Traditions Vortek is now misfiring

[LanceS4803]

I am just about done with this rifle! It has been rock solid until last month.
I have had this Traditions Vortek for 9 years, bought new in Sep 2011, to replace my Austin-Halleck.

During practice/hunting season, my normal range routine is to fire 3 rounds and then clean the barrel, leave it dry. I then detail clean the breech plug at the end of the day using the Eezy-Breech cleaning kit, leaving it dry. I have always shot Blackhorn 209 powder and CCI 209M primers.

During all this time, with hundreds of rounds fired, I NEVER had a failure until last month, just one week before heading out of state for an elk hunt. Now I am encountering misfires. The primer pops, is covered in soot (the primer and breech plug face are normally clean), and the powder doesn't ignite. Powder and projectile are not moved in the barrel. I put in a new primer and everything fires fine, with normal accuracy. I was getting about 10% misfires. This misfire can happen with either a newly cleaned breech plug, or after another round or two has been fired.

I thought my powder and/or primers had gone bad, or damp from humidity, so I bought a different lot of BH209 and also changed primers to brand new Federal 209A. (Blackhorn only recommends two magnum primers, CCI 209M and Federal 209A) To complete the entirely new firing setup, on my way out to Utah I also bought a new Traditions breech plug. I performed 4 test fires upon arrival using the brand new breech plug, no issues. Then during the hunt, after the Federal primer pops on a bull elk I put in a new primer and it fired fine. Elk down.

I always fire a full power cold bore/fouling shot, then a main load and then an immediate second load to simulate a hunting follow-up shot. 3 shots then clean the barrel. After the start of the misfires I also started detail cleaning the breech plug after every 3 shots.

The firing pin channel is clean and there are no burrs on the pin. Plus, a primer should either fire completely or it does not.

I talked to Blackhorn and they related they have had no complaints/issues with either lot of powder and advised that the flash hole should be .030 to .032. I believe the Traditions factory breech plug flash hole meets these specifications, as the .028 drill bit for cleaning the flash hole fits easily.

When contacted, Traditions said that if the rifle fires the primer, then the rifle works as designed and “there is nothing at all wrong with the firearm.” They advised the problem is not enough fire getting from the primer to the powder and suggested different brands of powder and primers.

This rifle has taken many animals over the years with not a single misfire until the last month. At this point, I just can't trust it.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[Steelheader323]

I have heard bad and good reviews from the traditions rifles..does yours have the accelerator breech plug? I have 1 traditions and it has that plug..it has Always fired off bh209 fine but I’ve only used in it the summer and fall with temps always above 50 degrees..for this reason I haven’t hunted with it yet. As I am not sure it will go Boom at 15 degrees this December..for that reason I ordered another breech plug and plan to modify it. If it isn’t done in time I will take one of my omegas or cva kodiaks Into the cold Wich have never failed me

 

[LanceS4803]

Yes, Accelerator Replacement Breech Plug.
Practice temps were 80-90. Hunt temp was 70. (This rifle has worked down into the 30s and raining.)
Don at BH asked about temps, as they do see some irregularities at extremely low temperatures.
From doing extensive reading on old posts here, I may experiment at drill out flash hole to .035.

 

[GM54-120]

Have you ever used a 1/8" drill bit to clear the flash channel? Regular cleaning methods are not gunna cut it.

 

[GM54-120]

I may experiment at drill out flash hole to .035.

All that will accomplish is wear out the plug faster. It will allow even more pressure to the primer. The correct solution is to enlarge the CHANNEL to 5/32 and tap the powder side for a recessed vent liner. If the head space is sloppy, McMasters sells o-rings you can use in the primer pocket. They will improve the primer seal a great deal for around 20+ shot before you need to replace it.

BTW check the surface of the frame around the firing pin. Is it worn from the primer rubbing against it? It dont take much rubbing to remove a couple thousandth of material and create a loose headspace. Traditions does not use a steel bushing around the pin on your model and the soft alloy is prone to wear and tear from the primers.

 

[michiganmuzzy]

Have you ever used a 1/8" drill bit to clear the flash channel? Regular cleaning methods are not gunna cut it.

Do this ☝

I may experiment at drill out flash hole to .035.

Not this☝

 

[LanceS4803]

The eezy-breech breech plug set uses a 1/8th bit and primer pocket cleaner tool for the flash chamber. It also has a .028 bit tool for the flash hole. Both are used religiously.
Plus, I bought a brand new breech plug that had exactly 4 rounds fired through it (and cleaned after the 3rd round).

