# Shotgun Shell Misfires?



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Saturday was a wet miserable day in the marsh, but the duck hunting was fantastic. My buddy was having problems with misfires. Sometimes the shells just would not go off, and another time we heard a quiet popping sound. (like a firecracker in a pipe) He immediately recognized the fact the primer popped and did not try to follow up with another shell. We pulled the barrel and sure enough the wad was stuck about half way up the barrel. I know several people this has happened to, but they did fire another round and blew their barrel apart. It's usually the bystander that gets the worst of it. I'm just happy he was on his toes that day and we didn't get hurt or lose a barrel. He was shooting Estates, and we have never had a problem with these shells. There was a lot of unburned powder in his barrel and in the receiver. Is it possible for a shell to fire if some of the powder is wet and some is dry? Would it leave the wet unburned powder behind in the gun?


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## Hoopermat (Dec 17, 2010)

The wet powder is the problem. I had this happen a couple years ago. I took another shell apart and found the powder had been wet.


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

I recommend when it's wet you bring a handful of balloons with you. Each time after you shoot and before you reload put a balloon over the end of your barrel. It keeps the shell in the chamber bone dry and won't affect anything at all when you shoot. I have even seen some company that now makes "gun condoms" for the same purpose.


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## 1BandMan (Nov 2, 2007)

I've heard of "blooper" shells but hadn't experienced any until shooting some of my buddiie's reloads a long time ago (he sucked at reloading). I've reloaded 1000's of rounds and never had a single issue, ever. I've not had or heard of any issues with factory loads either.

Pretty crazy with modern technology that the powder would get wet either through the end of the shell or through the primer opening, but I guess it could happen. I do worry that without plated shot that they could rust together and wreak havoc with a barrel, but haven't had any issue yet. 
The only way I could possibly see it happening is if you completely submerged shells in water for a while, but who knows. 
If you decide to use the balloon's or condoms, make sure you take them off before you fire your gun or the result will be the same as if you left the wad in your barrel. The tinyiest obstruction can result in the barrel being bird caged or blown off. I've heard of folks blowing the end of the barrel off when replacing a bead and left a couple of threads, yes a couple of threads not flush with the barrel.

I'd call and talk with Estate and ask WTF's up with their shells. When they ask you for a description of the problem, I'd tell them and send what ever's left of those shells back to them (postage on them of course) and have them make it right.


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

Fowlmouth said:


> Saturday was a wet miserable day in the marsh, but the duck hunting was fantastic. My buddy was having problems with misfires. Sometimes the shells just would not go off, and another time we heard a quiet popping sound. (like a firecracker in a pipe) He immediately recognized the fact the primer popped and did not try to follow up with another shell. We pulled the barrel and sure enough the wad was stuck about half way up the barrel. I know several people this has happened to, but they did fire another round and blew their barrel apart. It's usually the bystander that gets the worst of it. I'm just happy he was on his toes that day and we didn't get hurt or lose a barrel. He was shooting Estates, and we have never had a problem with these shells. There was a lot of unburned powder in his barrel and in the receiver. Is it possible for a shell to fire if some of the powder is wet and some is dry? Would it leave the wet unburned powder behind in the gun?


It is not always wet powder, it could be a couple other things. Defective primer or a possible light primer strike from the gun. It can also be insufficient shot weight compared to volume or powder or a even a defective wad that doesn't seal on the barrel. The unburned powder in the barrel is the result of a poor ignition from one of the above conditions or even a mixture of the conditions.

I've heard the little pop a few times over the years and thanks for bringing attention to this, everyone should know and understand that *you should never shoot a follow up shell until you make sure the barrel is free from obstruction*.

What kind of gun is he shooting? There are some guns that are more prone to light primer strikes than other. My last blooper was a result from shooting a lot of 2 3/4" shells and not cleaning my gun, when I tried to shoot a 3" shell with a flared end, my bolt didn't close all the way and I got a light primer strike. If I were him, I throw that box of shells away. If they are wet or have defective primers, they will only get worse as it gets colder, they are unsafe to shoot. Try another brand of shell to make sure it isn't a light primer strike and clean your barrel really well.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

We shoot Winchester SX3's. I think the wet/unburned powder had a lot to do with gumming up the action and not allowing it to close all the way. We thought about the light primer strikes as well, but they were dimpled just like the others that went boom. The gun is all cleaned and ready for a new box of shells. We will see what happens.


