loose primer pockets?

[dieselrealtor]

went out to test some loads last night.
The brass was processed & primed by someone else I picked up in a package deal.

All the ones I checked with my Dillon gauge headspaced correctly.

This is what happened to 3 of them, then the bolt was very stiff to get out & had a little difficulty getting the brass out of the chamber.

I did not approach maximum loads, the 2 at top were 24.0 of IMR 4064, the one on the right was 25.2 of the same.

View attachment 44571

I thought about testing the rest of the batch with a little air pressure, 5-10 psi to see if any of the primers are loose, any suggestions?

 

[BGDave]

Flash hole may be oversize?

 

[Leadeye]

^ This. Having been reloading for 40 years I've seen that happen on some brass that I've cycled a lot. Don't know how to fix it, like case splits, it's goes in the scrap.

 

[Classic]

I experience this issue sometimes on 300 BLK. Not sure of the cause but I do measure pockets prior to reloading and get rid of the brass with pockets too large to produce a good fit with the primer.

 

[AmmoManAaron]

Since the heads of the cases are smoked (gas leakage), but the primers look fine, I think some of the pockets must have been a bit oversize to start with. They were probably just barely holding the primer in. I don't think this was from a load problem or a headspace problem. I think checking the primer fit is a good idea. Be aware that the pressure from firing can expand the primer cup slightly and give the appearance that the pocket is holding them tight enough. When you reprime the cases you will know for certain if the pockets are oversize.

 

[Broom_jm]

Since the heads of the cases are smoked (gas leakage), but the primers look fine, I think some of the pockets must have been a bit oversize to start with. They were probably just barely holding the primer in. I don't think this was from a load problem or a headspace problem. I think checking the primer fit is a good idea. Be aware that the pressure from firing can expand the primer cup slightly and give the appearance that the pocket is holding them tight enough. When you reprime the cases you will know for certain if the pockets are oversize.

^^^^ THIS ^^^^

However, you stated that the bolt was also hard to open...that suggests not just a loose primer pocket, but an over-pressure load. Be very concerned and go over your load data again.

I thought I was going to open this and see Federal brass, but was pretty when I found it was LC '06.

 

[SSGSAD]

Since the heads of the cases are smoked (gas leakage), but the primers look fine, I think some of the pockets must have been a bit oversize to start with. They were probably just barely holding the primer in. I don't think this was from a load problem or a headspace problem. I think checking the primer fit is a good idea. Be aware that the pressure from firing can expand the primer cup slightly and give the appearance that the pocket is holding them tight enough. When you reprime the cases you will know for certain if the pockets are oversize.

This, is just me, but this is why I hand prime ..... I can feel a loose primer pocket, and put them in a seperate container, and shoot them one

last time, and place them in the scrap bin ..... ymmv .....

 

[dieselrealtor]

They appeared to be Federal primers, not my preferred primer.

I wondered if the bolt resistance was caused by the primer popping & wedging, when removed the case re-chambered & extracted without issue.

I verified each weight on the chargemaster before charging the cases.

 

[BGDave]

Compare some once fired cases flash hole sizes. Not primer pockets. These cases in the OP look like someone uniformed the flash holes.
I used to shoot water bugs in my basement with primer only (no powder) 38 special paraffin bullets. To keep the primers from backing out and locking up the gun I would have to drill the flash holes oversize.
Some reloaders de-burr flash holes on the inside. Some go one step beyond and drill flash holes out to uniform them.
They just look big to me.

 

[Yeah]

Primer pockets are the first thing to go on properly handled brass.

I'd cull the cases to not have to discern whether they primed tight on the next round.

 

[17 squirrel]

Flash hole may be oversize?

Since the heads of the cases are smoked (gas leakage), but the primers look fine, I think some of the pockets must have been a bit oversize to start with. They were probably just barely holding the primer in. I don't think this was from a load problem or a headspace problem. I think checking the primer fit is a good idea. Be aware that the pressure from firing can expand the primer cup slightly and give the appearance that the pocket is holding them tight enough. When you reprime the cases you will know for certain if the pockets are oversize.

^^^^ THIS ^^^^

However, you stated that the bolt was also hard to open...that suggests not just a loose primer pocket, but an over-pressure load. Be very concerned and go over your load data again.

If that was my brass I would TOSS all of in the recycle can. The primer holes look HUGE in your pictures, it looks like someone drilled them out. in most cases if the load was to hot you would flatten the primers. But I would still recheck your load.
As cheap as 223 brass is just get rid of it.. It's not worth a face full of gas or a huge primer pocket failure..

Primer pockets are the first thing to let go with brass in the 223 family and smaller down to Hornet.. There's just not enough brass in the base to hold the pockets from expanding.

 

[padawan]

I'm with 17sq on the primer hole. They do look huge.

 

[lon]

Somebody needs to rep 17 squirrel for catching that.

 

[dieselrealtor]

Update;

I purchased a set of primer pocket go no-go gauges & went through all them that have been fired, several failed (besides the obvious ones) & some were on the edge. when I was decapping this lot the suspect ones were really easy to deprime.

I am going to get a couple of drill bits to use as gauges for flash holes. I have compared them to some other LC brass & the flash hole size is similar by appearance, will know more when I can get an actual measurement. Apparently, saami specs for sp are .074-.078 & from what I have read it is not uncommon to see them at .080.

I realize this seems silly to spend a fair amount of time on this brass but for me this is a learning experience.

edit,
I bought this bunch of brass from someone who was getting out of reloading. Now I am wondering if he ran into some problems & wondered what he was doing wrong or if it spooked him to just give it up. He seemed pretty meticulous about things but who knows.

 

[Broom_jm]

Even meticulous people can screw up and get a little freaked out by it...I didn't even know they made gauges for checking primer pockets. I always though you just tried seating a new primer.

 

[dieselrealtor]

Small and Large Primer Pocket Swage Gage Set

Wish I had seen their neck tension gauge before I ordered these :-(

I wanted to be able to check a larger number quickly without having to try to prime, I thought they would be handy.

 

[6mm Shoot]

I have had primers on well used brass in 308 push primers back. I just tossed the old brass and picked up new brass. If I had checked closer before they backed out I would have seen the blackened cases around the primers. I keep an eye on such stuff better now.