Odd primer strikes

[Virginia Shooter]

Hopefully a picture attached of some odd looking primer strikes. 6BR, Impact 737 action with Vitahvouri N140/29.5 grains. Primer is a CCI450 seated in the 0.005 range. I had just started using a new brick of 450's and noticed this. 3X fired Lapua brass. I shoot about 2000 BR rounds per year and have never seen this. I'm thinking some sort of manufacturer defect. It's like the whole top is soft and crushing inward.

Anybody seen this or have any suggestions?

Virginia Shooter

 

[918v]

Those are pierced primers. They don’t look filled out because the pressure they contained vented out the pierced holes.

 

[memilanuk]

Those are pierced primers. They don’t look filled out because the pressure they contained vented out the pierced holes.

Are you thinking a damaged/torched tip on the firing pin, just piercing the cup right off the bat?

 

[vh20]

Definitely need to take a look at the bolt face, firing pin tip, and whatever may be floating around inside the bolt body.

 

[Virginia Shooter]

I checked the firing pin tip and it looks fine. I have several spare firing pins so I may change it out. I shot about 25 rounds today though with another box of primers and did not have any issues. FP indent looked normal and the primer did not show signs of pressure. I have a hard time believing the primers in the picture are defective but, I guess it's possible.

 

[Virginia Shooter]

A pic of a couple of the rounds I fired today.

 

[918v]

Are you thinking a damaged/torched tip on the firing pin, just piercing the cup right off the bat?

Over pressure. Check your freebore for a carbon ring. Or your load in general.

 

[Shifty6BR]

Any chance you can check those primers in another caliber/ rifle....perhaps another modest load for comparison

 

[Virginia Shooter]

I can try them in a 6XC I own. I just cleaned the 6BR barrel after my last match with BoreTech C4 and then Iosso bore paste. It had a small carbon ring as you would expect. Only About 25 rounds down the tube since. It has a .275 neck so it takes alot of carbon to cause pressure. I'll try those primers in my 6XC with a mild load and see what happens. Might go back to a known good load at 29.0 grains that runs about 2700fps.. I hate to slow down too much though. I shot a match recently with 3 targets at 1270 and flight time is 2 seconds. RO said he could have had a snack in between impacts.

 

[memilanuk]

Any chance you load pistol ammo, with similar looking primers?

I ask only because, once upon a time, I had some small pistol primers that got set aside when I unloaded the primer feed on the 550, and at some way later date, found their way into the queue when I was loading some 5.56 ammo. Looked kinda like what you have going on there. Never made *that* mistake again...

 

[Virginia Shooter]

So I have 5 bricks of 450 primers all purchased at different times. When I compared the primers I noticed that on four of the boxes, the primer propellant color was the same - gold color. On the box that has been giving me issues, the primer propellant is green. I'm guessing CCI color codes primers so they can be identified so I'll send a pic to them and see if they will help.
Thanks to everyone for your help.

 

[Doom]

My guess is you purchased a single/multiple 100 ct sleeves and someone swapped the 450's with probably a SPP to get a lower price. I'm betting that's a Win SPP. Wouldn't be the first time.

 

[Virginia Shooter]

My guess is you purchased a single/multiple 100 ct sleeves and someone swapped the 450's with probably a SPP to get a lower price. I'm betting that's a Win SPP. Wouldn't be the first time.

That very well could be. I have purchased some primers locally but, normally order online.

 

[Rocketmandb]

That very well could be. I have purchased some primers locally but, normally order online.

Try weighing them. I don't use 450s - I use BR4s - but there is a small weight difference between BR4s and the SPP I use.

 

[Doom]

That very well could be. I have purchased some primers locally but, normally order online.

I used to buy single sleeves and usually there wasn't anything to prevent opening the sleeve. During the 2013 (?) shortage I was in a "Retail Store" and noticed they had started taping the sleeve to deter opening and pilfering as they termed it.

 

[918v]

WSP uses a dark brown compound and brass color cups.

 

[918v]

I’m pretty sure the formula changed and maybe you should redo the load.

Are you chasing lands? Is the bore rough? Are you at max?

 

[Virginia Shooter]

So an update: SRP primers were packaged in a 450 box. It's possible they were switched but, all the sleaves in the brick were marked 450's and all of the primers had green propellant. The softer and thinner cup of a SRP makes it unsuitable for use in a bolt action load hence the pierced primers. I'll be checking the color of the propellant when I purchase 450's again.

 

[stello1001]

So an update: SRP primers were packaged in a 450 box. It's possible they were switched but, all the sleaves in the brick were marked 450's and all of the primers had green propellant. The softer and thinner cup of a SRP makes it unsuitable for use in a bolt action load hence the pierced primers. I'll be checking the color of the propellant when I purchase 450's again.

Maybe I'm not following correctly. But how is it that the "softer and thinner cup of a SRP makes it unsuitable for use in a bolt action load" when that's all we run in precision bolt rifles?

 

[918v]

Maybe I'm not following correctly. But how is it that the "softer and thinner cup of a SRP makes it unsuitable for use in a bolt action load" when that's all we run in precision bolt rifles?

This is Sniper’s Hide Reloading, where load data is just a suggestion. Can’t use standard primers when you’re running 75,000 PSI.

 

[Virginia Shooter]

My guess is you purchased a single/multiple 100 ct sleeves and someone swapped the 450's with probably a SPP to get a lower price. I'm betting that's a Win SPP. Wouldn't be the first time.

Thanks Doom. Your idea was what made me look closer at the primers.

 

[stello1001]

This is Sniper’s Hide Reloading, where load data is just a suggestion. Can’t use standard primers when you’re running 75,000 PSI.

450s are magnum

 

[Virginia Shooter]

To all: I meant to say small Pistol primers were packaged in a box marked 450's. My bad.

 

[Virginia Shooter]

Maybe I'm not following correctly. But how is it that the "softer and thinner cup of a SRP makes it unsuitable for use in a bolt action load" when that's all we run in precision bolt rifles?

As I just indicated, I meant to say SPP were packaged in a box marked 450 SRP.

 

[918v]

450s are magnum

He wasn’t talking about magnums

 

[918v]

As I just indicated, I meant to say SPP were packaged in a box marked 450 SRP.

Federal maybe? Cuz that’s the brand using green mix. Are they soft and squishy?

 

[Virginia Shooter]

Federal maybe? Cuz that’s the brand using green mix. Are they soft and squishy?

I guess that possible but, I thought CCI/Speer and Federal were two different companies. I guess Federal could have a contract with CCI where they make some primers for them.

 

[Virginia Shooter]

I'm hoping CCI will replace them since IMO, it is a packaging error.

 

[Rocketmandb]

I'm hoping CCI will replace them since IMO, it is a packaging error.

I doubt that, actually. I think the earlier post is correct in its assumption that someone swapped them out, which is just a completely shitty thing for someone to do.

How did you validate that they are SPP?

 

[Virginia Shooter]

I doubt that, actually. I think the earlier post is correct in its assumption that someone swapped them out, which is just a completely shitty thing for someone to do.

How did you validate that they are SPP?

I have called and left a message for CCI customer support to call me so I can get them to tell me. But, I have a friend who shoots alot of pistol matches and uses CCI primers. He said that based on the color of the propellant, they are 550 magnum pistol primers. I may try them in my glock to see if they have issues in a handgun round. I have 5 bricks of 450's on hand. I just pulled two primers from each brick and they all have yellow propellant. I shot some practice rounds today from one of the boxes and they all shot well with low SD and .2-.3 grouping at 100 yards. I've been shooting 29.5 grains of N140 through 2 previous barrels and it always shoots well.