I took my Omega out this morning to try to work up a load to hunt with this coming deer season. I started by snaping 3 primers and swabing with a dry patch. I then loaded 80 grains of GOEX pinnicale FFFG powder and a 250 gr. Shockwave. I then inserted a winchester 209 primer, and pulled the trigger. I got a pop sound then nothing. I held my position for about 20 secound in case it fired late and nothing. removed the primer and put a secound one in. This primer was from a different pack. pulled the trigger and pop, then nothing. waited about 20 secounds then soaked the gun with a garden hose. removed the breach plug and soaked it again.

The powder was from last season. It was stored in a tackle box that I keep all my BP supplies in. It was capped and sealed but it was capped with a pouring cap. The tackle box was stored in my garage/walk out basement. It does not get wet down there.

The primers were kept in the same tackle box. They were also from last season. When I snapped the first three They did not sound as sharp as I remember them being last season. When I swabbed the barrel after the first three there was no black residue on the patch.

Is there a shelf life on the powder/primmers? I'm leaning toward the primers being the problem but I was also wondering if I should havecleaned the gun before I started. The gun was cleaned before I put it up for the season but the gun was stored barrel up and the Caseys sheath might have collected in the plug.

Any ideas you guys have would be helpful.

Thanks
Shane