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## 1BandMan (Nov 2, 2007)

Don't goop up the trigger/firing pin area with lube. Less is more when it's cold and thick cold oils can cause light primer strikes as easy or easier than it being dirty.


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

i'v never had this problem, but let me ask this question. say you get a wad stuck half way through your barrel. how do you get it out without going home??? is it possible that you can take another live shell, empty out all the shot and shoot just the wad through to clear out the wad that's stuck??


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## Montego13 (Dec 2, 2012)

Well Fowlmouth, that was a fun hunt even with all the misfires and flat out misses. That gun had enough unburned powder for a half dozen shells clogged up in it. Thanks for all the responses and suggestions. The gun has been completely disassembled, cleaned thoroughly, and had a light coat of Rem-oil wiped on the metal. The action feels as smooth as ever. As for not shooting a follow up shot, no duck is worth the risk. Fowlmouth and I regularly talk about safety. I know and trust that guy! I hope everyone feels the same about the guys they choose to share a blind with. It never hurts to have a pre-hunt chat and regular reminders.....most accidents can be avoided with a little common sense. Hope you all have a safe and successful season!


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

goosefreak said:


> i'v never had this problem, but let me ask this question. say you get a wad stuck half way through your barrel. how do you get it out without going home??? is it possible that you can take another live shell, empty out all the shot and shoot just the wad through to clear out the wad that's stuck??


*NO don't do that! *
Take your barrel off. If you don't have a rod with you then break off a cattail and push the wad out with the cattail stem. (not the brown seed part :shock


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## dixieboy (Jul 26, 2013)

1BandMan said:


> Don't goop up the trigger/firing pin area with lube. Less is more when it's cold and thick cold oils can cause light primer strikes as easy or easier than it being dirty.


had a similar issue with mine, I had alittle too much oil on the parts and had a few misfires, and failure to eject. Got it home found my common sense right where i left it, scrubbed it down, and only put enough on to give is a slight shine. It ran real well after that.


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

(not the brown seed part :shock:)[/QUOTE said:


> wouldn't that just clean your barrel too?


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## Montego13 (Dec 2, 2012)

Goosefreak-
We took the barrel off the gun, cut a cattail and pushed it through. There is no way in hell I would shoot another shell...the barrel is obstructed! That is an accident waiting to happen. It might work, but I'm not the one to try it.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Montego13 said:


> Well Fowlmouth, that was a fun hunt even with all the misfires and flat out misses.


Misses? We don't miss, we just try to scare some of the ducks out of the decoys every now and then.


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## 1BandMan (Nov 2, 2007)

goosefreak said:


> i'v never had this problem, but let me ask this question. say you get a wad stuck half way through your barrel. how do you get it out without going home??? is it possible that you can take another live shell, empty out all the shot and shoot just the wad through to clear out the wad that's stuck??


Not a good idea. Don't shoot anything through the gun with an obstruction in the barrel. Not even a blade of grass, nothing.

Use a rod, use something like a cleaning rod, whatever. 
You can use something of weight and send it though choke end and put your thumb over the end, flip the barrel back and forth and beat the wad out with it. I've used rocks, a small Swiss Army Knife, whatever that has some weight that will fit in the barrel. Don't try to go from the wrong end and beat the wad down into the choke and out the barrel, it won't work.

I once used a truck jack handle to extract a "wad cutter" from a barrel once. Lucky the dude survived for me to get it out.


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

Montego13 said:


> Well Fowlmouth, that was a fun hunt even with all the misfires and flat out misses. That gun had enough unburned powder for a half dozen shells clogged up in it. Thanks for all the responses and suggestions. The gun has been completely disassembled, cleaned thoroughly, and had a light coat of Rem-oil wiped on the metal. The action feels as smooth as ever.


I'll bet it will be shooting fine with a good cleaning, but watch for those shells that could have gotten wet or may have primer issues. I soaked some of my really good tungsten goose loads a couple weeks ago, I don't know if they got water in them, but I broke them down and reloaded them again with new primers and powder. I don't need a blooper when I'm trying to bag a rare goose.

I like rem oil, I use it as a outer coating for most guns. It gets a little sticky in really cold weather in the action, if you ever get a chance to try FP-10 in the action, I've had good luck with it for the last 6 or 7 years. I felt like dry was better than rem oil and FP-10 was better than dry in 0 degree weather. Both Sportsmans and Cabelas carries it.


