First time at range with my m14
- Thread starter d1ce
- Start date
- Location
- Southern ontario
What ammo were you using?
When the cartridge goes off, the brass normally expands under pressure and creates a seal against the chamber. Since you probably have excessive headspace some of the smoke from the burning powder leaked out before the brass created a seal.
To correct this you have 2 options
1) Save your once fired brass and reload it without resizing it back to sammi spec. Size it to the same headspace as the fired round. This way the round wll fit perfectly next time you fire it.
2) Change the bolt and maybe the barrel to correct the headspace.
To correct this you have 2 options
1) Save your once fired brass and reload it without resizing it back to sammi spec. Size it to the same headspace as the fired round. This way the round wll fit perfectly next time you fire it.
2) Change the bolt and maybe the barrel to correct the headspace.
A puff of smoke and a slightly protruding primer sounds like headspace problems to me. Try comparing the problem round casing with other normally firing cases and see if it might be slightly shorter than average. Also, I agree that consulting Hungry is always a good idea, although any gunsmith should be able to tell you in moments whether your rifle's chamber is within specs.
beavis_m305
Regular
- Location
- New Zealand
Do not do this
Why not??????
The headspace will be correct on the fired round. This is target shooting 101 and standard practice for ALL F Class and 100 to 1000 yard bench rest shooting!!!!! The reloads will not have a headspace problem. They will be a perfect fit for that particular rifle.
Why would it not be a good solution to a headspace problem on an M14????
Last edited:
beavis_m305
Regular
- Location
- New Zealand
Because the excessive head space is some what of a safety margin. If that round doesn't go fully into battery and the primer gets kissed by a firing pin with enough momentum bad things happen. I know because it happened to me.
beavis_m305
Regular
- Location
- New Zealand
Yes it helps, should be standard practice. You want to do everything you can to minimize the risks of slam firing or going off out of battery. Which means using harder primers and FL sizing, making sure the firing pin channel stays clean etc. It pays to use brass that has a strong webb/head area too.
That would be fine on a bolt action, it's not recommended in a self-loader.
There are two camps with regard to sizing for self-loaders, one camp neck sizes or partially sizes and swears they'e done it that way for years and nothing bad will happen. The other camp follows the full length size rule and swears that your gun will go full auto and/or fire out of battery if you don't full length size.
One more thing, please make sure your muzzle is pointed at the butts when you release that bolt and let it go forward. If, for some reason you had a slam fire, your round would have gone over the backstop.
It looks like you had a pierced primer, by the way.
Scott
It looks like you had a pierced primer, by the way.
Scott
