primer/brass questions

Ken

Ken

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hi all...... rookie questions

I am loading some once fired (factory) federal brass for my 300 WSM, I noticed when seating the primers, they seated with minimal effort and seamed to seat fairly deeply. the primers are winchester WLRM, and to test I seated them in my 30-06 cases and they seamed normal. I had a few federal 215 primers left so I tried them, they didnt seem to seat as deep (if that even matters) but still not noticabley tighter.

any ideas?
 
Ken said:
hi all...... rookie questions

I am loading some once fired (factory) federal brass for my 300 WSM, I noticed when seating the primers, they seated with minimal effort and seamed to seat fairly deeply. the primers are winchester WLRM, and to test I seated them in my 30-06 cases and they seamed normal. I had a few federal 215 primers left so I tried them, they didnt seem to seat as deep (if that even matters) but still not noticabley tighter.

any ideas?
Click to expand...

That's a good question and shows that you are paying attention and thinking about what you're doing. :)

It sounds like the primer pockets on your 300 wsm brass are on the large size. If the primers are so loose to the point they move when you smartly tap one side of the rim on a hard surface - then it's time to retire that brass. If they appear to stay in place during that test, you can try loading a couple and see how they perform when fired. That is the only way i know of to check them. It's not a highly scientific method but I have never had a loaded primer fall or blow out.
 
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I just started reloading the 300 WSM a couple of weeks ago. I bought 80 once fired cases to reload.
I went ahead & resized & reprimed all 80 also using Winchester primers.

I had 4 out of the 80 where the primer went in very easily. I have put them to one side for now but I think that they should be okay to use as they are seated all the way in & are not moving.
 
Thanks for the imput guys, I tried the tap test last night and they dont seem to move. I'll load a few cases up and try them at the range tonight.
 
You don't want your primers so loose that they will come out with rough handling. If you can bang the case on a hard surface, on an angle, and they come out, it's time to scrap the brass whether its been once, twice, or fifty times fired.

I've had quite a few that took almost no force to push in. That was with a priming tool of course. They can develop a surprising amount of force. Try setting a primer face up on a flat hard metal surface and try and push a case down on top of it by hand. If you can seat the primer flat, toss the case.

Remember, 40 of 50 or 60 thousand pounds of pressure move the primer back against the bolt face no matter what. Since a primer is a cup shape, the blow back spreads it, and seals it to the case. As the powder continues to ignite, the increase in pressure pushes the case rearward against the bolt face. The primer is forced back into the hole when this happens.

To sum it all up. If your primers are falling out with rough handling, they're too loose. If there's burnt residue around the primer where it touches the primer pocket, it's too loose (or you've got a serious over pressurization with the load you're using). Don't panic if they were easy to push in. Just keep an eye out for other signs. After a while, you'll get the feel of it.
 
If I feel a primer go into the case too easily with my Lee priming tool,I mark the case,and then use it for target practise,then throw it out.The last thing you want to happen on a hunt is to pull the trigger and the shell doesn't go off because the primer fell out.If the primers become loose within five firings,the load is too hot.
 
Federal brass, especially Federal .223 brass, is known for the primer pockets expanding, and them being reloadable perhaps once.

Regarding loose primer pockets, some primers are known for being a bit larger than others. CCI has always been larger in my experience, judged through being harder to seat.
 
I test fired a few and there are no signs of leakage around the primer and everything seems normal

still, it doesn't give me the warm and fuzzies, I think I'll round up some differant brass.

Thanks for all the imput guys.
 
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