Please help diagnose blown primers

[Sleighter]

Ok reloading experts, I need a second opinion. I'm still fairly new to reloading and have reloaded a little over 6k rounds so far, mixed handgun and rifle, but always used middle-of-the road loadings. I'm now starting to work up my loadings for. 223 and have a situation where I blew primers on some of the brass.

Recipe:
20" inch AR bbl, 1/8 twist, .223 wylde chamber.

Sierra 60gr hp (#1375)
26gr H335
COL: 2.250
Mixed headstamp
Winchester SR primers
Brass trimmed to 1.750

I worked up my load from 24gr of H335 until 25gr in .2 gr increments. I didn't notice any problems and saw that accuracy increased as the loading increased. After reading other peoples experience I read that H335 is said to be most accurate with the max load. I consulted Sierra and saw that max load is 27 gr.

I decided to reload 10 rounds with 26gr and see how those would fire, since 25 was good, but if 26 was better, but still under max I would be satisfied with that.

While reloading I used some crimped brass that wouldn't seat primers. I've been avoiding using those cases, and have only been using cases that seat easily, but decided to "un-crimp" them using my chamfer tool. After that the primers fit in easily.

Fast forward to the range. I fired 3 rounds, the 4th didn't properly eject and was really tight in the chamber and hard to eject by hand. I looked at the brass and it looked fine, no bulges, cracks, dents, etc. ( I didn't bother to look at the primer pocket, my mistake). I fired another 5 rounds and the 9th stuck in the chamber again. This time I looked it over carefully and saw that the primer was missing. That made me wonder, and I went and grabbed the other brass and looked them over also. The other difficult to extract round was missing it's primer also.

So my question, is the load too hot for my rifle? Or there a chance that I over-chamfered the primer pocket which caused the primers to blow out? Or is it both. Let me know your thoughts. I'll try and post up a picture of the brass in my next post.

[five.five-six]

You have an AR in .223 wylde? cool. How many fireings on the brass? One of the problems with gas guns is that your max OAL is dictated by your magazine, shorter OAL = higher pressure.

Are you hand primeing? how hard is it to seat the primer?

Start by sorting your brass by headstamp. Mil brass should be reserved for plinking ammo.

[DeerHunter30.06]

is his gun chambered for 5.56 ? if not then the 5.56 most likely crimped primer pocket brass hes using could cause those issues . also the bullet might not be seated properly and the pressure is blowing backwards .

just my 2 cents

[cfm117]

I am going to go out on a limb and say its the Winchester SR primers. There is scuttlebutt on the web about these piercing on mediocre loads. On my last Highpower match I pierced avout 40 out of 60 on my 200 and 300 yard stage with a medium load of RL-15. I switched back to CCI 41's and all good. My Wolf mags have no issue either. My older Winchesters from about 2 years ago didnt either.

[russt]

sticking brass...primers falling out... sounds like you might be loading them too hot. i know max is listed higher, but variations in type of brass(case volume), primers, powder lot, chamber/headspace can all change what your max is and i think you found it. try backing your load off a grain and see if the problem goes away.

[Solus]

they are diffenately too hot I just checked sierra load data and lists a max load of 25.6gr of h335 at 2.250col. the brass isnt the problem. I have a 18" 223 wylde barrel as well. its just too hot.

[Sleighter]

Thanks to everyone, especially Solus for posting the Sierra data. It sounds like I should drop back to 25gr and work up to 25.6 in .2 increases and see how it goes.

Does anyone think I should worry about over chamferring the primer pocket? Is there a particular way that should be done? My method of just spinnimg the tool around a bunch doesnt seem very scientific.

[ocabj]

I am going to go out on a limb and say its the Winchester SR primers.

The second I saw Winchester SR in the original post, I thought the same thing.

I avoid Winchester SR primers in the AR simply because I've had nothing but problems with them in that platform several years ago. Primer piercing and primers popping and the anvils separating from the cups and getting in the trigger group.

Note: Old time HP and benchrest shooters stuck with Winchester SR primers because they were still using older silver colored Winchester SR primers. Only until they tried the current gold/brass colored primers (started that color sometime in 2000s) did they find that the primers weren't performing well.

As far as the cases not extracting and becoming stuck, I'm wondering how well you sized your brass to begin with. Even a hot load will eject. Run a case gage on your resized brass and/or loaded rounds to verify they're sized within spec.

[five.five-six]

Are you talking about the deburign tool that my kids think looks like a rocket ship?

That how I do crimped brass, but I only use that for plinking. For you match loads, hand prime those, you will quickly learn how to feel which ones are right and which ones are not.

[Sleighter]

Are you talking about the deburign tool that my kids think looks like a rocket ship?

That how I do crimped brass, but I only use that for plinking. For you match loads, hand prime those, you will quickly learn how to feel which ones are right and which ones are not.

I hand prime all of my brass. I just never liked pushing into the press, I never got a good feel for it.

I also didn't know how to describe the chamfer tool, but yeah, it looks like a rocket ship now that you mention it.

[Sleighter]

The second I saw Winchester SR in the original post, I thought the same thing.

I avoid Winchester SR primers in the AR simply because I've had nothing but problems with them in that platform several years ago. Primer piercing and primers popping and the anvils separating from the cups and getting in the trigger group.

Note: Old time HP and benchrest shooters stuck with Winchester SR primers because they were still using older silver colored Winchester SR primers. Only until they tried the current gold/brass colored primers (started that color sometime in 2000s) did they find that the primers weren't performing well.

As far as the cases not extracting and becoming stuck, I'm wondering how well you sized your brass to begin with. Even a hot load will eject. Run a case gage on your resized brass and/or loaded rounds to verify they're sized within spec.

There seems to be a common theme that these primers suck. I've always used cci with good results but during the shortage have started using wsr because I had them stocked up. Now if only I could find cci again.

[five.five-six]

I also didn't know how to describe the chamfer tool, but yeah, it looks like a rocket ship now that you mention it.

Thank my 2-year-old for that

[mark501w]

Sort cases,size,trim,chamfer necks,swedge or cut primer pockets. I don't use a deburring tool for primer pockets,Lee makes a nice cutter that does it. Reduce your load.I don't know anything about problem primers.

[J-cat]

Sort your brass. 223 brass weighs from 88 to 103 grains. That's a big difference in capacity.

Work up your loads. Going from 25 to 26 is not working up.

Your chamber is prolly not Wylde.

[J-cat]

Sort your brass. 223 brass weighs from 88 to 103 grains. That's a big difference in capacity.

Work up your loads. Going from 25 to 26 is not working up.

Your chamber is prolly not Wylde.