NULA won't go boom problem solved....

[scienceguy]

I called Mel today to explain my problem of my NULA not firing. He told me that CCI had recently shipped a lot of primers that were slightly oversized. All I had to do was to find some primers with a different lot number. In the mean time, he suggested lifting the bolt ever so slightly from fully seated in the receiver notch. He stressed all I needed were just a few thousandths of an inch, the width of just a couple pieces of tape. Sure enough, boom every time. These guns are built to pretty close tolerances. Any of you guys willing to sell a couple of hundred CCI primers from a lot different from mine, preferably from a case you bought a year or more ago, ones that work in your gun everytime? Only a couple of guys anywhere near where I live sell CCI primers, and both places only had primers from the same lot number as mine. Looks like that this oversize batch was bought mostly by midwest distributors.

 

[Grouse]

Use Winchesters until you can buy what you want.

 

[scienceguy]

Tom,
I tried both the Winchester and Federal 209 primers, both are larger than the CCI's I bought, making the bolt even harder to close. I did some scrounging around in my reloading cabinet and I found some Reminton 209's that I had forgotten I had. These are probably 10 years old, but my basement is cool and dry. They work perfectly, allowing the bolt to travel smoothly and completely on the downward stroke, but I have only about 125 of them. Everybody recommends CCI primers with the NULA, but until I can find a different lot number than what I have, these Remington's will do for now. At least I didn't have to send my gun back to Mel to have him check it over! I might just buy some more Remingtons. What do you think?

 

[Grouse]

What do you think?

Check your PM.

 

[encoreguy]

Personally, I would send it back. You had a saftey issue and the next time your gun doesn't go off you will wonder if it will go off when you open the bolt. I would send a $500 savage back, let alone a custom $1200 gun. There is no reason for it to be that picky, close tolerances or not. Primers expand to fill the primer pocket so that tight of tolerance is not needed or wanted as in the same packet of primers they will vary quite a bit in thickness. If you wanted to fix it yourself you could put some lapping compound on a spent primer to open up the primer opening, but I wouldn't. Besides is it a breech plug issue or a bolt issue? If it is a breech plug issue have him send you one that has a slightly looser opening. If it is a headspace or bolt issue, that is something he will have to address. This is just my opinion. Good luck.

 

[typical10]

I know a few of you think Melvins Muzzleloaders are great,but thats is the third $1200 Nula that I know of that has left the building prematurely, and I owned one of three briefly.
Thats a pretty poor % rate of quality service.
Just another opinion!
Jeff~

 

[Anonymous]

I'd send it back. I know of a few gunmakers that took a beating from their lack of quality control,,,and rightfully so. I wouldn't expect to have to do anything except work up a load in the rifle.

But,,,it's your money.... :wink:

 

[scienceguy]

To date, I've tried five different types/lots of primers. Grouse sent me some older CCI's and they work fine. Thanks Tom! New Remington STS Premier primers work great too. I dug out my micrometer and measured those CCI's, and some Winchester and Federal primers I had on hand, all three were the largest I checked. Just for kicks I seated some of all three in some shotshell cases, they were very tight going in. I talked to a friend who is into trap shooting big time. He told me that he and his circle of shooters have been shooting the STS primer as they allow more reloads per hull due to less expansion of the shotshell primer pocket during primer seating, and were very consistent in powder ignition. My breechplug must be just a few thousandths smaller than some other NULA rifles out there. I could have polished it out a bit, but have no need to now with the Remigton STS primer readily available. Anyway, I now have all the primers I'll ever require.