Stuck pellet in bore. HW30.

[Flintlock]

Shooting my year old HW30 this evening, a shot sounded odd. I inspected the bore to find the H and N Sport pellet lodged about 1/4" from the muzzle. I removed it easily and fired the rifle for accuracy and function and found no ill effects from the lodged pellet.

Any ideas why this would occur?

Thank you.

 

[Long_Gun_Dallas]

Defective pellet?

 

[AirSmithCA]

Loaded skirt side first?

 

[Flintlock]

The retrieved pellet loaded fine and looks fine. Definitely loaded head first...

 

[orangeokie]

Was it a lead or non-lead pellet?

 

[marflow 777]

did you take the stock off and look for any spring damage
as you know it is a very odd occurrence

 

[Mycapt65]

Do you have chronograph? It's definitely odd the gun didn't have enough power to push the pellet through the muzzle choke.

Is it possible you got distracted and accidentally loaded it twice? That might slow the gun down enough that the first pellet cleared the barrel, leaving the second stuck behind it? I've gotten distracted and broken my loading, firing rhythm and done dumb things like forget to put the pellet in, put the wrong caliber pellet in and yes double load it.

 

[Flintlock]

Lead pellet H/N Sport.

I didn't take the stock off for a look at the spring.

I have no chronograph. I took a few shots after the incident and all seemed fine without wringing it out for accuracy. It still repeatedly hit a frying pan target 80-ish yards away with seemingly its original authority. If I thought it the least bit possible that I double loaded TBE rifle I would have no hesitation admitting it, but, I was alone and in a fine rhythm with zero distractions.

Thanks all for your thoughts. I knew it was peculiar to say the least! I'm anxious to find time for our next shooting session to see exactly how it groups no.

Very much appreciate you all for taking times to respond here!

 

[MileHighAirGunner]

My guess is a certain wascally wabbit has something to do with it.

 

[Shuggoth]

I actually had that happen with an old hw 30 I bought a year ago from Century Arms prior to a rebuild. On mine it was the breach seal was leaking enough that the pellet would travel most of the length of the bore but not exit, but doesn't sound like that would be the case on a 1 yr old gun.

 

[Feinwerk]

Maybe a lead flake or other temporary debris on the breech seal or receiver face? You could try the tissue test over the breech area to see if it jumps during firing.

Feinwerk

 

[Flintlock]

Found time for shooting today. The rifle still prints tiny groups at 25 yards and passed the tissue test.