Reloading Lesson #110

G

greyghost02

Member
While reloading for a local score shoot this past weekend, I needed 70-80 cases to go preloaded for the shoot. (100yds in the AM, 200 in the PM) I had 50 newer cases for this barrel and decided to use 20 older, retired, brass. When priming these older brass I noticed several loose primer pockets. Not falling out loose but looser that normal.
I loaded a medium charge of N 133, that I have shot well before, for the 70 rounds. 50 newer rounds for score the other 20 for sighers in another cartridge box, to keep the cases separate.
During the three minute warmup for the 100 yds I fired 3 rounds on a separate sigher target, all good. The match director called to start the 7 minute match. I inserted bolt, pulled trigger on the sighter, nice in the 10 ring just below the X. Now I'm ready to go to the score target, I ejected the cartridge, inserted another cartridge, the bolt wouldn't close all the way. I ejected the cartridge, inserted another, bolt wouldn't close. What the heck?
The clock is ticking. I pulled the bolt, inspected it, took it apart, and it all looked good. I tried once more to load a round, the bolt wouldn't close. Local shooter and world renowned shooter, Joe was sitting next to me. I waited a few seconds to ask if he was done shooting and he said yes.
I told him what the problem was. He took a quick look and then with less than a minute and a half left in match, he said grab his rifle and finish my 5 shots to score. I finished just as time ran out. 50 pts and 3x's.
Between matches we found, 2 of the three spent primers stuck in back of barrel. No wonder the bolt wouldn't close and good thing it didn't.
Lesson # 110: If primer pockets are loose, get rid of them! LESSON LEARNED. No harm done! I was luck!
Buy the way I got 3x's on that match with Joe's rifle, he got 2x's. Thanks Joe!
 
Ive had to carry mine to the line upside down and sometimes put primers back in during a group by hand. Of course i vowed to never not go to a match without new brass if they ever started selling it again and to never run low. Once it became available again i got larger boxes from lapua instead of the normal 100
 
220 Russian and Blue Box. I'm using a Benchrite hand tool to remove carbon from pockets, maybe to deep. Also a RCBS priming loading hand tool. I might be squashing the stuffing out of the primer, when seating them. I think it's time to invest in a single primer hand loading tool with depth settings.
 
Yep just squeeze it til it bottoms. What if some pockets varied a few thousandths? Gotta have a solid priming tool that has a good feel like a sinclair
 
Greyghost

I started a previous thread a while back asking If anyone was experiencing problems with the blue box 220 Lapua cases. Didn't get very many replies back, but I have also seen this occurrence on the new blue box brass. My primers are not falling out, but they are very loose going in. Been using federal 205M. Some have recommended going to another primer, but that won't happen.
If anyone else is seeing this, please bring it to light. I guess this may vary from lot to lot, but I purchase my brass per 1000. Lapua Is in the business of selling brass, and I guess we are just S O L
 
classcat said:
Greyghost

I started a previous thread a while back asking If anyone was experiencing problems with the blue box 220 Lapua cases. Didn't get very many replies back, but I have also seen this occurrence on the new blue box brass. My primers are not falling out, but they are very loose going in. Been using federal 205M. Some have recommended going to another primer, but that won't happen.
If anyone else is seeing this, please bring it to light. I guess this may vary from lot to lot, but I purchase my brass per 1000. Lapua Is in the business of selling brass, and I guess we are just S O L
Click to expand...

But why wouldn't you try another primer? All primers aren't the same diameter, nor the same hardness, they have + or - tolerances as well.
 
CharlieH said:
But why wouldn't you try another primer? All primers aren't the same diameter, nor the same hardness, they have + or - tolerances as well.
Click to expand...

I am sitting on 50,000 Federal 205M's,, I have also chronographed my standard loads with different primers, and did not like the results on paper
 
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Classcat

I'm a newer reloader and two years into benchrest shooting. My primers were not falling out but loose, and not all of them, just afew of the same batch. I assumed I was doing something wrong, like I mentioned earlier. This rifle is a Panda, and I have never used a load above 29.2, mostly 28.7 or less on these brasses. Federal 205.
 
greyghost02 said:
Classcat

I'm a newer reloader and two years into benchrest shooting. My primers were not falling out but loose, and not all of them, just afew of the same batch. I assumed I was doing something wrong, like I mentioned earlier. This rifle is a Panda, and I have never used a load above 29.2, mostly 28.7 or less on these brasses. Federal 205.
Click to expand...


Have been reloading for 20 years. Not MY FIRST RODEO
 
CharlieH said:
But why wouldn't you try another primer? All primers aren't the same diameter, nor the same hardness, they have + or - tolerances as well.
Click to expand...

BECAUSE....other primers won't shoot straight!!! Unless, of course, you can't get 205Ms anywhere. Then, any primer is just fine. I'm dumbstruck that you didn't know this...YOU...of all people!
 
Wilbur said:
BECAUSE....other primers won't shoot straight!!! Unless, of course, you can't get 205Ms anywhere. Then, any primer is just fine. I'm dumbstruck that you didn't know this...YOU...of all people!
Click to expand...

Hell, I was born dumbstruck and it ain't getting no better the older I get.
 
Dusty;
Butch's Guns
www.butchsguns.com
5005 Oklahoma Ave, Woodward, OK 73801 ·
(580) 254-9764
A fellow traveler and all around nice guy. Butch is also the regional director. I am sure that Ed Adams will have an ample supply for sale at Raton this Weekend if you are coming. If not i will seperate with a couple of thousand to tie you over, but there are no current supply problems. Joe P Phx Az
 
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