Miss-fired rounds

[kmw1954]

Over the past few months I have acquired and collected a number of miss-fired 223 rounds with the intention of pulling them down and salvaging the bullets and cases. Most all have a visible primer strike that looks normal and a few have what look like very light strikes that are barely visible.

These are my questions; The very light strikes should I try and fire them again like my pistol light strikes or pull them anyway? A few have no strike and look like they were just dropped or hand ejected, should I pull these? The ones with heavy strikes when I do pull them what should I look for as a clue as to why they didn't fire?

 

[mdi]

If you can determine if the "light strikes" and "no strikes" are factory ammo, then I'd say try a second time. If they appear to be reloads, pull them...

 

[NC9mm]

I NEVER fire a round that I found on the range, you don’t know the type and amount of powder that was loaded.
I pull the bullets and retain the brass and primer and reload it even though it may have a light strike.
These rounds go into the practice only bin separate from my match ammo but I am shooting 1500 rounds a month.

 

[cfullgraf]

If the primer appears to have a light strike, I always try it again. If it has a heavy strike, I may not. In either case, these rounds are fired as practice or plinking.

If the round does not fire, I then disassemble it and discard the primer.

If you are getting a fair number of light strikes or no fires, there may be a problem with your firearm or with your reloading process. It is very rare that I ever get a mis-fired primer.

 

[kmw1954]

These are not from my gun. These are from the range I work which has dirt floors covered in spent cases. Part of my job is to police the ground for unfired rounds and then into the misfire box. We find a lot of unfired ammunition as it gets ejected at cease fire and then the shooter can't find it. Yes we see a lot of semi-auto rifles with new shooters.

Most of this is factory that still has crimped primers and what doesn't look factory will be pulled no doubt about that as will all the steel stuff.. Though it all still may be pulled down.

 

[cfullgraf]

These are not from my gun. .

Then, I'd disassemble them, no idea what their history is.

 

[mcb]

I would not fire any mystery rounds found at any range.

Also remember that an AR has a floating firing pin. So just the act of chambering a round usually results in a light but visible mark on the primer as the firing pin impacts the primer under its own inertia. Next time you're at the range shoot a couple rounds in your AR and then stop and eject and look at the live round you just ejected, it will, in most cases have a light primer strike due to this floating firing pin.

 

[kmw1954]

I would not fire any mystery rounds found at any range.

Also remember that an AR has a floating firing pin. So just the act of chambering a round usually results in a light but visible mark on the primer as the firing pin impacts the primer under its own inertia. Next time you're at the range shoot a couple rounds in your AR and then stop and eject and look at the live round you just ejected, it will, in most cases have a light primer strike due to this floating firing pin.

So I have been told. I do not own an AR myself.

 

[film495]

factory ammo, maybe - but, how would you really know for sure? I would not try them if I was not 100% sure

 

[lightman]

I'm not trusting enough to fire rounds that I have found. If you break them down for the components look to see if the primer is intact with an anvil in place. Look to see if the primer color is natural or smoky looking. Most of the duds that I find are from being fired in a dirty firearm.

 

[jebova2301]

The only way I will trust firing rounds I picked up off the ground are if they were mine to start with, or if a buddy was at my place and we were shooting and I saw him leave behind some that were factory sealed when he opened the box.