Primers Falling Out....??? 1881 Whitney Kennedy

[rbertalotto]

 The knowledge here is superb! Maybe you can help...

1881 Whitney Kennedy lever action in 44-40

Slightly compressed, Black powder loads with 200g lead bullet. No wads or fillers. Approx 35g of FFg powder (volume)

At the range I fired 30 rounds, and I noticed one of the shells had lost its primer. No signs of excessive pressure.

I came home and put the shells in the tumbler with stainless steel pins and when I just rinsed them off I notices just about all the remaining shells had lost their primers.... .....!!

I checked the headspace and it is proud by .030"

Is this my problem? For a 134 year old Black Powder rifle is this excessive?

Any idea on how to correct for headspace without taking the barrel off and setting it back which would screw up the forend hanger dovetail etc.

[Coffinmaker]

.030 headspace is a problem.  And the probable cause of your primer problem.  Optimum headspace is about .004 +/- 001.  Your only other option to setting the barrel back, it to have the front face of the bolt welded up, re-machined and heat treated.  I don't know that I would want to attack the bolt on that old rifle.  Whoops, other option is to have an entire new barrel made for it.  None of the options are what I would call cost effective.

Coffinmaker

[rbertalotto]

Thanks Coffinmaker....

What about silver soldering a .025" washer to the face of the bolt and re-cutting the extractor?

[Slamfire]

 Picture's PLEASE!








  Hootmix.

[rbertalotto]

Of the rifle or the primers...

http://public.fotki.com/Rbertalotto/things-that-go-bang/1881-whitney-kennedy/

[Lefty Dude]

Why not just hang it on the wall, it is tired and seen better days. RIP the piece.

[rbertalotto]

Guns are made for shoot'n.....Criminals are made for hang'n !!

This is a shooter.......It was refinished a number of years ago which decreased its collector value. It is great shape and runs very well!

I'm using it tomorrow at a shoot with a Colt Walker and a Colt Dragoon (repros)....all with the Holy Black.....Should be fun!

[Coffinmaker]

Adding the .025 washer/shim to the bolt face is a good idea as well, remembering, the "hole" in the washer must mime the hole for the firing pin in the bolt, and, you may have to make a new .025 longer firing pin to compensate.  If the hole in he washer is too large, the primer will simply flow into the firing pin hole and make things dicey.

Coffinmaker

[Fox Creek Kid]

Why not just hang it on the wall, it is tired and seen better days. RIP the piece.

[rbertalotto]

How about this solution:

here's one person's solution to correct excessive headspace.  He made a custom die and, using a rod inside the case, hammered the case head into the die.

[hellgate]

That firing pin looks plenty long to accommodate another .03". I'd be worried that any broken part is gonna make it a wall hanger unless parts are around.

[rbertalotto]

Today I used the Whitney Kennedy on a stage at the local CAS. I used Winchester primers instead of Federals and not one primer backed out or fell out. Winchester primers are much harder than federals and this might be just what it needed.

The WK ran beautifully. But it ain't no speed demon!

[Coffinmaker]

Well, I have to admit, in an effort to have something technically correct, I actually forgot to suggest trying a different primer.  I had a handgun that was just aggravating as all get out backing out primers.  Head Space was well off and was going to require major surgery to correct.  I got frustrated and went to a slightly heaver Main Spring and CCI primers.  No more backed out primers.

On a happier note, when your shooting something like your Whitney-Kennedy, speed isn't the idea.  FUN is the idea.  FUN is the reason I switched from being a speed demon with smokeless and ultra trix guns, to BP, Cap Guns and Henry rifles with a Hammer Double.  Ain't none of that real fast, but it's all REAL FUN.

So, Just hang in there and keep having FUN!!

Coffinmaker