Cratered Primers?

[Forrest Ebert]

WHILE OUT AT THE RANGE LAST WEEKEND I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BREAKING INA NEW BARREL 300 RUM. AND SHOOTING REMINGTON FACTORY LOADED 200 GRN. NOSLER BULLETS I NOTICED WHAT APPEARED TO ME TO SIGNS OF HIGH PRESSURE WITH THE PRIMERS BEING CRATERED WHERE THE FIRING PIN STRIKES SO AFTER SEEING THIS I STOPPED SHOOTING. THE RIFLE HOW EVER DIDN'T OPEN ANY DIFFERENT MEANING HARD TO OPEN . SO I SHOWED THIS TO A COUPLE OF PEOPLE AND THEY SAID IT MIGHT BE A WEAK FIRING PIN STRIKE? I HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE BUT THE INDENTATION OF THE PIN WAS VERY LIGHT . WHAT DOES ANYONE OUT THERE THINK IT COULD BE AS MY THOUGHTS WERE IT IS HOT LOADED FACTORY AMMO AS I HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS SUBJECT.light bulb

 

[triggerpress]

Check the bolt face, especially in the area where the firing pin hole is. I've been told some of the newer Rem's have a chamfer cut into the firing pin hole. Of course, this would allow some primer material to flow back and look just like excessive pressure. I haven't seen this personally, so I'm just passing on what I've been told. Could be B.S. but it's worth a check.

Let us know what you see.

triggerpress

 

[davewilson]

it's the clearance between the firing pin and the hole that it slides through in the bolt. any smith that knows what he's doing can measure and tell you what the problem is.

 

[royinidaho]

What dave wilson said and if I remember correctly Remington primers are a bit softer that say Federals which seems to exacerbate (if that's the correct word, having a blond moment) the appearance of a problem.

 

[PEI Rob]

To add to the above posts, the if the radius of the firing pin tip is small it can cause cratering in an otherwise perfectly fine system. The protrusion absolutely does not equal the depth of the strikes. If the strikes measures .025" deep and the tip radius is small, you will often see cratering. Several thou off this poorly drawn tip would make a huge difference.

Cheers

 

[Forrest Ebert]

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR REPLIES TO MY E-MAIL AND I'M IN THE PROCESS OF CHECKING ON IT BUT AS I LIVE IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY CALLED CALIFORNIA A GOOD LOCAL SMITH IS VERY HARD TO FIND BUT I HAVE A LINE ON ONE AND I'LL LET ALL OF YOU KNOW WHAT THE OUTCOME IS ON THIS MATTER.

THANK YOU AGAIN.

FORREST

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