CCI 250 too hard?

[OldDog]

I have been using CCI 250 large rifle mag primers for all my large rifle needs for a several years now. I never had an issue till now.I bought a CVA break action compact 7mm08 from Bud's ,and got around to shooting it today.I was shooting 139 Interlocks over 46 gr H414,and the CCI 250 .I was very pleased with the trigger pull,and can tell the gun will be plenty accurate for my needs. I was very disappointed by the fact that on about 1 in 5 shells I got a light strike.They all fired on the second attempt. I was also thinking maybe the cases were sized down too much,but if it were an issue with sizing would they have all fired on the second try? I can only get CCI,and Winchester primers in town.Are the CCI 200 softer than the 250,or should I switch to Winchester? .The rifle cocks really lightly compared to my Henry break action 223,but I think it is just the nature of the gun..I appreciate any advice you can offer.

[snowgetter1]

I had issues with light strikes in my 30 Bellm savage striker using standard cci small rifle primers. I used winchester prior to the problem. Switched back to Winchester and no problems. But, I have CCI large, small standard and mag primers used in everything else with no problems.

[CFJunkie]

Winchester primers should be softer than CCI primers and might be a reasonable short term solution.
Federal and Remington primers are also softer than CCI.
I use CCI in my semis because they are harder.

However, for this rifle, I would recommend you make sure the firing pin is not being hung up occasionally.
I'm presuming that the spring is strong enough because it gives an adequate primer strike 80% of the time.
Since it is a new rifle, there might be a burr in the firing pin channel.
I doubt the bolt is dirty, but it could possibly have some crud left in the firing pin channel from manufacturing, although that is unlikely.

You may get lucky and whatever is binding might wear away, but that may take a while.

Since it sounds like you haven't fired a whole lot of rounds with the new rifle, I would be more concerned with the light strikes because they will only get worse as residue builds up in the firing pin channel.

I had long term residue build-up cause a firing pin on my .270 Winchester to keep the firing pin extended.
Of course, the next round I chambered fired as I closed the bolt.
Luckily, the barrel was pointed down range at the time.
But, I is not something you expect or want to happen.
I cleaned the crap out of that bolt and it never has happened again.

[OldDog]

I shot 14 rounds,and the issue happened 3 times,and all three fired on the second pull.I wish I would have pulled one of the shells out and looked at it to see if it put much of a dent in the primer.Nothing is obstructed, but the hammer pull is very light compared to my Henry break action,and so is the trigger pull.The Henry's trigger pull is really heavy,but it has never failed to fire.Both guns have a safety feature that locks the firing pin unless the trigger is pulled all the way back. I can squeeze the trigger on both guns and push the hammer forward and see the firing pin sticking out from its hole on both rifles.The CVA sticks out further.I am even wondering if the problem may be that I am pulling the trigger too slow,and releasing the hammer before the firing pin releases.I never encountered this on the Henry, but it may be due to the fact that the Henry's trigger pull is much heavier. I will shoot what I have loaded,and be more aware of trigger follow through.I will pick up some Winchester primers as well.

[CFJunkie]

I'm not sure the trigger pull is related to the speed of the firing pin strike.
Normally, the trigger pull releases the sear that allows the firing pin spring to uncoil so the firing pin can move briskly forward to dent the primer and set it off so it can ignite the powder charge.
Unless the sear is hanging up the spring, and i can't think of how it might, the firing pin spring or a disturbance in the channel that guides the firing pin as it sprints forward are all that might impede it.

You didn't say what kind of rifle or trigger you're using so it is hard to comment on its design.
A Savage Accu-trigger safety tang just keeps the sear from falling until it is pressed back even with the trigger body and then the remainder of the trigger movement releases the sear and the firing pin spring is released. Once the sear clears its locking position, the firing pin starts moving and the firing pin spring tension determines the speed of its travel.

I would suspect a weak firing pin spring more than anything else if the weak strikes were more prevalent, but I am still puzzled that you are getting almost 80% of your rounds to fire the first time and they all seem to fire on the second try. That makes me suspect that there is some form of obstruction or impediment in the firing pin channel or an issue with achieving full firing pin spring tension every time the firing pin spring is tensioned.

Normally, you squeeze the trigger smoothly, regardless of the design, and let it surprise you when it releases.
Jerking the trigger isn't going to get the firing pin moving more quickly unless there is something very messed up with the trigger mechanism.
All jerking the trigger normally will do is move your rifle off the aim point before the cartridge fires.
That just messes up your accuracy.

