Pierced Primers - Too hot?

[Gone Hiking]

I worked up a .357 Mag load pushing Berry's 158 grn flat points at 1,230 fps in Starline brass with Rem 1-1/2 primers and 14.5 grns of 2400. (Lyman says 14.9 grns is max for 158 JHPs, the closest match.) Afterwards, I made up another 50 in that load to be sure there were no kinks before going into production. Three primers in that batch ended up pierced, which requires a 10X hand lense to see. I had two 4" revolvers, and I believe these all occurred in the same gun. What do you think, is the load too hot?

Interestingly, the velocity of my 5-shot test loads peaked at 13.7 grns, then fell with additional powder until going back up with 14.5 grns. I chose 14.5 grns since it seemed to offer somewhat better precision, but I think I'll drop back and make another 50 at 13.7 grns to see if the piercings go away. Piercing seems odd to me, since I'm 0.4 grns under max.

 

[AJC1]

I would see if you have a small bur on your fp or hammer.

 

[Walkalong]

Somethings wrong, probably pressure, might be the firing pin, but that may have damaged the FP, so it will be hard to know.
Peaking and losing velocity was a clue. Drop below 13.7 and load three.

 

[Gone Hiking]

I would see if you have a small bur on your fp or hammer.

Good thought! I checked that, also under a hand lense, and they looked clean.

 

[Blue68f100]

Use a Mag Primer.

 

[Bill M.]

I think you may be too hot. Maybe the soft swayed bullet raises pressure higher than a jacketed bullet of the same weight. I do not know what the primer problem is. But I am worried about the load from what you said about jacketed and lead bullet substitution.

 

[MEHavey]

I'm not seeing the soot that I normally associate with a pierced primer.
That, and absolutely soft primer edges make me wonder if pierced at all.

What says the Peanut Gallery ?


.

 

[FROGO207]

I'll go along with ME Harvey. It looks like a normal primer but with the discoloration in the hole. Always have soot and such with a peirced primer in my guns. Primer not flattened either. That hole looks really deep to me as well. Dunno just what I'm looking at.

 

[Walkalong]

Edges look good, and now that I am not on a phone, I can see it better, there is a tiny hole in the middle of the primer dent, which sooted the dent. So still an issue, soft primer? Need a thicker cupped primer? Rem 5 1/2? CCI-500?

Oh, and I use 14.5 Grs 2400 with a 158 Gr coated, X-Treme plated, or jacketed, bullet.

 

[robert4301]

Rem 1 1/2 primers are the problem. They are specifically not recommended for high pressure loads. Nearly any other standard primer should work fine.

 

[AJC1]

Rem 1 1/2 primers are the problem. They are specifically not recommended for high pressure loads. Nearly any other standard primer should work fine.

A lot of combinations are being used that would normally be advised against due to lack of appropriate material. I just pray the lessons stay small.

 

[243winxb]

The correct primer is the Remington 5 1/2. View attachment 995755

 

[243winxb]

My photo shows the minimum indent from a firing pin. It is NOT firing pin protrusion. Then I added my thinking on pierced primers.

 

[Obturation]

I agree, wrong primer. If you want to use the 1 1/2 primers drop the charge. I don't go beyond 14 grains of 2400 with 158 grain cast bullets. Kind of like you had, I gained very little velocity but accuracy suffered. I use mag primers in everything if possible, all my loads are worked up using them and if I can't get magnum primers I'll use rifle primers or reduce the charge.

Also, I'm not very familiar with Barry's bullets but I think they're plated (right?). If that's the case of stick with data intended for cast. Never used plated but that's what I hear.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Strange situation for sure. I have always used a CCI-550 magnum primer in the .357 magnum. I don't use Rem primers so I don't know how soft the are.

 

[jr45]

Where those primers in question fired in single action? One of my old colt .38spl revolver will sometime leave the similar type of mark on my Winchester primers when fired in single action with no sign of breaches/gas escape. Maybe the more momentum from the hammer fall crates it.

 

[Rule3]

https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2018/5/15/remington-1-pistol-primers/

 

[Riomouse911]

The warning is pretty clear right on the package. Use Remington 1 1/2 primers for small pistol primed Bullseye and Cowboy type loads, 5 1/2 for small pistol primed magnums.

Stay safe.

 

[edwardware]

But for the known issue of inappropriately using Rem 1 1/2. . .

The radius on that primer does not indicate notable pressure. It could be, but my first guess would be FP protrusion and shape.

 

[Slamfire]

Cut your loads. Any time you pierce primers, the load is excessive. Looking for solutions that do not start with cut your loads, will not fix the problem.

If you keep this up, you will find the cost of replacing a dished firing pin is not cheap.