Problem with primers in my 22-250 reloads
I have just started reloading for my Rem 700 ADL 22-250 and I have run into a problem with difficulty closing the bolt on about 50% of my reloaded rounds. It seems that on these cases the primers are not fully seating into the primer pocket. Rather, as close as I can measure, the offending primers are out about .005" to .007" beyond the base. When you close the bolt on one of these cases then remove it and inspect the primer, the bolt face makes a "swirl" on the primer as the bolt is closed and an impression of the firing pin hole is visible in the center of the primer. On some cases (about 40%) the primer fully seats and on another 10% or so, the primer is out but not enough to cause the bolt to close hard. Those that stick out can just barely be felt with your finger tip and will "wobble" for a second if you stand them up on a flat, smooth surface (like Formica) and gently tap the case mouth. The cases with fully seated primers do not "wobble" when tapped.
The brass I am using constists of 80 rounds I saved from Winchester factory ammo that I fired in my gun. I was given 40 more rounds of the same Winchester factory ammo brass fired in a buddies gun. I also purchased 100 rounds of new, never fired Winchester brass. Finally, I picked up about a dozen rounds of fired Federal brass while at a local range. The brass fired in my gun has been tumbled, decapped, neck sized, length trimmed, chamfered and primer pockets cleaned prior to priming. On all of the other fired brass I performed the same steps except I full length sized them. All I did on the new brass was prime it.
I first noticed the problem with Remington #9-1/2 large rifle primers inserted into the once fired, neck sized brass. I switched to the new brass and the other brass and the problem did not go away. I have tried CCI benchrest primers and have tried seating the primers with 2 different RCBS single stage presses and a Lee Auto Prime tool. All of the brass, primer, press combinations seem to produce about the same results. The new brass with the CCI benchrest primers probably yield more fully seated primers.
Any idea what is going on here?
The brass I am using constists of 80 rounds I saved from Winchester factory ammo that I fired in my gun. I was given 40 more rounds of the same Winchester factory ammo brass fired in a buddies gun. I also purchased 100 rounds of new, never fired Winchester brass. Finally, I picked up about a dozen rounds of fired Federal brass while at a local range. The brass fired in my gun has been tumbled, decapped, neck sized, length trimmed, chamfered and primer pockets cleaned prior to priming. On all of the other fired brass I performed the same steps except I full length sized them. All I did on the new brass was prime it.
I first noticed the problem with Remington #9-1/2 large rifle primers inserted into the once fired, neck sized brass. I switched to the new brass and the other brass and the problem did not go away. I have tried CCI benchrest primers and have tried seating the primers with 2 different RCBS single stage presses and a Lee Auto Prime tool. All of the brass, primer, press combinations seem to produce about the same results. The new brass with the CCI benchrest primers probably yield more fully seated primers.
Any idea what is going on here?
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mmercer69...welcome to the forum! Sounds like the primers are not being fully seated. Either the Lee auto prime tool or you are not completely seating the primers. I am using an RCBS hand prime tool and the Lee is very similar, you just squeeze the level until it contacts the tool body and you are done. I have used CCI, Federal, Remington and Winchester and they all seat just a hair below flush.
Second item suggest not mixing the different manufacturer's brass.0 -
Thanks 5mm for your reply.
Why do you think that neither of the 2 different RCBS presses nor the Lee Auto Prime are fully seating the primers? I have used all 3 devices on 45acp & 44 mag with no problems obtaining a flush primer. When I noticed this problem with the first few 22-250 cases I primed, I tried all 3 devices to see if maybe it was a press/tool issue. I have even returned cases with extending primers back to the press/tool to try and push them "all the way in".
I have tried pushing the primer until it stops, then turning the case and pushing some more. Some of the primers in some of the cases just will not seat to flush.
The primer pockets are clean so there is no "crud" in there to stop the primer.
As far as the brass goes, I have the brass seperated by mfr. and by number of times it has been fired. I just tried several different mfr's and vintages to see if the seating problem would go away with a different combo of brass & primer.
Any more ideas?0 -
Strange it should happen with different brands of brass.
Any road, there is a little device known as a "primer pocket uniformer". It is a hand operated milling cutter that cuts the primer pocket to the right depth and the bottom flat and square.
You do not need to be pushing the bolt shut on high primers.0 -
You need to be very careful trying to reseat primers in a loaded case cause you'll need them fingers a lot in life....
Try to find one of the uniformers and do your pockets with that and see how it works, and I assume thats your problem if your bottoming out the primer tool when your seating primers...
Mixed head stamps don't help matters when your trying to find a problem like this.
What have you been cleaning the primer pockets with ????0 -
continue to squeeze the handle on the LEE tool until it fully bottoms out even if you aren't feeling anymore resistance. If that still doesn't work, uniform the pockets to see if they are just shallow and need some removal.
also, since you are neck sizing, and some of the brass was fired in a friends rifle, you may be feeling some resistance from the shoulder on his cases being a few .001"s longer than yours. When using 1x fired brass intermixed with your own fired brass,..you should FL size first firing to uniform everything, then allow them to form to your chamber correctly. After that, you can go back to neck sizing.0 -
Hello Are you sure you have a good shell holder "head" if the shell holder moves away from the Ram seating the primer then the primer will not fully seat flush with case head. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by mrbruce
You need to be very careful trying to reseat primers in a loaded case cause you'll need them fingers a lot in life....Try to find one of the uniformers and do your pockets with that and see how it works, and I assume thats your problem if your bottoming out the primer tool when your seating primers...
Mixed head stamps don't help matters when your trying to find a problem like this.
What have you been cleaning the primer pockets with ????
Listen to mrbruce on that one. I still have hunks of brass in my guts from an exploding 9MM round that I was stupid enough to try and seat a high primer on 25 years ago. [B)][:0][:(]0
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