[gbflyer]

Try the Winchester and see if it goes away. One consideration is that a break action headspaces differently than a bolt. The go/no go doesn’t tell all the story. You can google up headspace on a TC Encore and read all about it. It’s quite possible that the frame to barrel face gap on your CVA is excessive and the cause of your light strikes. I’m unfamiliar with the CVA, the TC Encore can be shimmed.

The CCI’s are definitely harder primers. I’ve got a bunch of them but I’m not a huge fan.

[OldDog]

CF Junkie,The rifle is a CVA compact hunter(break action single shot) It has the stock trigger.I got it from Bud's for $184 shipped free tax free.It cost me $2 for optional insurance,and $25 for FFL fee,so I have about $211 in it,not counting glass,but it did come with a base and rings built together.I think it will be a dandy truck gun.It is only 35" with 13.5" trigger pull,and 20" barrel

[ktmracer358]

I own the exact same rifle in 223 and have observed the same issue I switched to s&b small rifle primers and never had the issue again. That being said I love my hunter and it is very accurate always been sub moa to me.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[OldDog]

Thanks KTMRacer.I think I will really like mine as well,once I solve the primer issue.I love the light trigger,but I wish it had a heavier hammer spring.I feel pretty confident that switching primers will solve the issue.

[CFJunkie]

Sorry I missed your reference in your original post. I think I can see in the picture you have a hammer instead of a bolt.
That changes the situation a bit.
The trigger sear still releases the hammer spring but the hammer is pivoted on a post and there may be some variations in the way it pivots occasionally slowing down its strike.

I still doubt pulling the trigger harder will change anything.
Federal primers are even softer than Winchesters based upon my experience, but I don't think you said they were available in your local stores.
Winchester primers may be your only option that you can get them locally.

[sharpshooter]

If it won't ignite CCI primers, it's lacking impact energy...period. Even though it may ignite Federal or Winchester, it's still has an ignition problem. In those type rifles, a decent trigger pull is usually a dead giveaway that the main spring is weak.

[OldDog]

It has a very good trigger pull,but it also cocks with far less pressure than my Henry single shot 223 which hasn't got a light trigger but has never failed to fire.I use CCI 400 primers with it.If switching to a Winchester primer solves my problem then I will be tickled .I realize the 250s are large rifle mag primers,and wonder if they may be harder than a standard 200.I also was thinking my shoulders may be bumped back a hair,but if the issue was with case sizing would they have fired on the second pull? I may need to get a neck sizing die,or try partial sizing.Hopefully switching primers does the trick.

[Robinhood]

Are the rounds that fired showing primers proud from the face of the case?

[OldDog]

Are the rounds that fired showing primers proud from the face of the case?

No,they are flush.I should have extracted one that did not fire on the first pull and looked at it.I still have some, and will on the next on.All the dimples on the fired primers look normal except for one,and it is visibly smaller, and it appears to me that the neck, and shoulder of this particular shell is exceptionally sooty.It is the only one with a soot ring on the shoulder. It does look like my issue may be sizing related .I never had issue with cases sizing on my Axis 7mm08,but like most Savages it was tight chambered.

[OldDog]

I am pretty sure my issue is with my cases.I took the 14 cases from what I shot the other day,and ran them through my sizing die with the die set just shy of touching the shell holder.I primed them with the same CCI 250s,and was going to load them to try the next time I go out to the farm, but I got impatient, and stuffed wads of paper towel in the neck and went out on the deck and tried them on just the primer because I can't really shoot here,and every one went off on the first pull .I thank everyone for all the good advice they share on this forum, and wish everyone a good Easter.

[Robinhood]

Old Dog. The soot on your cases are an indication of work hardened brass. It has been my experience that when brass gets that hard the neck will not expand evenly or rapidly enough to seal in the chamber. I am sure you are aware of this but I wanted to mention it anyway.

[OldDog]

The only case that had soot on the shoulder was the one with the lighter dimple on the primer,and it had a little soot ring on the shoulder, and the rest just had a little on the necks,about what I would expect with a pretty light 414 load.The brass was some R.P once fired that I bought from a guy on the HighRoad forum a few years ago,and never used it.I can't remember if it was sized,and decapped when I bought it,but I think it was.I did pick up some Winchester standard large rifle primers today,and I am going to keep my die about .015" off the shell holder while sizing.I am 99% sure the problem was with the sizing,but I am also switching primers to cover as many bases as I can.