Primer Problem

[corncob]

The ML-II is my first muzzleloading experience and I am 20 shots along in the journey. About 75% of the time I had difficulty removing the primer after it was fired. I had to close the bolt and dry fire it. That usually worked, but on occasion had to do this a couple of times. The primers were Federal 209A. Friends have said not to draw any conclusions until I've put more rounds through it - but they don't shoot an ML-II. This is all new to me and I am excited to be among the Savage clan.

Best regards

[bubba]

CC

I had the same problem with WIN primers! THe rate was about 33-50% of the time, firing a second time helped me remove the primer.

I switched to Fed primers and had that occur about 5% of the time.

I have only about 50 shots thru my rifle.

-bubba

[edge]

First what load are you using? I sometimes find that on medium to light loads this happens, but if the primer is bulged due to high pressure this can happen also.

With the light loads the problem is the primer seperates and the primer cup is pushed back against the boltface but the aluminum primer housing does not setback against the boltface so the primer is really longer than it was when you installed it.

edge.

[bubba]

Edge

Good point, I had that stuck primer problem when I dry fired just a primer to see if the gun worked when I first got it.

-bubba

[corncob]

I was shooting Nosler 260 grain .451 diameter bullets with 34 grains of Alliant 2400. It's a load that a local guy has been shooting with great success.

[SW]

Corncob,
4200 was one of the early powders - dirty, a few misfires(ML-1), and very accurate. Use a sleeker bullet though such as 250SST, 260DC, etc. 260 Nosler good before better bullets in 451/452 became available. I killed a nice 8-pt with exactly your load at 75 yds 4 yrs ago(ML-1) -great bullet performance.

[Douglas Blair]

Corncob, I think we have all went through this same problem. I know I did, and it is because of one of two things either too little pressure to reseat the primer back into the battery or too much pressure.

Another thing you will find as the gun breaks in and the primer "chamber" gets slicked up it will quit sticking primers. I have had Winchester, CCI, and Federal primers stick when I have fired the gun. I can't really tell if one brand sticks worse than another. I have also noticed that when I dryfire a primer to blow out the barrel before loading it they stick almost every time since there is no pressure to reseat the primer back into the cup. This problem will pass, but until it does I know it is a pain.

[corncob]

I have already decided to go to AA XMP5744. I bought the starter kit, so I have Hornady 45-250 HP/XTP's. I wish I had joined this group before I acquired everthing. I'm thinking now that I need to pull my Weaver aluminum bases off and replace them with steel.

Also, I did not do well when I registered for the message board. Doug - you can delete tfms and tfms52 from the list of members.

[mike3132]

corncob,

put good steel bases and rings on your savage. aluminum doesn't hold up very well. l learned that the hard way. 5744 is a very good powder to start with, user friendly. primer sticking is a problem for some at times. a good habit is to remove it first before doing anything else. that way if its stuck you can close the bolt and fire again. that usually will un-stick it. i have had to fire as high as three-four times on a few stubborn ones. good luck, mike

[simonkenton]

Hang in there you will get your primer problem resolved.
With my Savage, half the time I open the bolt the primer pops out like a cartridge ejecting from a bolt action rifle.

[RBinAR]

8-)Dang: I wanted to pop in with some helpful witty info, but these guys are so good I'll just be flapping. So do what they say and you'll be ok.