Overpressured?

[fivefeezy]

Does this primer look like I loaded the round too hot? The priimer flowed a bit out. After removing the primer there is a slight ridge on it that can be caught with the fingernail. This is my 30-06 reload with 130 grain Barnes TTSX bullet and 54 grains of IMR 3031. This is the max load that Barnes recommends for this combination. Pictures compare the fired round too and to a unified round and a picture of the removed primer.

[SandDiegoDuner]

It doesn’t LOOK bad to me but, what is the reason you are at the max load per Barnes? What do your load manuals say? What velocity are you seeing on your chronograph out of your rifle?

[fivefeezy]

I loaded to max velocity because the TTSX bullets like to be driven fast for reliable expansion. I can’t find any other published load data for this combo other than what Barnes has listed. I swear I saw somewhere that IMR was calling 54.5 grains the maximum load for this (I’m loaded to 54.0 grains) but I can’t find that data anywhere now. I have not chronographed the load.

[smoothy8500]

Sometimes excessive sizing causes a case to slide forward in the chamber causing a "false flattened" primer.

[ar15barrels]

The primer is flattened out on the corners for sure.
That could be from excessive headspace or from high pressure.
How much headspace did your sized cases have in your rifle before firing?

[N21911S]

If it was me. I would forget about the 3031 and go with something in the 4895 to 4350 range. And I would not pick a starting load out of a loading manual that's near max. The possibilities for unhappy endings are real.

[NapalmCheese]

Just call me Bubba if you like (of Bubba's Pissin Hawt Loads) but that primer hasn't even filled in that primer pocket. I've seen factory ammo look like that and worse.

That said, I would run it over a chrono and sanity check it before deciding you're good to go.

The Barnes data seems iffy to me at times. They have loads for 5.56 and Varget where I can't even fit that much powder in the case, and one of their old manuals lists a load in 7mm-08 (that I'm using at NOT max charge) that seems to go WAY over pressure at the listed max charge (in a rifle that doesn't usually have pressure issues with other book-max charges).

[the_tunaman]

What did other rounds look like? I never judge a result by one sample.

Ballistics rarely, if ever, are best or even great at the extremes of the range. Pretty certain your groups would be suffering from loading at max. Best bet is to run a stepladder and see what your particular platform prefers with that specific powder/projectile combination.

[Fjold]

I've seen worse. What primers are you using? Winchester, Federal and Remington seem to be softer and CCI tend to be harder and resist deformation more. I believe that CCI and Federal are owned by the same company now so that may have changed.

IMR3031 is a fast powder for that bullet, I would recommend a slower powder also. Fast powders tend to exhibit pressure fluctuations quicker with smaller variations in components.


Try; H4895, IMR 4895, Varget, IMR 4064, Big Game, RL 15, Win 760 or H414