Primer leaks

[copterdoc]

Had damage to my bolt face and have been told it is primer pocket gas leaks and it doesn't take that many apparently to do the damage. Most of my brass is fc but I have some others mixed in. I was told and have subsequently read that fc is not the best brass to reload. Has anyone else had this experience? What were your components? I use cci #41 primers 24gr. Varget and 52 gr. smk bullets. Thank you.

[copterdoc]

BTW the brass was fired 4X.

[Nathan Krynn]

i use lake city with #41's and H335, never had an issue. Might try in the reloading section

[killshot44]

Copter, send your bolt to Greg Tannel at Gre-Tan. He can sleeve the firing pin hole and re-face the bolt face.

He does excellent work and you'll have it back in a week or less, charges around $75 for the work and you won't have to worry about primers anymore.

[bohoki]

looks fine to me just keep shooting

[xfer42]

I have 4 AR 5.56 (1 .223 wylde) uppers and 2 DPMS .308 uppers that have been through thousand of rounds. None have ever been fed factory, all reloads. I decided to build a few DPMS .308s because I had a bunch of 308 & 7.62NATO brass. None are pitted.

[kcstott]

I'm going to say bad brass

[saki302]

It's probably your primers.

I had a batch of Winchester LR primers that were doing this. You can see it as a crack at the edge of the primer, and the case head will look sootier than the rest. If the brass itself was leaking in the primer pocket, the sootiness would be spectacular and hard to miss.

The little craters are just cosmetic- your bolt will work fine.

I emailed Winchester and they refunded me the price of those primers and told me to throw away any unused ones. Apparently it happens- brittle brass in the primer cups I suppose.

-Dave

[kendog4570]

Here is an interesting and timely article just put out from the USAMU.




All About Primers with the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit

by U.S. Army, Army Marksmanship Unit, Custom Firearms Shop - Friday, August 21, 2015







More

WARNING: All technical data in this publication, especially for handloading, reflect the limited experience of individuals using specific tools, products, equipment and components under specific conditions and circumstances not necessarily reported in the article and over which the National Rifle Association (NRA) has no control. The data has not otherwise been tested or verified by the NRA. The NRA, its agents, officers and employees accept no responsibility for the results obtained by persons using such data and disclaim all liability for any consequential injuries or damages.U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit for allowing SSUSA to reprint this article.

[fguffey]

Had damage to my bolt face and have been told it is primer pocket gas leaks and it doesn't take that many apparently to do the damage. Most of my brass is fc but

BTW the brass was fired 4X.

Nothing until the fourth firing, then suddenly and without warning you have hot high pressure metal cutting gas escaping from the head of the case? The hot high pressure metal cutting gas is so effective it only takes one time.

You have a ring on the bolt face, that is an indication of leakage around the primer pocket on the outside of the primer. I am the fan of cutting down on all that case travel, reducing case travel reduces primer travel. I do not want hot high pressure metal cutting gas escaping between the primer and primer pocket.

Then there is this problem of work hardening, I am the fan of case head expansion, I have a choice, case head expansion or case head cracks/splits etc.. I have no interest in firing a case over and over and over. But if I did I would not blame the rifle or case manufacture if I do not cut down on case head travel.

F. Guffey