[Tony212]

I know this has been posted before but all I could find was info on newer transfer bar guns. I have an older, 70s vintage, h&r model 158, 30-30. Yesterday I had 8 FTFs with ammo I had reloaded. All had dented primers, Fed210, and its a load I have been loading for years. Being an older gun with no transfer bar I didn't think trigger pull could be the problem. Any ideas?
Tony212

 

[petemi]

Being an older rifle, the first thing that comes to my mind is perhaps a tired spring.

Pete

 

[quickdtoo]

Replace the hammer spring with a Wolff(FAQs) extra power spring(double coil probably) and R&R the firing pin and spring to clean it good, some dry lube cleaner like One Shot or Slide-All might help without removing it tho.

Tim

 

[Tony212]

Thanks for the replies. I thought it was probably the hammer spring but its good to hear it from someone who knows more about these guns than I do.
Tony212

 

[PHATINJUN]

Also make sure your reloads have the primers seated well. I got a few FTF out of some 7x64 factory loads last week and you can see the ones that did fire seated the primers the rest of the way and fired. Kurt

 

[gcrank1]

My old 12ga sat too long, I guess and I had FTFs. I dropped the firing pin and cleaned it all out good, and replaced the strong factory return spring with a lighter one I had in my bins. My F-pin protrusion with hammer down was also a little on the shy side so I gave it a tad more (this requires filing, proceed with caution even if you think you know whats up).
I figured I had nothing to lose, so I jigged up the dbl leg spring and referenced its bend, then tweaked it for more tension.
Ive had no more FTF yet, and will, one day, get a new WOLFF spring (yes I will, I really will).

 

[cwlongshot]

I agree, get the wolff spring and forget about it!

Good luck,

CW

 

[demented]

The only time I've had this problem, it was caused by laziness on my part-simply not cleaning the primer pocket before loading. What primers are you using?

 

[Tony212]

I'm using federal 210 primers, I always clean the pockets out. I load ffor several calibers and guns and this is the only one I have had a FTF with. we got hammered with snow this weekend so I can't get to the range again. If it melts by next weekend I'll get back out and try again.
Tony212