Million to one shot squib load

[bd1]

It was a NO powder round as best I can tell. Thanks, the case came out ease only went PHEWF no Boom when I pulled the trigger.

By all indications no harm done to shooter(s) or eqpt. That's the good news.

[Maury Krupp]

I wouldn't think just a primer would push a bullet that far down a standard rifle barrel. I'd also expect more of a "pop" than "pewf."

So it sounds more like a short charge to me

What powder? Loaded on what press? Progressive? Any powder fail-safe procedures in your loading process (eg, powder check die, looking down in to the case with a bright light, etc)?

When I throw charges of IMR4064 with my Dillon most are within +/-.2gr but once in a while there's one that's way high or low. I know because I check each one off press.

With BL-C(2) or other ball powders I just pull the crank. Haven't had any problems yet but I do have a powder check die sitting on the shelf. It's worthless for 4064 but maybe I'll re-think it for ball powders.

Maury

[Crashyoung]

I had a pistol round do the same, it was a factory load too.

It was said that after a civil war battle, you could pick up rifles
that were overloaded because the first round failed to fire, and
the soldier kept reloading.

Strange, as the ramrod would give you a visual that there was
a load still in the barrel.

[CMP Shooter]

I've had 2 or 3 squibs where only the primer went off. In each case, there was only enough ooomph to push the bullet just out of the chamber but where there wasn't enough room to chamber the next round, fortunately. So I agree with Maury that there was probably just enough powder to push the bullet to the end of the barrel. The way that bullet was sticking out of the end of the barrel, I do believe you discovered another type of hangfire.
One time I was shooting reduced loads out of a Krag in a CMP match. In the rapid phase, I had a squib and wasn't aware of it until I realized I couldn't chamber the next round. Had I been able to fire the next round, it might've ruined my whole day.
Murphy's Law says if anything is wrong with a particular round of ammo, it'll be discovered in rapid fire.

[Andouille]

Murphy's Law says if anything is wrong with a particular round of ammo, it'll be discovered in rapid fire.

That's for sure. Do not ask me how I know this.

And that's also why you never go to the range or on a hunting trip without a cleaning rod.

[free1954]

i wouldn't think that only a primer could push a bullet that far down the barrel

[Johnny in Texas]

It was probably just a short charge
The bullet tap out easily
It is a hart 308 barrel 6 groove 1-12 twist
bullet 175 SMK MOLY COATED

[bruce]

Re: OP. Glad things worked out for you. Very thankful you were not injured and your rifle was not damaged. I've not ever had a squib/hand fire w/ a handloaded rifle round. Have had a few instances of problems w/ factory rifle rounds. Had some Winchester Q3131 that gave problems w/ popped primers. No damage to rifle. Winchester replaced all the ammo, fired and unfired and paid all shipping to get the problem ammo to them and the replacement ammo to me.

Started handloading for rifles and handguns in 1980. Have had exactly two squibs. One back about 1985... stuck a lead bullet in a pistol barrel. Tapped it out w/ a pencil. The other week I went to shoot a batch of .38 Special ammo I'd loaded after church on Sunday evening. Little pop... but nothing else. Bullet was pressing against the throat of the barrel. Tapped it back into the case w/ a wood dowel, opened the cylinder and ejected the rounds. Took them home and broke them down. Out of 500 rounds, 50 had gotten bullets w/ no powder. Not good. Lesson... never load when you are really really tired. Get some sleep.

[oldtirediron]

I once went to a range where a guy was shooting old 303 british ammo that didn't sound right --First thought he was shooting blanks or training ammunition-After not hitting the target and then he was having a terrible hangfire problem He quit for the day! I went to pull a couple targets and walked out downrange from his firing point-- Less than 100 feet out there there was a pile of bullets lying in the grass!! When we went back he told me that he bought the ammunition at a gun show and the fella he bought it from said it was in a flood!!