Oldcappj7
Active Member
Ok good. We're in the ballpark. Anxious to run some.
Blew a Primer _ Analysis
- Thread starter Pdvdh
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You guys are talking out of my wheelhouse, but I've never found anything but inconsistency out of Hornady brass. However, .308 speeds seem excessive! 
All jokes aside (other than the brass comment), I wanted to thank you guys for sharing all this information! Pretty darn good stuff.
Thanks again
All jokes aside (other than the brass comment), I wanted to thank you guys for sharing all this information! Pretty darn good stuff.
Thanks again
elkaholic
Well-Known Member
You guys are talking out of my wheelhouse, but I've never found anything but inconsistency out of Hornady brass. However, .308 speeds seem excessive!
All jokes aside (other than the brass comment), I wanted to thank you guys for sharing all this information! Pretty darn good stuff.
Thanks again
Thanks, I usually only things for the purpose of harming people
.308 speeds? Yeah... right!
Our experience with the blown primers in the Hornady casings, versus Rich's testing and experience with the RWS brass, and other troubleshooting discussion in this Thread point to the extent to which a safe maximum powder load and operating pressure is so often heavily dependent on equipment and components.
We have no choice but to settle for a lower case pressure and MV to prevent gas blowback using the Hornady casing, compared to the RWS. RWS case capacity is less than Hornady, yet safely higher MV can we realized by operating with higher pressures. The cases are just that much stronger.
Some barrels build pressure faster than others. Some powders are more temp sensitive than others, and so on and so on...
There was scoffing earlier in this thread about running higher MV than some felt was reasonable. Top MV can vary quite a bit with any cartridge, wildcat or factory, depending on a multitude of affecting factors. It's complicated. Pressure specifications don't exist in code for wildcat cartridges by SAAMI or anyone else I'm aware of. We have a good idea where that operating pressure could become hazardous. Some use Quickload. We have to find the safe powder/pressure charge, understand it, respect, and then maintain it. It requires knowledge, and good judgement, practices, and procedures. Even in commercial cartridges with SAAMI specifications in place, the SAAMI pressure limits in those cartridges can, and often are safely exceeded by knowledgeable shooters who reload their own ammunition.
My feelings on standards, codes, and specifications established to protect human health and safety? If you don't understand the basis for them, whether it be electrical, plumbing, mechanical, foundation, structural, or reloading, ... better off to fully conform to the prevailing specs/codes. If you don't completely understand the why behind the specifications, say for example, SAAMI maximum cartridge operating pressures - be cautious. Maybe just purchase and shoot factory ammo.
Rant off... not really a rant. An observation based on years of observation of my own reloading and shooting mistakes (and in other areas of life), and those of others.
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elkaholic
Well-Known Member
Its .518"
0.518" on the rim, correct?
I remember one of my Hornady casing rims measuring 0.528". Something is different than I expected. I thought the rim of the RWS was going to measure 0.512" diameter.
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elkaholic
Well-Known Member
Well, here is some more new info. I was basing my capacity difference on a previous capacity measurement on Hornady brass and Jaces' measurement on the RWS. I don't doubt either measurement, but again, different lots! So........
The RWS case that I posted, after 4 firings, has 97.3 grains H20 capacity and a fully formed Hornady from a different lot, had 97.2 grains capacity!!! My previous carefully measured Hornady capacity a couple years ago yielded 96.3. The RWS case (empty) weighed 5.3 grains more than the Hornady. I suspect based on these data that RWS has the brass located more where its needed and is likely double struck when forming. Actually, more good news since we aren't losing any capacity. It just goes to show, however; the importance in checking different lots.
Jace.....Maybe you could re check your RWS when it is fired a couple more times but I don't think it is going to pick up THAT much!
The RWS case that I posted, after 4 firings, has 97.3 grains H20 capacity and a fully formed Hornady from a different lot, had 97.2 grains capacity!!! My previous carefully measured Hornady capacity a couple years ago yielded 96.3. The RWS case (empty) weighed 5.3 grains more than the Hornady. I suspect based on these data that RWS has the brass located more where its needed and is likely double struck when forming. Actually, more good news since we aren't losing any capacity. It just goes to show, however; the importance in checking different lots.
Jace.....Maybe you could re check your RWS when it is fired a couple more times but I don't think it is going to pick up THAT much!
elkaholic
Well-Known Member
The rim is .5085". The case head (web measurement} is .518".......Rich
WildRose
Well-Known Member
I'm too lazy to look to verify but it seems I remember that RWS drills their primer pockets rather than stamping them. Is that correct?
With all the detailed observations you guys have done here, I'm surprised that nobody has a record of the Lot # on the questionable brass. I can't say much since I don't typically keep records of the lot #, I just try to keep them all together.
I've gone through about 800 pieces of Hornady 375 Ruger brass over the years between my 375 Ruger and a couple of 338/375 Ruger. I typically get around 6-7 firings per case but I did have a batch about a year ago which had a noticeably softer case head and gave problems just like what you saw.
I've gone through about 800 pieces of Hornady 375 Ruger brass over the years between my 375 Ruger and a couple of 338/375 Ruger. I typically get around 6-7 firings per case but I did have a batch about a year ago which had a noticeably softer case head and gave problems just like what you saw.
