Loose Primers

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GunDog44

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Hello all

While loading my .308 cartridges I noticed that the primers are seating way too easy.
This is the third or fourth time I have reloaded these cases. Am I correct to assume it's time to discard these cases ? or should I look for other issues ?
Any comments would be appreciated.
 
The main 2 reasons to have loose primer pockets is either excessivly worn cases OR cases that have subjected to excessive pressures, What kind of loads have you been running in these cases?
 
Yeah, I'd like to know what kind of loads you are using. I have .30/06 brass I reload for my M1 Garand and they have about 5-6 if not more loads through them and the primer pockets are still tight.
 
I got some good advice on this before . ..it was basically to mark the rounds and then after you shoot them chuck them into the recycle bucket. I think that most of the one's I had were a result of over zealous usage of my primer pocket swager and not the brass's fault. (FWIW)

Regards,
Dave
 
in addition to brass headstamp, what kind of primers? winchester primers seat really easy in any brass i've tried them in, and federal primers seat pretty tight in any brass except federal. so, if you are using federal cases w/ a winchester primer, the problem may just be solved by switching to a different primer.
 
I think Zak Smith has had the same experience with Federal brass as I have. Sometimes even after firing it the first time with a factory load, the primer pockets are too loose to reload with. Definitely not more than two firings before loose.
 
I am using Federal Brass .308 SMK 168gr 44gr - 45gr Varget with Federal
210M primers.

Thoughts ??
 
brass. your load is tame enough that you shouldn't be stretching pockets out.

i'm not up on federals number system, but i think 210m is a magnum primer? if so, it isn't necessary w/ varget or the 308.

go to winchester or black hills ammo brass (the one that says 'match' on it), swap primers out to either cci br or federal regular rifle, and go from there.
 
Federal 210M is the Large Rifle, Gold Medal Match.

Historically, I have not pushed more than two full power loadings out of Federal brass before developing loose primers.

In the affordable brass category, I have had best results with Winchester and Lake City. Though the LC required some massaging to get it consistent in my chamber, it proved to handle the most loadings without requiring trimming before the primers got loose. LC brass is just about as hard as it can be, without becoming brittle. I've had to trim Winchester every three loadings, and Federal every time it's loaded. Too much work, IMO.
 
Federal brass is pretty well known for loosening up in the primer pocket after just a few firings--both .308 and .223

Ty
 
GD44,

As previously stated, that's the norm with the soft Federal brass. Chuck 'em and get some better brass (basically anything but Federal and Remington).

Don
 
asknight said:
....Though the LC required some massaging to get it consistent in my chamber, ....
Click to expand...
Could you elaborate on the type of massage that it needed?
 
The massaging required for me was likely related to the specific once-fired brass I bought, my specific chamber, or directly related to the chamber of the firearm in which it was first fired.

Chamfer all primer pockets to remove .mil crimp.
Trim to 2.490", as they were 2.510". Too long for my chamber.
Set shoulder back 0.003".


After fire-forming to my chamber, the LC stretches to 2.492" and does not stretch any more. I am currently on the 8th and 10th reloading of my two batches of LC brass and they are still the same length and same shoulder with tight primer pockets. My Winchester brass is getting about 8 loadings before stretching/trimming cycles (every three loadings) gets the brass so thin it begins cracking.
 
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