Random ejector marks

[quietmike]

Confused and looking for advice.

Loaded some very mild rounds for my 30-06. 55 grains of RL22 with CCI 250s. All loaded same day, same can of powder, same box of bullets and primers. All shot same day within minutes of each other with no wild temperature changes, in Rem 700 with factory action, bolt, and barrel.

Each charge was run two tenths under in a chargemaster and trickled up to final weight.
Seated in Redding competition seating die and each measured base to ogive to within. 001.
Seated length is. 010 off the lands.

Of 50 fired, six had ejector marks but showed no other pressure signs. If the picture shows it, by the "L" on the left case.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Lapua is supposed to be thicker than other brass, so any pressure signs should be a flattened primer first?

What's going on here?

 

[Silverjay]

Have a similar in a 6.5 creedmoor at moderate pressures. No pressure signs other than occasional ejector mark. I have been told "Remington's do that". Primers can be misleading, different manufacturers have different behaviors at varying pressures. Is the boot lift sticky?

 

[quietmike]

No sticky bolt. Consistent speeds across the chrono.
Only thing I can think of is it being new brass not yet fireformed and maybe some excessive headspace.

 

[FishDr]

That is interesting. I have a rifle that gives very mild cratering even with mild loads. It is a Remington 700, and many behave that way. I was also getting an ejector swipe on most of the rounds. Confused me for a long while. I didn't get a round ejector "stamp", just a swipe. After scratching my head for a long time, I noticed this swipe was clockwise ..... on a right handed bolt. That told me it occurred when locking the bolt, not unlocking. Removed the ejector, polished the head and deburred. Case solved. Still gives the mild cratering on the primers..... Can be frustrating trying to figure out some of these things!

 

[BRU15]

Ejector swipes by themselves do not indicate over pressure. The common pressure signs that people preach are just suggestions and possible things to look for and by themselves don't necessarily mean anything. When you start getting multiple pressure signs then you're probably getting close to a maximum load but having just one on 6 out 50 case doesn't mean much.

I wouldnt worry about it!

 

[FLIGHT762]

What bullet & weight?

 

[quietmike]

What bullet & weight?

208 eld