Primers should stay in... right?

C

cooleyc

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Edmonton, Alberta
I am in no way trying to bring a bad name to Federal or Speer. I've used Federal factory loads for years. But bad things happen.

I was at the range one day, making sure my scope on my .270 BAR had indeed died. I was using Rem 150 Corelokts and Federal Vital-Shok 150 Speer Grand Slams. At 25m, there was no rhyme or reason to where the bullets went no matter how thescope was adjusted. So, after about a box of the Federals and a few Remingtons, I started picking up brass, about to move on to my M-700 at 100m. I found 6 brass without primers. Hunting around, I found 3 primers. One was rattling around in the mag. Being alone with no one to talk to, I decided to put the gun away. I finished up with my other guns, and headed in.
After consulting my reloading books (for when I start to reload) and a few hunting friends, we came to the decision that the shells were overpressure.
I talked to the fellow in Bashaw, Ab who I suppose is the closest Browning service center, and he said that in a gun that used (1990), there should be no reason other than just too much pressure that would cause a primer blowout. This does worry me, because there are HE loads from Federal and the Light Magnums that are not for semi-autos.
So I talked to a fellow from Federal, and after a few minutes, he said to pick any Federal load from the catalogue and that he'd send me a cheque for 2 boxes. And also to stop using those particular loads. He also informed me that they had stopped loading them.
So, after getting annoyed at the bad groups that the Remingtons gave me, I tried some 150 Fusions and 150 SGKBTSP (both Federals) and I have been blessed with good groups and best of all, primers that stay put.

The speed in which the fellow from Federal said he'd reimburse me for the bad ammo makes me wonder: Has anyone else had a problem with these factory loads? Have you weighed them to see any differences?
 
Relax. Federal brass is known for being a bit soft and having loose primers. If they blew out, there'd be powder burns around the primer pockets and you would find heavier carbon desposits in the mag and receiver. Difficult extractions and heavier felt recoil would indicate high pressures too.
It's highly unlikely that factory ammo will be over pressure. Even more unlikely that two brands would be over pressure. Liability law suits scare the ammo manufacturers silly.
Not being able to sight in or get a group is very likely the scope or its mounts.
 
Sorry, the Remingtons did not blow out. Only the Federals in 150 and 130 Speer Grand Slams. I haven't had anything of the sort happen with Federal loads up until now, with my gun or anyone else in my circle of hunters.
I had taken the scope off and remounted it, and used different factory loads. Still wasn't able to get any group. I've replaced the scope and I now shoot well with 150 Fusions, 150 SGKBTSP and the Winchester Supreme 140. Both the Federals group around 3" high, and the Winchester's 3" high and about 2" right.
 
Primers that are blown usually indiate high pressure...I've had high pressure factory loads a few time,s that have locked up bolts etc.

If the primer is blown, stop using that amm, and maybe get your rrifle chcked out by a gunsmith, too...Could be something wrong wiht the rifle, but if one factory load shoots fine, and the other blows primers, it's not hte fault of the rifle...
 
"...Only the Federals..." Like I say, their brass is soft and the primer pockets are loose.
"...3" high..." At 100? That's ok. The Winchester ammo should be on target at 200 yards and 11.5" low at 300 when sighted in 3" high at 100. Just adjust the scope 2" left. The Winchester site has ballistics charts for their ammo.
 
Yes, I had heard that Federal brass can be soft. I wonder though, why it has only occured with the Speer loadings. If it were the Federal brass in general, you would think that the Fusions and the SGK would do it as well. Maybe not.
I'll be going with the Federal's though, either the Fusions or the SGK's. $20 and $30 respectivly, compared to almost $50 for the Winchesters. The Federals have always done well on deer in the past. If the Winchesters had grouped much better than they had I'd probably go with those, but since they weren't much different than the Federals other than the 2" right, I'll take the savings in cost. God knows I've already spent enough at the range since joining in March.
 
Federal brass is often soft, but that has #### all to do wit factory ammo.

f you are blowing primers in factory ammo, there is a problem wiht gun or ammo. If other ammo works fine, its probably not the gun.
 
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