A little help with primers please

[TommyD11730]

Let me first say I'm sorry about the photo quality. SRP and my cell phone camera don't mix.
Ok, so I'm going through a mix of 223 brass I fired last weekend. They are Federal and Lake City brand. I fired 5 different seating depths (1.865 to 1.846 CBOG) with the same primers (Winchester). The cases had about 10 reloads on them.
I took note it looks like the primers were backing out of the Federal cases only. Knowing I'm below pmax (24.6 Varget) it took me by surprise.
Thinking it must be the primer pockets (remember only on federal brass), and not having a pin gauge I was about to call it a day. Then I remembered. .. I had purchased a ballistic tools brand primer pocket gauge. So, gauge in hand I started checking pockets. Would you believe me if I told you the Federal brass... the ones with the raised primers gauge tighter!?!?!?
Can someone help explain what's going on.
I'll add pics of the Federal brass 1st.

 

[TommyD11730]

Now the LC

 

[Skg_Mre_Lght]

It has been "known" for years in reloading circles that Federal brass is softer than other brass. Couple that with having ten loads on the brass, and you simply have loose primer pockets, which I am betting happens around peak pressure. You also have to consider the internal volume case head thickness with different brands of brass which affects pressure with the same amount of powder, and doesn't have as much brass in the larger volume cases.

 

[NineHotel]

federal brass sucks. I've had necks split on the first loading. As far as "knowing" pmax, numbers on a page mean nothing. Assume every variable needs varification.

Also you are wasting effort varying seating depth on mag length loads. set them .100" short of max OAL and drive on. Save the experimenting here for the long and heavy non-mag length bullets.

 

[GrumpyOleFart]

Lapua brass.
Costs a bit more, but eliminates the headfuck with reloading.

 

[NineHotel]

My go-to is Remington. Brassman used to have plenty available 1x for cheap for Service Rifle match loads. I also load a lot of LC for DMR and carbine loads. Nothing wrong with it once you work out a system to remove the primer pocket crimps. Learned a long time ago to avoid Federal.

10x loads out of any 556 brass is pushing it. Mine generally goes in the recycle bin after 6.

 

[MtnCreek]

If I'm understanding what you're saying, I think the issue is excessive head clearance.

 

[TommyD11730]

federal brass sucks. I've had necks split on the first loading. As far as "knowing" pmax, numbers on a page mean nothing. Assume every variable needs varification.

Also you are wasting effort varying seating depth on mag length loads. set them .100" short of max OAL and drive on. Save the experimenting here for the long and heavy non-mag length bullets.

Thanks for the reply. Pmax was calculated with quick load. The FPS it predicted was pretty close to actual. So my hope was it was correct there.
The loads started with .008 jump and worked back in .003 intervals measured on the ogive vs coal.
Thanks.

 

[TommyD11730]

you simply have loose primer pockets,

So the pocket gauge is wrong? The Federals may be softer, but the gauge shows they are also tighter.

 

[TommyD11730]

Lapua brass.
Costs a bit more, but eliminates the headfuck with reloading.

Thank you Sir. Just loaded my first batch with some.

 

[GrumpyOleFart]

Thank you Sir. Just loaded my first batch with some.

You won't regret it.