Troubles with Lapua Brass . . . help!

[game4lunch]

In my .308 especially (I also have some .223 Lapua), I have brass that the primer pocket gets so big it holds the primer loosely and even pop out at the range. This has been going on for the 2-3 years I've bought Lapua for the .308. Am I doing something wrong?
Rifle: Savage model 11. I'm loading 168 grain Barnes, 165 gr Swift or Nosler, and occasionally 175 gr Barnes. Mostly I'm loading with 42 - 44 gr RL-15 (depending on bullet) which is well within loading data specs. I am using Winchester LRP's. I've had guys look at my spent casings and there is no indication of flattened primers from high pressure.
So........ I don't want to waste my money on Lapua any more. I'm only getting 3 - 5 reloads out of them before some (not all) pockets get loose. I just reloaded some today and all of them went in "too easy". Almost no resistance at all.
So, what the you know what? And what other brand of brass would I go to? Anyone try Swift?
Also, I clean with the Frankford Arsenal Platinum Series Rotary Case Tumbler, and I use the RCBS Priming Tool.

 

[Dosh]

4, have you used a primer pocket uniforming tool on the brass?

 

[bigngreen]

Try another primer and see if they will fit better, I have better than a dozen firings on my 308 Lapua palma brass and pockets are like new. You won't find better brass for a 308.

 

[MTBULLET]

try WOLF or TULA primers

 

[918v]

It's your primer. WLR has had lots out there. They leak.

 

[game4lunch]

No. Haven't used any pocket tool(s). I have used a flash hole uniformer tool.
I suspected the primers were the culprit.

 

[tbrice23]

Even CCI 200 or BR2 and Federal 210 primers have a larger OD than WLR primers.
I know it sucks to start a new load development, but either buy new brass or start over with a new brand of primer.

I have most of my original wlr and wlrm primers left from by beginning days of reloading. That was back before I knew any better.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

The rem brass I loaded for my '06 today didn't know that Winchester primers were bad for them.
The primers went in just fine, fitting normally. The next ones will too, even though this is a full pressure load. I've loaded too many thousands of win and federal primers to be fooled into thinking that there is a problem endemic to either of their primers.
I never seem to have the issues with loosening primer pockets some are having here.

Of course, I was shooting rl22 in my '06 with 200 grain sierra's and 200grain eld'x pills. The rl22 must have cancelled out the crappy Winchester primers; a sort of double negative.


Kidding aside, either you are working your pockets bigger during reloading or your load is too hot for the brass you are using. They do not grow by themselves.

 

[clownbuster]

I have nearly 30 firings on my custom-formed Lapua 6mm Creedmoor and 6.5 Creedmoor brass, both formed from .308, and have zero issues. On my "nuclear" loads, I form up the above calibers using 'Palma' brass and I can get 8-9 firings before the pockets loosen up. Lapua makes the best brass.

 

[game4lunch]

After measuring WLRP and some CCI 250, they are .001 bigger than the Winchester. I will attribute my issue to this and sell the Win primers and get somethng else. If it wasn't so windy today, I was going to the range to see if there is any performance difference between the two "primers". But that's for another day.

 

[Pdvdh]

I'd be surprised if the loose primer pockets on the Lapua cases was due to undersized Winchester primers.

But I'm also surprised that some pretty knowledgeable members seem to think that could be the case.

The only time I've found any benefit to moving to a different primer was after I'd expanded my primer pockets. And the benefit I achieved in tightening up the primer fit in the pocket was very minimal. The primers were still too loose for my comfort.

 

[can1010]

try measuring your brass just above the extractor groove. do a couple new and the ones with loose pockets. I had one savage barrel that was really loose and let brass expand to much. I have a lot of lapua brass with 10-15 firings and still going.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

try measuring your brass just above the extractor groove. do a couple new and the ones with loose pockets. I had one savage barrel that was really loose and let brass expand to much. I have a lot of lapua brass with 10-15 firings and still going.

I think this is the culprit. I have been using Win primers for years with great success.

Steve

 

[game4lunch]

Good idea . . . I'll try that. If I can find any "new".
So what if it is the culprit? New barrel/rifle?