaded, or if you overdosed the cases with spray on case lube and got some inside some cases can cause contamination and clumping. While 335 isn't the ideal powder for the 06 and probably only fills half the case a large rifle primer should still light it up no problem unless its contaminated, a mag primer would be better with 335. Seems like the primer has to be firing in order to move the slug outa the case into the barrel.

As far as different weight bullets hitting in different places on the target, that is not unusual at all. Different bullets of the same weight may also do that. Whenever you change bullets you need to check and resisight if necessary.

FWIW. My thinking as well. Somehow that powder got contaminated. How, is another matter.

I'll always check out new loads on paper before I rely on them. Even if there isn't any changing of components. No two batch's of ANYTHING is identical.

If it is powder failure or ???......Please let us know how/why it happened. Chances are it can help out another Newby somewhere down the line.

[polarbear]

Yes, I have gone and reloaded 40 rounds... 20 with the 180-grain, and 20 with the 150-grain Noslers. That should tell me whether it was just the loads (running about the same pressure), or the other issue that I had, which was finding a loose front action screw. That wasn't my main concern, which was the single yellow clump of powder, while the rest looked scorched/normal. My thinking is moisture, perhaps from reloading in stages and having to work in the garage where simple humidity may have done it. I'll be sure to let you know, those had also been my first attempts at reloading... in perspective, for a noob, 3 misfires out of 80 on a wet day isn't so bad..... but what a mess to clean up!