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## Montego13 (Dec 2, 2012)

Thanks toasty, I'll pick some up and give it a try!


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## fish-n-fool (May 26, 2009)

Fowlmouth said:


> Saturday was a wet miserable day in the marsh, but the duck hunting was fantastic. My buddy was having problems with misfires. Sometimes the shells just would not go off, and another time we heard a quiet popping sound. (like a firecracker in a pipe) He immediately recognized the fact the primer popped and did not try to follow up with another shell. We pulled the barrel and sure enough the wad was stuck about half way up the barrel. I know several people this has happened to, but they did fire another round and blew their barrel apart. It's usually the bystander that gets the worst of it. I'm just happy he was on his toes that day and we didn't get hurt or lose a barrel. He was shooting Estates, and we have never had a problem with these shells. There was a lot of unburned powder in his barrel and in the receiver. Is it possible for a shell to fire if some of the powder is wet and some is dry? Would it leave the wet unburned powder behind in the gun?


Sounds like someones shells got wetter than hell. A dry box is worth its weight in gold. Most shell manufactures do not wax the crimp if they don't you better not submerge them for much longer then a second and even that might get down to the powder. Sounds like I need to make the run and come out and see if I can shoot my first limit of the year. Ogden and salt creek sucked Saturday and it should have rocked. 
just so you know who is out there with ya.


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## fish-n-fool (May 26, 2009)

Fowlmouth said:


> Misses? We don't miss, we just try to scare some of the ducks out of the decoys every now and then.


He is telling the truth FM has to scare the birds out of the blocks all the time or there becomes way to many. It sucks to be him. _O\\:rofl:


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

fish-n-fool said:


> Sounds like I need to make the run and come out and see if I can shoot my first limit of the year. Ogden and salt creek sucked Saturday and it should have rocked.
> just so you know who is out there with ya.


I found a good "flyway" the ducks are using heavily. I'm using 5 dozen decoys and a spinner, the ducks have been decoying right in. Last Saturday in another spot we were using 17 dozen decoys and no spinners, it worked out good too. Come on out and get that limit.


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## GBell (Sep 2, 2013)

Happened to me on the opener.


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## fish-n-fool (May 26, 2009)

Holy shiznit! 17 doz! how many boat you got going with you? Lol that's a spread! I know what you mean about finding the fly way we watched flock after flock fly through there when sitting in that other spot last year. I tried to get the boys to get in there last year but they where star struck with there spot and it was good.

Text me when your headed out there, tomorrow and friday have high wind advisory 25-35 mph 60 mph gusts !!!! weber,davis and north salt lake. sounds like the perfect weather to get them off the lake.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

1BandMan said:


> Don't goop up the trigger/firing pin area with lube. Less is more when it's cold and thick cold oils can cause light primer strikes as easy or easier than it being dirty.


Very good point. Also, WD40 will gum up and cause light firing pin strikes.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

wyogoob said:


> Very good point. Also, WD40 will gum up and cause light firing pin strikes.


Learned this the hard way with my Browning Gold. The drier the better, that thing hated oil. I always wondered what a shot of graphite lube would do?


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## Pumpgunner (Jan 12, 2010)

I use some dry lube/cleaner that I got at Sportsman's to lube the action bars of my 870, runs slick and seems to work like a charm. Knock on wood I've never had my gun hang up or refuse to fire in 8 seasons of hunting with it. That's why I like pump guns and longtails instead of semi-autos and surface drives, they may not be as pretty but they aren't nearly as sensitive as their more refined cousins.


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

Pumpgunner said:


> I use some dry lube/cleaner that I got at Sportsman's to lube the action bars of my 870, runs slick and seems to work like a charm. Knock on wood I've never had my gun hang up or refuse to fire in 8 seasons of hunting with it. That's why I like pump guns and longtails instead of semi-autos and surface drives, they may not be as pretty but they aren't nearly as sensitive as their more refined cousins.


What brand name is the dry lube cleaner. I've noticed lately that my 1976 vintage 870 Wingmaster magnum is getting a little stiffer to pump now and I suspect it needs a good cleaning on the pumping parts.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Pumpgunner said:


> I use some dry lube/cleaner that I got at Sportsman's to lube the action bars of my 870, runs slick and seems to work like a charm. Knock on wood I've never had my gun hang up or refuse to fire in 8 seasons of hunting with it. That's why I like pump guns and longtails instead of semi-autos and surface drives, they may not be as pretty but they aren't nearly as sensitive as their more refined cousins.


