Author Topic: All of a sudden ........ light primer strikes (Read 3538 times)

Curmudgeon · « **on:** October 20, 2016, 01:34:13 pm »

Shot my S+W Model 29 last week. About 100 rounds. No problems

Full blast 44 magnum loads

Brought it to the range again today. Same ammo. I want to shoot it all up before I load something new. (Still have 100 rounds left)

Anyway, I was having issues with the bullets pulling out due to the recoil, so I began firing only 2 rounds at a time. After 30 or so rounds, I started to have a few misfires.

Fired the misfired rounds a second time, and the majority of them fired.

Eventually went through 100 rounds with maybe 10 rounds that didn't fire, even after the second try.

This gun has never given me any problems. It's totally stock. No trigger job, although it's always had a very nice trigger pull from the factory.

If it was only one or two, I'd figure maybe bad primers. But this was too many. Besides that, The last run of .44 mag that I reloaded was all the same. It was probably a thousand rounds. I'm at the end of that batch now. So the first 800 rounds went off without any issues whatsoever.

NO misfires at all with the first 800, and then the next 100 give me a bunch of problems? I dunno. Somethings fishy

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JesseL · « **Reply #1 on:** October 20, 2016, 02:29:48 pm »

Does your model 29 have a frame or hammer mounted firing pin?

GavenAZ · « **Reply #2 on:** October 20, 2016, 03:10:28 pm »

Maybe the hammer spring tension screw came loose?

brandyspaw · « **Reply #3 on:** October 20, 2016, 03:24:55 pm »

Quote from: GavenAZ on October 20, 2016, 03:10:28 pm

Maybe the hammer spring tension screw came loose?

Yeah, the tension screw could be loose but I wouldn't think so unless its been backed out in an attempt to try to lighten the pull. It could also be that the hammer spring itself is getting weak.

If you want to try a new spring, I always keep one or two extra factory S&W hammer spring around for my N frames. So if you'd like to try a new spring just let me know via PM. We can arrange a time for you to come down and change out the spring and do a test fire to see if that helps.

Curmudgeon · « **Reply #4 on:** October 20, 2016, 05:46:21 pm »

Quote from: JesseL on October 20, 2016, 02:29:48 pm

Does your model 29 have a frame or hammer mounted firing pin?

Frame

Curmudgeon · « **Reply #5 on:** October 20, 2016, 05:52:37 pm »

Should be getting my Ruger Redhawk back pretty soon. (Getting a trigger job)

Hopefully I'll be able to shoot them side by side again next week.

If the S+W is still acting up (which I believe it will be), then I may take you up on that offer to try the spring. Thanks

Curmudgeon · « **Reply #6 on:** October 21, 2016, 12:44:13 pm »

WAIT A MINUTE ........... I was thinking about this.

Gun is less than a year old for sure. Shouldn't I just call Smith and Wesson, tell them what's going on, and see what they say?

I won't say that I was shooting reloads, just so they don't start ranting.

But, what do you guys think about that?

I'm thinking why go poking around inside the gun, if they can make it right for free.

JesseL · « **Reply #7 on:** October 21, 2016, 02:24:19 pm »

My guess is that the firing pin is crudded up a bit. A blast of cleaning stuff CLP, brake cleaner, whatever) will probably take care of the problem.

If that doesn't do it, by all means contact S&W. They have excellent customer service and will get things sorted out for you quickly.

Intel6 · « **Reply #8 on:** October 22, 2016, 08:39:44 am »

There can be a few reasons for this but barring something major like a broken FP (no ignition) It can be narrowed down to 2 things. Either the primers are not being seated fully in the handloads or the strain screw has loosed up and backed off. Typically when this happens (shooting fine and then all of the sudden misfires) it is the strain screw loosening up. It can happen with new untouched S&W revolvers. One of my shooting buddies years ago picked up a brand new 610 revolver and shot it for some time and then started having light hits with it. I asked him if he had messed with it and he said no, it is untouched. I knew that was true because he would have had me touch it if he wanted it worked on as I do all my own S&W revolver work. I popped off the grip sitting on the tailgate of my truck and checked the strain screw and sure enough it had backed out. Tightened it back up and it went back to 100% ignition.

This is a very simple thing to check and you are not getting into the inside of the gun. Take the grip off and check the flat tip screw that is on the frontstrap of the gripframe. If it is loose then that was your problem, tighten it up and go back to shooting it.

JarheadAZ · « **Reply #9 on:** October 22, 2016, 09:48:38 am »

Foreign matter obstructing the hammer's travel? Is that even a possibility?

Greg

Thernlund · « **Reply #10 on:** October 22, 2016, 09:56:12 am »

Quote from: JarheadAZ on October 22, 2016, 09:48:38 am

Foreign matter obstructing the hammer's travel? Is that even a possibility?

Not the hammer. You said it was a frame-mounted firing pin. Look for foreign matter in there.

-T.

Curmudgeon · « **Reply #11 on:** October 22, 2016, 01:48:16 pm »

Quote from: GavenAZ on October 20, 2016, 03:10:28 pm

Maybe the hammer spring tension screw came loose?

BINGO

Intel6 · « **Reply #12 on:** October 22, 2016, 08:23:29 pm »

Told you, strain screw loosed up.

GavenAZ · « **Reply #13 on:** October 24, 2016, 11:28:13 am »

rubinschmidt · « **Reply #14 on:** December 31, 2016, 02:27:28 pm »

Now that you've fixed the problem with the hammer spring screw, I'm curious to know if you could sense a difference in you weight of pull. I've never had this problem, but I do install lighter springs in revolvers and I's like to know if you could feel a difference.

Curmudgeon · « **Reply #15 on:** December 31, 2016, 02:37:53 pm »

Quote from: rubinschmidt on December 31, 2016, 02:27:28 pm

Now that you've fixed the problem with the hammer spring screw, I'm curious to know if you could sense a difference in you weight of pull. I've never had this problem, but I do install lighter springs in revolvers and I's like to know if you could feel a difference.

That particular revolver was AMAZING from the factory. Main reason why I did trigger job on my Ruger, was to make it closer to the Smith. So, it was always good. Ruger is very similar now. They are both a pleasure to shoot.

JarheadAZ · « **Reply #16 on:** January 01, 2017, 08:12:47 am »

When a second strike is needed for ignition, the possibility exists that primer seating is incomplete. I would just verify that the primers are at least flush with the cartridge base/face. When a problem appears, it's can be the sum of a few cascading failures. Fixing one issue can relieve the symptom, but fixing a problem means fixing/verifying all of the potential issues.

Think of this as being similar the chess condition known as 'discovered check'. The check was previously there, but it took another move for it to become effective.

Greg

coelacanth · « **Reply #17 on:** January 01, 2017, 11:07:50 am »

Good analogy.

Curmudgeon · « **Reply #18 on:** January 01, 2017, 11:26:17 am »

I don't know why this thread re-emerged. Like I said early, the problem was corrected. Once I tightened that screw, all was golden.

coelacanth · « **Reply #19 on:** January 01, 2017, 11:35:08 am »

Others learn from your experience and willingness to create a thread about it. Its all good.

Curmudgeon · « **Reply #20 on:** January 01, 2017, 01:21:12 pm »

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