Blew a primmer yesterday

[Gnzrme]

So I am at the range yesterday shooting my Remmy 700 and last shot of the day I blow a primmer...same load as I have been shooting 42.5 gr RE15 seated to 2.82 in a Federal case...Little hard to lift the bolt but it did. Dropped the magazine 1st and the primmer rolls out...got the case out and it is not split. Lots of burn marks on the bottom of the case...got home the case head is too expanded to fit in the shell holder..about 15 thousandths bigger...

This is the 1st time this has ever happened to me. I was concerned because I could read 308 win on the bolt face!!! Took the bolt over to Randy at R&D and he checked it out and stated all is ok..just cleaned it up and there is no damage done...of course thats right when I was shooting my best groups!!

Tried to get some pics of the case, but I cannot get the manual focus to work so you cannot see much..

whatcha think...

[Stockton]

what primers you using? glad nothing bad came of that. what did Randy say the possible cause would be?

[phish]

Sierra 175? 42.5 gr. of RL15 doesn't sound unreasonable for that bullet, even a 168.

RL15 can get kind of squirrely at hotter temps though.

[buffybuster]

42.5gr R15 w/ 175SMK would not be overpressure.. unless there was some media left in the case when you loaded it. Or maybe a loose primer pocket.

[Gnzrme]

It is a cci primmer....168 nosler bullet...Im betting a loose primmer pocket...Randy seemed to think it was either that or it was overcharged....

[buffybuster]

It is a cci primmer....168 nosler bullet...Im betting a loose primmer pocket...Randy seemed to think it was either that or it was overcharged....

Did you weigh each charge or throw them? I'm not sure you can get enough R15 in a .308Win case and seat a bullet to get REALLY unsafe pressure.

[LexLuther]

Did you notice any extra recoil? Do you have a powder check in your reloading process that should have detected a double? Was the action difficult to open? Did you check to see if the round left the barrel? I bet it was just a loose primer and the the print on the bolt face was nothing...

[popeye4]

Did you notice any extra recoil? Do you have a powder check in your reloading process that should have detected a double? Was the action difficult to open? Did you check to see if the round left the barrel? I bet it was just a loose primer and the the print on the bolt face was nothing...

I don't believe you can physically double charge a .308 Win case....

The print on the bolt face was probably soot that collected in the imprint on the cartridge head. I'll bet you can wipe it off.

How old is the brass? Was it new when you got it or once-fired?

It does sound like overpressure, as I don't believe the case head would expand due to a loose primer pocket venting gases. But I haven't had the pleasure of a blown primer in .308 (case head separation, yes), so perhaps someone else can chime in on this.

[rksimple]

in a Federal case...

There's your problem. Federal brass sucks. From one firing to the next the primer pockets can open up bad. I have only blown primers with federal brass and I quit using it long ago for anything with full power loads. Mousefart cast loads are another story. But I would get casehead expansion as well with those blown primers. The brass is just too soft.

[morphius]

I agree, it's Federal brass. I've tried reloading some Gold Medal Match and the pockets were so large that Winchester primers can be seated by finger. Way too loose.

[ocabj]

http://www.grafs.com/product/234379

Even cheaper with a dealer discount.

I've blown primers with LC brass, though (in .223). But in that incident, it was a combination of Winchester SR primers and a hot load.

[jacques]

Are you using a primr pocket reamer? Those can take brass off and result in a loose fit.

I have heard the comments on Federal brass before and I wont use it myself.

[Beelzy]

I agree, it's Federal brass. I've tried reloading some Gold Medal Match and the pockets were so large that Winchester primers can be seated by finger. Way too loose.

Must have been a bad lot of brass. My Fed. GM Match cases are on their 4th
loading and the pockets are still nice and tight.

To the OP, obviously it was a bad case in the lot and the pocket was too
large when you loaded the round, the firing resulted in the Blowout. The trick
is to make sure to seat the primers by HAND, and immediately discard cases
that don't offer resistance when priming.

As for "eating the bolt", that little hole in the barrel breach will prevent that for the most part.

[rksimple]

Must have been a bad lot of brass.

Nope. Federal brass is notorious for being ridiculously soft. Push it medium-hot and it'll give up the ghost in a heartbeat.

[xrMike]

Nope. Federal brass is notorious for being ridiculously soft. Push it medium-hot and it'll give up the ghost in a heartbeat.

Is this true for all Federal brass (including .223), or just .308?

Just wondering if I should stop saving the Federal .223 brass I've been accumulating from those 100-round boxes they sell at Walmart...