I hear you on that! When I switched from a pump shotgun to an autoloader back in 2001 I told myself I would never shoot a pump again for waterfowl. I picked up a few more pump shotguns over the years and would take them out on occasion, but mostly used my auto as the go to gun. I purchased a Winchester SXP before the season started this year and find myself grabbing that gun more and more. It has really been fun shooting that thing. I'm old school too with my longtail motor. There's just some shallow stuff I like to hunt in that I don't think a SD would get out of as easily. They certainly could get in there though.


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

wyogoob said:


> Very good point. Also, WD40 will gum up and cause light firing pin strikes.


Are you sure about that? WD40 is all I use to clean my guns. So long as they're clean, I don't see how WD40 by itself is a problem. I wipe any excess off, though.



Fowlmouth said:


> I hear you on that! When I switched from a pump shotgun to an autoloader back in 2001 I told myself I would never shoot a pump again for waterfowl. I picked up a few more pump shotguns over the years and would take them out on occasion, but mostly used my auto as the go to gun. I purchased a Winchester SXP before the season started this year and find myself grabbing that gun more and more. It has really been fun shooting that thing. I'm old school too with my longtail motor. There's just some shallow stuff I like to hunt in that I don't think a SD would get out of as easily. They certainly could get in there though.


Pretty funny when pumps and longtails are considered old school.;-)


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

My pump is my NEW gun, bought her in '75. My 1100 is my older gun, she was purchased in '67. However my 1100 is a 16 gauge so I don't use her on ducks since that ridiculous law outlawing lead shot. Prior to that she took many a green-head on the Louisiana bayous. I do like to use it for other game where you can still use lead shot though such as upland birds, rabbit's, squirrels.....elephant and rhino of course.


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

LostLouisianian said:


> My pump is my NEW gun, bought her in '75. My 1100 is my older gun, she was purchased in '67. However my 1100 is a 16 gauge so I don't use her on ducks since that ridiculous law outlawing lead shot. Prior to that she took many a green-head on the Louisiana bayous. I do like to use it for other game where you can still use lead shot though such as upland birds, rabbit's, squirrels.....elephant and rhino of course.


I've got an old Model 12 I've threatened to open up for ducks. It was built in 1952. Cool old gun.


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## Pumpgunner (Jan 12, 2010)

Lost, the stuff that I use is called Hornady One Shot.


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## Pumpgunner (Jan 12, 2010)

Fowlmouth said:


> I hear you on that! When I switched from a pump shotgun to an autoloader back in 2001 I told myself I would never shoot a pump again for waterfowl. I picked up a few more pump shotguns over the years and would take them out on occasion, but mostly used my auto as the go to gun. I purchased a Winchester SXP before the season started this year and find myself grabbing that gun more and more. It has really been fun shooting that thing. I'm old school too with my longtail motor. There's just some shallow stuff I like to hunt in that I don't think a SD would get out of as easily. They certainly could get in there though.


How does your SXP seem to be holding up as far as rust/corrosion and that kind of thing go? I've handled one before and they shoulder really nice, and they seem to have a good fit and finish for the price. They are high on my list for a backup gun or a gun for my kids when they get a bit older.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Pumpgunner said:


> How does your SXP seem to be holding up as far as rust/corrosion and that kind of thing go? I've handled one before and they shoulder really nice, and they seem to have a good fit and finish for the price. They are high on my list for a backup gun or a gun for my kids when they get a bit older.


I purchased the SX3 new last season and hunted 85 days with it in all weather conditions. I have put 1000 rounds through it now and it has been a fantastic gun, no jams, misfires or anything like that. It is the black synthetic with the flat finish barrel. It still looks new, no rust or pitting. I shot a Browning Gold for years, so it was easy to switch to the SX3. It's a more reliable gun than the Browning Gold.

I bought a new 870 Express Supermag but had way too many cycling issues with it, so I sold it and got the Winchester SXP this year. The SXP shoulders just like the SX3 so it works out well for me. Is your 870 the Express model or older?


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## Pumpgunner (Jan 12, 2010)

My 870 is an express super mag that I bought new in 2002. I think I got one from just before Remington's quality really started to slip, I've never had an issue with mine but have heard all sorts of horror stories about the newer ones. Glad to hear that your SXP is holding up so well, I am pretty sure that's what I will be looking closest at when my kids get a bit older!


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