burned a hole in a primer today. Why??

[mhiltz]

I loaded some 180gr. VLD's last night for my 7mm RUM, I used fed 215 primers, and 99.0gr US869, with a COL of 3.680. I shot 5 rounds today, and the fourth burned a hole in the primer. There were no PSI signs at all, and according to my Quick loads program that load is predicted to be at 61,435PSI. I had no problems with any other of the exact same rounds fired. Max chamber PSI for this round is listed a sixty three thousand something.

I throw my powder using a chargemaster 1500 combo, and check every load with my RCBS 505 scale. Everything there was right.

Did I just get a faulty primer?

Also, it scared my bolt face a little bit. Is that an issue? If so what needs to be done?

I would take pictures and post them, but I don't have my camera right now.

Thanks

 

[mhiltz]

This is the best picture I can get with my phone. Sorry.

 

[KRP]

I'm guessing the bolt face wasn't scared, but you probably should have been. From the sounds of it the bolt face was etched, and from the photo(hard to tell with the quality of it) it looks like you had leakage around the primer. I'd think you are over pressure now or have been before and expanded the primer pockets. Did the primers seat really easily on the current batch of ammo?

 

[mhiltz]

The pin hole is at 7 o'clock on the bad photo. It was second fired Remington brass, first fired was factory 140gr stuff.

Bolt face has a small hole from a burn in it.

The other four rounds were perfectly normal, which leads me to believe that the primer wasn't up to spec.

 

[mhiltz]

KRP,

Thanks for taking the time and looking at it. This has me boggled. The bolt wasn't sticky ever, and primers weren't flatning either.

I really like this load because I was grouping 8" with it at 1000yds with a 15-24MPH cross wind. I would like to see what it can do on a calm day. Of course if it is an over pressure load then I will scrap it.

 

[J E Custom]

I loaded some 180gr. VLD's last night for my 7mm RUM, I used fed 215 primers, and 99.0gr US869, with a COL of 3.680. I shot 5 rounds today, and the fourth burned a hole in the primer. There were no PSI signs at all, and according to my Quick loads program that load is predicted to be at 61,435PSI. I had no problems with any other of the exact same rounds fired. Max chamber PSI for this round is listed a sixty three thousand something.

I throw my powder using a chargemaster 1500 combo, and check every load with my RCBS 505 scale. Everything there was right.

Did I just get a faulty primer?

Also, it scared my bolt face a little bit. Is that an issue? If so what needs to be done?

I would take pictures and post them, but I don't have my camera right now.

Thanks

It was probably caused by a loose primer pocket. When you seat the primers, If one seems easy
dont use it.

The bolt face is ok. It just looks bad.

J E CUSTOM

 

[mhiltz]

JE Custom,

Thank you! You answered my questions! Merry Christmas to all!

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

I had that happen a while back with my 7stw. The brass wasn't that old and the primers seated correct, but I had two primers loose gas at the side similar to yours. The cups were fine at the edge and one of the brass succesfully fired again so I believe it was bad primer cups with impurities in the copper. To be safe I retired the brass; I don't need a gas burned bolt face on a rifle I haven't pushed.