Primer pockets expanding. Pressure sign?

[boomtube]

"I've been noticing something funny in my 300wsm cases."

There's nothing funny about it, the next over pressure "sign" you get will be a ruptured case.

 

[Greyfox]

If it is soft brass and not a pressure situation, then Check out this thread:

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f28/harts-case-saver-primer-pocket-swager-32739/

edge.

I have used a pocket primer swager that I had purchased from Midway several years ago. Primers sizes and pocket primers can have variation and this tool works great with no effect on accuracy. The pockets will hold for several firings. I have found both Remington and Federal match cases to have loose pockets. Now, as was the case during the last shortage of components when I bought mine, this is a useful tool. It should not be used if the cause of loose primer pocked are the result of too hot a load being used.

 

[FEENIX]

I hope the OP is still not waiting for all these info after nearly 6 years later. lightbulb

 

[Gene]

I use Lapua brass exclusively in my competition rifles, and in time, those pockets expand too; with no other pressure signs, especially in the 6 Dasher. I have found that Wolf primers are slightly larger, and will fit snug in pockets that have expanded. Some people say the Hart tool is OK, but you need to use it with each loading.

If you have no other pressure signs, it is soft brass. Barely loose I would run a few more loads thru em. If the primers fall out, toss them.

 

[lloydsmale]

I wouldnt nessisarily be bad mouthing fed brass. The wsm is loaded to real high pressure. As high as the weatherbys and at that level about all your going to get out of any case is 3 or 4 loadings. back off a couple grains and youll go slower but your brass will about double in life.

 

[boomtube]

"...I have reloaded Federal brass in 243, FL sizing, up to 8 times with mostly non-max charges level that results in medium velocity yet flattened primers (no other pressure signs) and yes some primer pockets are getting very easy. I've recently had a few cases that started to rupture horizontally about 1/2" up from the case head. But this is after 8+ reloads."

Flat primers and incipent head seperations are effects of exccesive effective headspace caused by too much shoulder set back in FL resizing, not excessive pressure as such. "Flat" primers really don't tell anyone much about presure but expanding primer pockets sure do. 'Saving' significantly over-loaded cases with stretched pockets by using a pocket reforming tool doesn't appeal to me.

Federal cases are great for long life with normal pressures because it is a bit soft and therefore can withstand the effects of more reloading cycles before it work hardens enough to split but Fed can't take excessive pressure as long as harder cases can. I like long life and feel no need to push the pressure limits so Fereral cases work great for me. You decide what you prefer and live with the downside.

I doubt anyone thinks the OP is still checking here, these new responses are aimed at current drop-in reloaders having the same problem.

 

[FEENIX]

C&P from another post ...

Originally Posted by MudRunner2005 View Post
Who keeps diggin up these old threads!?!?!?

lightbulblightbulb

 

[Shootin4fun]

"...I have reloaded Federal brass in 243, FL sizing, up to 8 times ...."

Flat primers and incipent head seperations are effects of exccesive effective headspace caused by too much shoulder set back in FL resizing, not excessive pressure as such. "Flat" primers really don't tell anyone much about presure but expanding primer pockets sure do. 'Saving' significantly over-loaded cases with stretched pockets by using a pocket reforming tool doesn't appeal to me.

Federal cases are great for long life with normal pressures because it is a bit soft and therefore can withstand the effects of more reloading cycles before it work hardens enough to split but Fed can't take excessive pressure as long as harder cases can. I like long life and feel no need to push the pressure limits so Fereral cases work great for me. You decide what you prefer and live with the downside.

I doubt anyone thinks the OP is still checking here, these new responses are aimed at current drop-in reloaders having the same problem.

I can believe what you're saying about the the signs of and actual case seperations I've been experiencing have something to do with excessive headspace. Its almost as if they're being stretched and that's the weakest point. Interestingly this only seems to happen with heavier freight - the 100 gr bullets even when not loaded to max charges - and not with 85 gr bullets loaded, even when loaded to max listed charges.

Now, how am I creating excessive headspace by bumping the shoulder too far back? I am doing FL sizing with the ram coming up into full contact and overcaming a bit. So the shoulder is set by the sizing die, which I assume is to SAMMI spec for the cartridge. I suppose the only way is to back the die out a hair so that the ram doesn't touch the base of the sizing die. Is this correct?

I'm with you on running medium velocities if they result in better accuracy and that's what I normally shoot at the range. But I have a few good max or near max suggested loads that I want to use for hunting though if I can't get around these incipient case rupture issues on this one I'll just have to back off. One of them is this 100gr BTSP 43.3 gr IMR 4831 that goes out at about 3050 fps and is an accurate node. It has produced some tight groups on 2 outings (3 of 4 in .25", 1 flier .7' - 1" away). Yesterday that load was registering 3120 and it was a hot day; kept ammo in the shade but still got higher velocities; I don't understand that. Accuracy varied. There are micro stress lines on most of the cases...a fine line where a future rupture would probably happen. That seems hot for a 243Win. I'd like to use this load for hunting or even long range shooting if its safe and stable. I'm figuring that at these MVs this gun should be good out to about 500 yards on deer.

I also don't think messing with stretched pockets is worth the trouble.