 

[LanceS4803]

BTW check the surface of the frame around the firing pin. Is it worn from the primer rubbing against it? It dont take much rubbing to remove a couple thousandth of material and create a loose headspace. Traditions does not use a steel bushing around the pin on your model and the soft alloy is prone to wear and tear from the primers.

You may be on to something here.
This seems to coincide with upper my bullet grains (same powder load) from 250 to 300. Much more recoil.
A couple of months ago I had a problem with the firing pin sticking in the firing pin hole. I could press it and it would pop back in. Using gauge rods, it appeared the opening at the receiver had "flowed" over, as the hole should be .081 and was in fact .078. I talked to Traditions and was told I wasn't cleaning the rifle enough. Period. (Cleaning wasn't an issue with the rifle.) I used the appropriate sized bit and opened the hole back up, it looked to have cut a little aluminum out of the opening. Smoothed a few burrs on the firing pin, and it is slick as heck now.
Using a straightedge, the face of the receiver looks like it may be depressed, but barely. Not measurable, at least with my tools.
My shooting processes have not changed over the years, but something in the rifle surely did, and Traditions has not been of any assistance. I was told repeatedly, "Well, your rifle was made in 2009."

 

[HC]

Possibly hindge pin wear creating excessive head space?

 

[LanceS4803]

Here is an example of what one of the primers looks like. CCI 209M
So, is it possible that the primer is not pressed firmly against the opening of the flash channel, causing not all of the fire to travel down?
And this break action locks up tight.

 

[MrTom]

The upper right and lower left in the right side picture look like they may be wanting to push the cup out of the primer body a little so that pin bushing might be at issue. Most of those primers look very clean, the dirty one is likely a hair shorter. A couple of those look like the primer hit short....hard to really tell in a picture. Its odd that primers that clean, especially CCI209M primers, hand you a misfire. What does the powder side of the breech plug look like? Gotta picture of it? It could be that you need to drill out the front of the plug a bit and add a vent liner as suggested. All of my inlines have vent liners and I never get a mis-fire unless I fail to clear the flame channel when cleaning the plugs and that has happened exactly once on a nice buck.

 

[LanceS4803]

That black primer was the one that just popped. The others all discharged normally.
No picture of the powder side of the breech plug. It is perfectly flat, polished smooth, and after firing is generally coated with burned powder residue, maybe a little sticky, that can be wiped off.

 

[dbowling]

checked your firing pin for wear maybe?

 

[MrTom]

No picture of the powder side of the breech plug. It is perfectly flat, polished smooth,

I believe this is your problem. By drilling and tapping for a vent liner you'll have a depression where the powder lies closer to the fire hole and flame channel. Your primers will deliver a lot hotter flame to the powder because is much closer.

 

[sdporter]

I’ve never had a misfire with 209 in any rifle I’ve ever used it in, so I’m not much help but, I would have to surmise that something is blocked off between primer and powder, which can only be breech plug. Clean with drill bits as suggested.

 

[ronlaughlin]

Here is an example of what one of the primers looks like. CCI 209M
So, is it possible that the primer is not pressed firmly against the opening of the flash channel, causing not all of the fire to travel down?
And this break action locks up tight.
View attachment 10675View attachment 10676

The primer that misfired looks to have a lighter/lesser firing pin indentation.

 

[HC]

I measured 20 cci m primers, 17 measured .2885-.299, 3 measured .296, the shorter ones would surely have blowback.

 

[LanceS4803]

Thanks for sticking with me on this problem. It is much appreciated.

In 9 years I never had a failure of a 209 primer either, until last month.
Firing pin is protruding .048. I've never had a primer not pop, just failures to ignite the powder charge.
As said, the breech plug was cleaned, every time. PLUS, I bought a brand new breech plug and the charge failed to fire on the 4th use (after cleaning after the 3rd use.)

Primer dimensions:
CCI New ,296 (every one)
CCI Fired-good discharge .295 (only saved one)
CCI Fired - failure .301(only saved one)

Federal New .296 (and one .29 and .299)

 

[LanceS4803]

I believe this is your problem. By drilling and tapping for a vent liner you'll have a depression where the powder lies closer to the fire hole and flame channel. Your primers will deliver a lot hotter flame to the powder because is much closer.

Does anyone make a new breech plug with a cupped face and vent liner? Or, modify one of my extra ones? I see they do it for other brands, but haven't seen it done to Traditions.
I'm changing brands but would still like a reliable MZ as a backup.

 

[MrTom]

Check with ronlaughlin by pm. He's a wizard with such things. Vent liners are fairly cheap at 4 for $22.00 at badgerridge.com