Primers piercing

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DSilver
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Primers piercing

Post by DSilver »

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Hi all,
Bit baffled, as to what’s going on here. Does anyone have an idea as to what’s going on?
This afternoon I was trying out some new Lapua Palma brass, that I recently purchased and after the shoot, to my surprise I saw several punched through primers.
During the string I noticed nothing unusual, no difficulty opening bolt, no change in how rifle was working, was shooting well (score was 60.7) and no change to recoil or feeling, all was as normal.
Then as I was packing up I noticed a few about 4 from 11 had pierced primers.
Before you start saying hot load, this was not, it was the same load I run with my Lapua large primer brass with Fed GM primers, 44.6 grains 06h behind Berger 155.5.
Rifle is Parker Hale M86 single shot action, Mauser 98 style bolt.
Brand new Lapua Palma SRP brass
Federal gold match small rifle primers
44.6 grains 2206h
Berger 155.5 full bore/ off lands, not touching
Essentially, this is the exact same load I have always run in this rifle, the only difference is the SRP brass and primers, same brands.
Would the cup be too thin in this particular primer, or could it be a manufacturing error? Has anyone else had this happen, with Fed primers?

Cheers
Daniel
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Redhawk
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Re: Primers piercing

Post by Redhawk »

Daniel, Lapua SRP brass has a smaller case capacity than Large Primer brass….. and virgin brass smaller capacity than fire formed brass…. Suggest you measure the speed….. looks and sounds like a possible overload…

looks like the firing pin is not striking the middle of the primer as well, which might be another issue as well…..
CamoWhamo
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Re: Primers piercing

Post by CamoWhamo »

Check your firing pin diameter and fit in the bolt face.

Ideally, small primers should have a .062" pin.

Your older Parker Hale probably has a larger firing pin that's not very tight fitting in the bolt face. The Primer cup can extrude into the firing pin hole and rupture.
mike H
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Re: Primers piercing

Post by mike H »

I would think it is headspace with the new brass,thicker walled primers,such as CCI-450 could help for the first firing,the next reload should be OK.
I have seen this happen in a Barnard with new Palma brass and Murom small rifle magnum primers,primers were blanking and the disc was blowing back into the firing pin hole of the bolt.Once the case were better fitted to the chamber the problem went away.
Malcolm Hill
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Re: Primers piercing

Post by Malcolm Hill »

Hi Daniel. Your issue is a common one among early 223 shooters using Omarks and such with loose fitting and larger type firing pins. Ideally the pins should be around the .062" diameter as mentioned by CamoWhamo and many of the earlier rifle designs were up in the .080' thou range. The large rifle primers usually have a thicker cup than the small rifle so you get away with a bit more in the pressure department before piercing. I suggest trying Remington 71/2, CCI 450 or CCI br4 primers that have a thicker cup than other small rifle primers. It can fix the issue. A while back on 6br.com they did a test of all the small rifle primers and measured the cups. I think there may have been another one that also had a .025'' thou cup vs the normal .020'' thickness. As far as I know the problem started back when Remington was designing the .17 Rem cartridge and having the problem and brought out the 71/2 primer to overcome it. It was the only primer to use in that cartridge at the time if you didn't want pierced primers with top velocity loads. Regards Malcolm.
KHGS
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Re: Primers piercing

Post by KHGS »

The correct term for this malady is "blanked" primers and is a common problem with small rifle primers and older designed actions. As others have said it is to do with firing pin spring condition, firing pin tip condition, firing pin diameter and firing pin hole diameter in the bolt. My suggestion is "go back to what works" and leave the Palma brass to those with more modern actions. However that said, you need to remove the firing pin assembly and clean the inside of the bolt body, you may have an accumulation of primer material inside the body. While the assembly is out inspect the firing pin tip with a jewelers loupe for an eroded tip surface. Once the tip is eroded blanking will continue as a result of the erosion.
Keith H.
DSilver
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Re: Primers piercing

Post by DSilver »

Thank you very much for the advice guys, as suggested, I think I may just stay with large primers for the Parker Hale, as it shot just fine. I was aiming to replace the barrel on this rifle so I can shoot 185/200’s, but I may need to use another action, as I’d like to use the Palma brass. I do have an Accuracy Int AEMkI action (2003) that I could use for this project, would that be more suited for this application?

Cheers
Daniel
KHGS
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Re: Primers piercing

Post by KHGS »

DSilver wrote:Thank you very much for the advice guys, as suggested, I think I may just stay with large primers for the Parker Hale, as it shot just fine. I was aiming to replace the barrel on this rifle so I can shoot 185/200’s, but I may need to use another action, as I’d like to use the Palma brass. I do have an Accuracy Int AEMkI action (2003) that I could use for this project, would that be more suited for this application?

Cheers
Daniel

Any modern action with a firing pin diameter of 1.5mm/.062" will be fine.
Keith H.
DSilver
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Re: Primers piercing

Post by DSilver »

KHGS wrote:
DSilver wrote:Thank you very much for the advice guys, as suggested, I think I may just stay with large primers for the Parker Hale, as it shot just fine. I was aiming to replace the barrel on this rifle so I can shoot 185/200’s, but I may need to use another action, as I’d like to use the Palma brass. I do have an Accuracy Int AEMkI action (2003) that I could use for this project, would that be more suited for this application?

Cheers
Daniel

Any modern action with a firing pin diameter of 1.5mm/.062" will be fine.
Keith H.


Thank you Keith
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