What Happened?

[Snapping Twig]

I bought a box of 100 9mm Lapua 124g.

They are red lacquer sealed at the case mouth and primer.

These are old, but the box looks good and the rounds appear a bit weathered - not shiny like new, but certainly not bad.

I loaded a magazine and touched the trigger and - nothing.

Great primer strike, but no ignition.

Chambered the second and it lit off.

Third round - nothing.

So I emptied the magazine and returned the box to the LGS.

No way I was going to try any more of them. Two out of three duds is a definite no-go for me.

What could have happened to this ammo?

Heat? Looked like the box was OK, not discolored or water spoiled, hard to imagine what would have harmed the ammo and left the box intact.

 

[robertrwalsh]

It could have just been real old. Any way to date the box? (UPC or something like that.) Is that the only ammo you have had trouble with.? Did you try something else at more or less the same time (just t eliminate weapons trouble as the cause)? Possibly the ammo got fairly hot for a fairly long period of time. That ill make things deteriorate. Assuming you are right about the solid strike all that leaves if bad primers-and-or-powder. Lapua is not known for turning out junk.

 

[Snapping Twig]

I'm thinking you're on to something with temperature.

I shot a box of MagTec at the same range session, no duds.

I'm going to disassemble one of the duds - see what's going on.

 

[pownal55]

Age alone should not be the problem, at least as far as powder goes. I am currently loading some rifle powder given to me by a high school shooting buddy that is at least 35 yrs old and it works fine.

 

[alwslate]

A friend told me he was having a problem with his home defense 12 ga
shotgun and his 00 buckshot shells. He had tried to fire a few but none
went off. He asked me to try them in one of my guns. None would fire.
I asked and he confirmed, he had a habit of spraying fine lube into his
loaded gun. Result...dead primers.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

While it's unusual for ammo that is sealed at the primer and neck to "go bad" it's not impossible. (obviously) Without taking them apart it's hard to say if the powder or primer went bad. Powder lasts a long time especially when sealed and primers are a lot tougher than most reloaders give credit. Any guess would be just that, a guess.

 

[OFT II]

I'm thinking it's a primer problem. If the primer had fired and the powder failed to ignite you would have heard a pop and likely would have a slug stuck in the barrel.

 

[alwslate]

With older ammo a situation can exist that isn't obvious because of
the primer lacquer. The primers may be slightly loose or not quite
fully seated and the first hit just makes a shallow impression and
fully seats the primer. The second hit will usually ignite the primer.
The Yugoslavian 8mm Mauser ammo made in the mid 50s sold in
large quantities a few years ago was notorious for that. Many misfires
on the first hit but almost all would fire on the second try. Annoying
but at $69 for a case of 900 rounds it sold by the ton. Wow, $69
for 900 rds of 8mm ammo. Those were the good old days. I still have
one unopened case.

 

[Boge]

A friend told me he was having a problem with his home defense 12 ga
shotgun and his 00 buckshot shells. He had tried to fire a few but none
went off. He asked me to try them in one of my guns. None would fire.
I asked and he confirmed, he had a habit of spraying fine lube into his
loaded gun. Result...dead primers.

Myth.

The Box O' Truth #39 - Oil Vs. Primers The Box O' Truth

 

[CoMF]

Can't say I've ever used Lapua ammo before, but maybe the stuff just has super hard primers?

 

[alwslate]

Myth.

The Box O' Truth #39 - Oil Vs. Primers The Box O' Truth

Myth? And your explanation for my friends dead primers in
his recent manufacture American made 12 ga ammo is???

 

[chief38]

I have never personally used any Lapua ammo, but I have used very very old ammo (over 80 years old) with no failures! I would suspect either faulty ammo or poor storage practice assuming there is not a problem with the firearm itself.