Just wondering you guys thought, Primer pics.

[aklaunch]

I don't get worked up about flattened primers. Big craters in the primers and what looks to be almost piercing get my attention. Many times you can change brand to a stronger primer and the problem is solved. CCI #41's and REM 7.5's are very strong.

The only 2 signs of pressure i am seeing are in the top photo.

Read this link. You can learn about those weird marks on the case. And why they are there.

There is another mark we get on 5.56 loads that is a rotating scratch. That one is port pressure. Not chamber pressure. I don't have a pic. You will see it often on the back of M193 or M855 rounds though.

Jamming bullets into the rifling and, cases that are not trimmed enough can give you pressure spikes too.

http://www.primalrights.com/library/...nding-pressure

[AndyLate]

When I use CCI 400 (standard small rifle) primers, I get flattened primers with known safe loads in .223/5.55.

I also run into (once fired) cases with loose primer pockets. If you are not watching for it and reload those cases, the primers could fall out when fired.

All that said - the cases shown in the first pic show severe overpressure signs and you cannot continue with that load.

With the exception of the CFE Black loads, all your pics show possible pressure signs. Compare your cases to the ones in the link AKlaunch provided and you will see what I mean.

Andy

[223to45]

Just for reference the primers I was using was WSR, older white box I was trying to use up.

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[Coal Dragger]

I would get the chamber headspace in that barrel verified and get a solid number on it so you know what you’re dealing with.

Additionally if you don’t have one, you need to buy a case gauge in .300 Blk to set your resizing die so that you know you’re not bumping the shoulder back too much on your brass. Headspace issues can also be out of spec ammo, so you have to verify both. Good news is that case gauges are not expensive nor difficult to use, and will more often than not help correct all sorts of nasty function issues in semiautomatic rifles caused by improper case dimensions of loaded ammunition.

Anecdotally, when I started loading .223/5.56 the resizing die I was using was bumping the shoulder back too much, and I was getting backed out primers, brass flow into the ejector, and extractor swipes on the brass. Just like your fired cases. Setting the die to turn out properly resized brass verified with a case gauge solved those issues.

Additionally one other thing that can cause primers to back out is priming brass that had a crimped primer without removing the crimp. The primer cup just swages down to the crimp diameter and doesn’t get a good grip on the primer pocket and they back out. So swage or cut the crimps out of the primer pockets if the brass has crimped primer pockets.

As others said sort your damn brass, and work up from starting loads. Be safe.

[223to45]

I would get the chamber headspace in that barrel verified and get a solid number on it so you know what you’re dealing with.

Additionally if you don’t have one, you need to buy a case gauge in .300 Blk to set your resizing die so that you know you’re not bumping the shoulder back too much on your brass. Headspace issues can also be out of spec ammo, so you have to verify both. Good news is that case gauges are not expensive nor difficult to use, and will more often than not help correct all sorts of nasty function issues in semiautomatic rifles caused by improper case dimensions of loaded ammunition.

Anecdotally, when I started loading .223/5.56 the resizing die I was using was bumping the shoulder back too much, and I was getting backed out primers, brass flow into the ejector, and extractor swipes on the brass. Just like your fired cases. Setting the die to turn out properly resized brass verified with a case gauge solved those issues.

Additionally one other thing that can cause primers to back out is priming brass that had a crimped primer without removing the crimp. The primer cup just swages down to the crimp diameter and doesn’t get a good grip on the primer pocket and they back out. So swage or cut the crimps out of the primer pockets if the brass has crimped primer pockets.

As others said sort your damn brass, and work up from starting loads. Be safe.

Alright alright.

I sorted my brass. Most will probably be tossed. Six different cases, most 300 stamped.

One problem is some of that brass , especially the hornady stuff I bought from another guy. And the face being hardly readable, a lot were like that before i loaded. So live and learn.

I do have a case gauge, and did check them.
They were flush. Slightly snug fit but was flush.

I am going make some more here soon.

I had a few rounds left over, so I tried them in a different gun. Look fairly similar.

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[Uni-Vibe]

Okay, so you got some already used/reloaded brass from somebody else?

You don't know any of the parameters on his loading: his rifle's headspace, how he trims, how much he sets back the shoulder, and most importantly, how many times his cases have been fired and reloaded.

For 5.56, I use once-fired Lake City brass. I keep track and shoot them no more than five times, due to the fact that I'm full-length resizing. Then they get decapped and tossed in the scrap can.

Start with NEW or KNOWN once-fired brass.

[223to45]

Okay, so you got some already used/reloaded brass from somebody else?

You don't know any of the parameters on his loading: his rifle's headspace, how he trims, how much he sets back the shoulder, and most importantly, how many times his cases have been fired and reloaded.

For 5.56, I use once-fired Lake City brass. I keep track and shoot them no more than five times, due to the fact that I'm full-length resizing. Then they get decapped and tossed in the scrap can.

Start with NEW or KNOWN once-fired brass.

Yup, I am learning real quick, what not to do.

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[223to45]

Ok, one quick question. Is there any brass for 300blk to stay away from??

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[aklaunch]

Head space has nothing to do with pressure. This information is interesting.

To find out your head space you have to measure a fired case from your chamber. To do that you need a Sinclair or Hornady bullet comparator with a bump gauge insert. Digital calipers help when you use this method. Brownells is the place.

Another tool is the RCBS precision mic. The precision mic is nice because it shows you right where ANSI 0.0 is. This will ultimately tell you if your rifle is set up for a ton of head space or only a little. Colts normally run ANSI + .004. My other fancy rifles run ANSI + .002.

No matter what though. You need to set up your sizing die push the shoulder back .003 - .005 back. Go .003 for a gun you keep real clean. or .005 when you are going to shoot suppressed. This insures the rifle will still chamber when dirty. The less bump back the longer the case life. The less bump back you increase the risk of a round not chambering.

All this very, very basic measuring does is help you to not oversize and wear out your brass early, in addition to saving you someday from an out of battery firing.

You will not gain accuracy from this. This also has nothing to do with pressure and losing primers from pockets as stated above. Head space also has nothing to do with brass flowing into the ejector hole.

The top picture is from too much gunpowder, case trim length being to long and pinching the bullet, or your bullet jamming into the lands. Crimping is not going to blow primers out of the pockets. It will increase pressure slightly.

Its not the end of the world to have a blown out primer. It is a sign to stop shooting immediately though.

RCBS makes a great collet style bullet puller. If this ever happens again pull the bullets from that batch and re measure all.

i am not saying a head gauge is not a good idea. I am saying that measuring it to the .001 and setting up your die is the "better way"

When you set up your die for this, take the de cap pin out. That way you do not over work the case neck during the process.

Measure all of your cases for the correct trim length.

Also get a curved Hornady length gauge, and the SAMI spec case for the cartridge you are reloading. That brass case/tool will be set up at ANSI + 0.0

You should absolutely know how far your bullet has to jump to the lands.

This stuff should all for the most part be understood before reloading.