I was shooting at my local range on monday and had a disaster. I've been reloading for three years (I bet half of the members just cringed at that!) and have never had a problem. I fired thirty rounds of various handloads in my trusted Ruger 375 H&H and all was well. Expected velocities etc. I have even found a good load for my 380g rhinos and I was feeling fine. On the second to last round I fired a Sierra 300g with 63g of S335 with CCI large rifle (magnum) primers (for those who know me on the board, its one of my favourite loads). I was achieving moderate to fast velocities all day (about 2450). I have literally shot hundreds of handloads just like this, but all went wrong. After firing, I noticed an excessive (slightly more than usual) amount of smoke coming from the chamber when I ejected the round and when I aimed to shoot again (I was practicing snap shooting) the trigger was soft and nothing happened. I waited a bit, thinking I had just experienced a misfire, unloaded and alas no firing pin indentation. I picked up the discarded brass and there was a pinprick hole right next to the firing pin dimple right through the primer! Now I know you are thinking I must have misloaded the charge, but I'm almost (damn positive actually!) sure I didn't overload the charge. It looks like a classic overpressure situation and the primer is flattened slightly. I think a have blasted my firing pin back into the bolt, but I'm not sure yet. Help! Should I dissasemble the bolt and try and recover the firing pin myself or take it to my local and very competent smith? What the heck happened? Is their such a thing as primer failure?

Any thoughts would be appreciated. I depend on this gun for my life sometimes!

Berger, I think when you get the fireing pin out of the bolt body, you will find it has a broken tip! My thinking is, the pin broke off on an angle, turning the fireing pin into a very sharp pointed piece of hard steel. The broken tip forceing the back part of the pin to the side, slightly, causeing it to puncture the primer, to the side of the foreing pin dimple.

Of course this is only conjecture, on my part, not haveing the rifle to look at personally!

Thanks, I'll report back. That I had not thought about!

You also might find that the firing pin is fine, but that a little portion of the primer was forced into the hole in the bolt and jammed the pin. Happened to me with too-hot loads one time.

Bill

I also think your firing pin broke! It almost certainly has nothing whatsoever to do with your reloads. If you are comfortable taking the bolt apart go ahead and do so, but don't mess with the spring or get temped to fix it yourself. Confirm the diagnosis and take it to your smith to fix. Good Luck-Rob

Berger You may have had a primer burn through. A buddy of mine had a some primers that burned through a small pin hole on the edge of the primer. The hot powder gas cut into his bolt face like a blow torch. He discarded all of the primers in that lot. Nore more problems. He still has the pits in his bolt face. I would take the firing pin out of the bolt and check it. Also check for debris inside the bolt.

On very rare ocassions the primer fails or the brass may have had a bad pin spot in it and you got what is called a classic "primer leak" wherein gas spewed out the side of the primer hole. As I don't know what kind of rifle your shooting I won't speculate on what happen with the firing pin but will concur that it is not serious and can be easily repaired.

To clarify the above I didn't know if you had a 77 or a No.1, I assume a 77 in which case the firing pin may have been shoved back and hung up or the tip may have been sheared off or it may have broken on the previous shot. Still an easy fix just take it to the smith.

No. 1 and thanks.

Sorry, being stupid, its a 77 and still thanks!

Ok, verdict is in. The firing pin broke off and turned into a little sharp point and pierced the primer. Just a question for Ruger users out there. Is this common in the Safari express? I probably only have about 2000 rounds through this barrel, but of all loads and all of these were hunting loads in everything from 240g to 380g. What have otheres experienced with pin life on this gun. Also, this happened to me at the end of a session of snap shooting practice (one aimed shot at 15 meters, followed by two follow up shots at a target at 7.5 meters) so very rapid repeats and something like thirty rouds later the pin broke. Also should I recomend my smith refitr a Ruger pin or is there something better on the market? I've been shooting my whole life and never lost a pin so I'm a bit of a virgin here.

Thanks in advance.

Ruger.

Can I say more?

2ooo hunting rounds though that rifle !! Sounds like a darn good rifle, that Ruger!----DD

Well, I agree. It is a damn good rifle and I shoot it every weekend (except the last two until I get this pin fixed!)

I've got a Ruger Safari Rifle but probably only have around 500 rounds though mine. But I have owned several rifles from Ruger that have seen upwards of 2000 rounds and they did it wihout a hitch.
Don't sweat it/ Broken firing pins are not something unique to Ruger. Can't tell you how many Mauser's, WInchesters, and Remingtons I've seen with broken pins. If you dry fire quite a bit that may have contributed to the failure. Dry firing, generally is not harmful, but like anything, when done to excess it can cause problems.
That's an easy fix and in your case can probably be considered fair wear and tear.