Stretched primer pockets?

[matworz]

I converted about 100 7.62x54R cases to 8x50R cases about a year ago, and have slowly gone through most of them in my Steyr M95. These were from GRAFS, with a GRAFS headstamp. All of these have been fired only once at this point.

I also have purchased, disassembled, reformed through the FL dies, and fireformed 40 7.62x54R cases in the same manner from S&B. These have not been loaded or fired since these operations.

After I tumbled, decapped and neck-sized all of the used Grafs cases, I have noticed that the primer pockets are a LOT looser on the Grafs cases than they are on the (as yet unused) S&B. Not so loose that I'm worried about the primers not holding. But the pressure required to seat is much less using my Lee hand primer tool. I'm not TOO concerned about it, but the pockets are also noticeably deeper. Every one of those primers seat about .010 below flush, while the S&B are all flush. The Grafs brass were all flush the first time I used them too.

I don't have a lot of experience reloading, but I believe that this is a typical sign of overpressure. I have an idea that one of the reasons is that I may have loaded these all with the bullets too high, and the lead jammed against the rifling as the bolt was closed. I plan to do a more thorough measuring job (using the stick through the barrel technique) and make sure the bullet is seated deeper on this next batch. The question is... is there any danger in using this brass again? I don't think the FP will have any problem striking the primers, despite the extra depth, and I will most likely not use this brass again after this loading, but would you use this brass?

Other than the primer pocket issue, the brass looks fine. In your experience, has anyone noted that Grafs brass is particularly soft?

Looking forward to hearing your responses on this, and utilizing all the experience in this group.

Thanks!
- matt

 

[Clark]

12 years ago S&B Boxer primed 7.62x54R loaded ammo had the wrong radius on the bottom of the primer pockets.

When reloading the brass, I had to get a Lyman pocket uniformer to get the primers to seat right.

Lapua is much nicer.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Not to fear, S&B brass is known to have very tight primer pockets so in reality, it's possible the S&B cases are tight, not that the Graf's cases are loose.

 

[matworz]

Thanks guys. I finally got the chance to get into my cave today and do some more testing. Here's the deal. All of those original Grafs cases were primed on my Redding single stage press on the downstroke. I don't feel like the 'feel' for priming is as good as with the Lee Autoprime hand primer tool. I took apart one of the unfired original rounds and put it on my Lee Autoprime, to see if I could push the primer below flush with the hand tool. Sure enough, it went to the same depth as the others - below flush. It appears that the Grafs brass has extra deep (and somewhat looser) pockets than the S+B. That would also explain why I would sometimes get what I thought were light strikes now and then. In reality, in those cases, the primer was probably just getting driven to full depth on the first strike. It always ignited on the 2nd hit, now that the primer was fully seated.

I did do some mic'ing on some brass just to be sure, and did some fit-testing in my M95 chamber. All of the brass, older and newer, drop fit into the chamber just fine. The bullets are NOT hitting the lands. I don't believe I have a pressure problem at all. It's just different pocket sizes, and I didn't notice them the first time around, because I was priming on a press, rather than with the hand tool.

In any case, I feel like I'm good to go with this brass, and will reload them and give them another whirl. Thanks for the info...

- matt