First misfire in over 20 years!

I have a remington 700ml. I hunted in 10 degree weather all day then returned to hotel and stored gun, loaded, standing up in room. I did not notice any condensation on the outside of the barrel, but I did not check it often.

I have hunted with this gun for over 20 years and never had an issue like this. The year before I did the same thing and hunted 4 days before shooting and, as always, gun went off instantly. I have hunted in days of rain with no issues.

I taped the end of the barrel with electrical tape and it had a good seal. I had the weather shroud on and at no point did snow, ice or water get near the end of the barrel or the action.

The second day I got a shot and the 209 cap went off and what had to be maybe 1/4 - 1/10 of the powder. Almost no smoke and no kick. Luckily I somehow managed to reload with 100 elk in plain sight 150 yards away watching me and got my elk.

my sabots (TC shockwave) fit extremely tight and I cannot fathom water getting around them - if there was even enough moisture in the barrel to condense (remember it was taped good).

I am 100% sure I loaded it right and the barrel, bolt etc were dry with no excess oil. Again I have used this gun a lot in all conditions for over 20 year and nothing like this ever happened.


The only conclusion I can come to is moisture condensed and wet the powder - but it seems nearly impossible!

Your thoughts?

I can't speak to your specific load/rifle but I can tell you that all rifle metal will produce copious amounts of condensation when constantly relocated indoor from being out in the cold. The metal will literally pull moisture from the air and deposit it on your gun, both inside and out, thus contaminating your powder with water.

Once outside, in the cold, I leave them outside. This isn't always possible because of security in your truck so you'd have to reload often.. like every day in extreme temperatures.

The other possibility is failure to remove enough of the oil in the barrel when you first loaded it, thus contaminating your powder in oil.

I'm glad to hear you still got your elk!

Just my 2 cents,
Zeke

10 Degree weather for 1/2 a day!

Then 75 Degree's in your Room for 1/2 a Day!

For Several Days!

She's Gonna SWEAT!

Hey DonV!

Next Time Put 90 Grains of Powder in!

Not 19 Grains!

Have the Primers been going off every time?











[font color="blue"]She put a Big F.U. in My Future,Ya She's got a
way with Words[/font]

Primers every time, 99.9% sure I did not have excess oil - pretty sure I ran 2 dry patches through that came out virtually dry. Also I load the gun the same way every time and never had an issue.

I am very aware of condensation but, again, this was only 1 day! Done it in the past for several days with no issues in the past.

And barrel was taped so at most it could get moisture from only barrel. My sabot is so tight it seems nearly impossible for water to get by.

That said I have no other answer besides condensation. I loaded my gun really carefully the night before and I am sure it was all correct.

Keep the ideas coming.

Gremlins! Or that damn Murphy!
Sometimes we never know the answer, only ideas that make the most sense and resonate with us.
Zeke

It was that damn Sasquatch

Don;t do the cold-warm thing with your ML.
Lesson learned!