Win, Long beard issue !!!!!!????

[nyhunter]

this didn't happen to me but I'm wondering if anyone else has had the same problem. I'll save you the hunt other than the bird is still alive. 

My buddy was using win. LB 3" 1 3/4oz #6's and the shell didn't fire, there was a dent in the primer so the hammer hit the primer. this is a new box from this year, same gun fired shell's from last year flawless. ran out opened a new box and this happened!! 

[1iagobblergetter]

I would shoot another one and see if it fires. Probably just got a bad shell. If it fires i wouldnt worry about it myself. If it doesn't try different shells and then probably the firing pin.

[spaightlabs]

What gun, how experienced is your buddy?

Smells like a Benelli SBE that he knocked out of battery or an 870 or Nova that he didn't quite get closed all the way.

Can't blame the plane 'til ya clear the pilot...

[saltysenior]

was the dent the normal depth ?   I had the same problem from not letting the bolt to slam home..

[Dtrkyman]

I saw a guy with an 835 that would not fire longbeards, shot everything else!

[old3toe]

I had a couple winchester super x loads do this this year. I fire quite a few turkey loads every spring and summer in my 835 and never had a problem til this spring. After already shooting 12 or so different loads I got a click!! It was a light strike but still dented the primer. Next shell fired then the third wouldn't. Another light strike. I held the gun pointed up with action open and added a drop of oil to the firing pin. Waited a few minutes then dry fired it a couple times. Started back with the two light primer strike shells and everything was fine. It got me through the session but I didn't hunt with it until I stripped it down and thoroughly cleaned it. It was fairly gritty in the action. Test fired some more rounds and all is good again. Though I've heard a few others with similar complaints with the LB shells I'd definitely still make sure the action and firing pin channel/hole isn't "sticky".

[coonhunter]

 I think I have had issues with every brand of shell I've ever shot at sometime or another.  If you shoot enough you will find a shell with a bad primer!  I've had rifle carriages that I hand loaded my self do it?  Just bad primers or some brand like Winchester May take a little stiffer firing pin due to the primer cup being harder??  Thing I'd you build as many shells as Winchester and shell them some will have a defect from time to time. But no way would I let that stop me from using them with the performance I get!

[ShootingABN!]

Close friend in Virginia had same problem. Then had problems with the shot inside the shells. Sounded loose..... When he got one to fire he said it was bad..... Like he could see the shot hitting the ground close to the bird.....

Also have seen lots of people having problems on Facebook with the Winchester shells this year... Good luck.

[tomhunter]

I have had this happen to me this year. Mine were also the LB 3" 1 3/4oz #6's and the primer clearly did not go off. I measured the indent compared to a LB 3" #5 I shot a bird with last year and its the same. After putting all the hard work in to get to the bird in the morning and having a primer issue I must say I am done with the LB Winchesters. My confidence is gone with them. I am in the middle of our season here looking for shells and planning to pattern my gun. Just not happy.

[Bowguy]

How do you know the it was the ammo? As asked, was the primer hit light? Could be the gun. It's not real common actually extremely uncommon for primers to go bad but it is possible. I'm thinking the hit was light and it's the gun not the Ammo unless you repeated it with another round, -(highly unlikely). . Still shoot the shell w another gun, see if it fires if that primer hit was light.  If it doesn't you surely know the culprit instead of guessing

[Rio Fan]

I was hunting with a buddy a few weeks ago and he unloaded his gun right after killing a bird. There were loose BB's inside his gun. He checked his other 2 shells and it looked like BB's were about to spill out of one of them. Those were 3 1/2 inch #6 Winchester Longbeards.

[mikejd]

Did they change longbeards this year. I am still using older boxes but the ones I have are completely sealed. Impossible for shot to ever fall out.

[Dtrkyman]

We gutted the bolt on that 835, new spring and pin still the same issue, dented primers no boom, literally shot everything else, maybe a bad run of shells with primers set in deeper? He went to mag blends.

[owlhoot]

Bad primers or no powder
Got to cut them open to find out.

[owlhoot]

Did they change longbeards this year. I am still using older boxes but the ones I have are completely sealed. Impossible for shot to ever fall out.

I had bought a few boxes when they first come out and had some loose shot but mainly the overshot card that is four petals I had some broken and fell off in the magazine tube . Guess a guy could glue them,nail polish or something. The ones that rattle all or part of the resin in busted and would not use them on turkey hunt.  That with the poi poa shifting and I stuck with the federal shells.  Not a problem in years.
Mag blend is another good choice.
You're not saving any money dealing with stuff like this.