Enfield No4 head scored from primer

[Coolguy435]

Hello, I was shooting my reloads and the primer popped out and there was a pin hole where the pin hit the primer. I have a bit of scoring on the head. Is it safe to still shoot. Was there too much powder in the case? I can try reloading a less charge. Only 2 out of 20 it happened.


Thanks for the replies

 

[cosmic]

Primers should not be popping out. Your loads are too hot, or your brass is too tired. You need to look into this first. The pierced primer can be caused by a firing pin that is not rounded, or pitted. This can be corrected too. Piercing the primer is not particularly hazardous, but continued piercings will cause additional firing pin damage and bolt face pitting.
Suggest you address the load/brass issue first, the pierced primers may go away after that.

 

[Potashminer]

Thinking I would check that firing pin? Pull the bolt from the rifle. Unscrew the bolt head off the bolt. Use a magnifying glass and inspect the tip of the firing pin. It should be a hemisphere on the leading face - not pointy, not blunt - it should be half of a globe - a hemisphere. Then screw that bolt head back on - manipulate your bolt to firing pin full protrusion and measure it - does the firing pin stick out too far?? Adjust that protrusion to spec, if necessary. And then, use a published recipe for your reloads? Popping a hole in your primer is not "normal" and is often times a sign that your firing pin tip is mis-shaped - but there are other causes as well. Go with the easy stuff first!!

 

[dead meat]

More info needed, such as powder type and weight, bullet. Has headspace been checked? Could be 1 thing, could be a combination of things causing pierced primers.

 

[Coolguy435]

Thanks it was first case firing and was a only 34 grains of powder. Was a light load but maybe the sellior .303 brass are garbage.

 

[cosmic]

34 grains of what? An experienced reloader can tell if the primer fit is loose when priming the brass. What say you?

 

[Coolguy435]

It was fine. 34 of varget. Varget might be a bit slow for it maybe? It was a 123 grain bullet. Good groups though

 

[Ganderite]

It was fine. 34 of varget. Varget might be a bit slow for it maybe? It was a 123 grain bullet. Good groups though

That is a very mild load. Winchester primers?

Bolt face scaring is not an issue. But try to stop doing it.

 

[cosmic]

Have you shot the gun with factory ammo? How did it do? Next, take a fired S+B case and try to insert one of your bullets in the neck. It should insert freely, if not then you have an interference problem in the neck.

 

[Coolguy435]

The case is fine I think it was the s and b primer I used in the factory case.

 

[bigedp51]

Below from the Sierra reloading manual

This photo was posted in a AR15 forum and the poster said he did not worry about loose primer pockets.
He stated when the bolt face got bad enough he would replace the bolt.

Below thinner CCI 400 primers fired in a .223/5.56 AR15, the cup thickness is only .020. And you can see the primer edges are still well rounded from low pressure.

 

[GunsNotPuns]

Was a light load but maybe the sellior .303 brass are garbage.

Whatever else you can say about S&B brass, I doubt you'll never have loose primer pockets before the brass fails due to case head separation.