How many relaods with 223 brass?

[jlow]

If you find that it is OK, that's really your choice. My experience is they flatten with even a very weak load. Rem 7 1/2 has a much thicker cup. Have not used No.41.

 

[fatelvis]

The number of firings you get will be directly related to the pressure of your loads, which we have no way of knowing without a little more information. In the .223 Rem, shooting heavies (i.e. 80 gr or more) in medium to hot loads can wreck primer pockets pretty quickly (i.e. 1 to 2 firings). Don't guess, get yourself one of these:

Ballistic Tools "Swage Gage" Small Primer Pocket Gauge
//www.brownells.com/reloading/measuring-tools/case-gauges-headspace-tools/small-primer-pocket-swage-gauge-sku100015613-71030-150244.aspx?cm_mmc=cse-_-Itwine-_-shopzilla-_-100-015-613&utm_medium=cse&utm_source=connexity&utm_campaign=itwine&utm_content=100-015-613

Use it to check your primer pockets after cleaning/annealing. If the pin gauge goes in, the case is done, and you don't waste any more time with it. You won't regret having this tool in your kit.

Thanks for this handy gauge. For $12 I’ll be getting one.

 

[chkunz]

If you find that it is OK, that's really your choice. My experience is they flatten with even a very weak load. Rem 7 1/2 has a much thicker cup. Have not used No.41.

jlow, I have done some more research on this subject and talked with someone that I know that has considerable experience on this subject (M14 and AR applications) and has technical and work experience that I trust.

I have concluded that the right answer in the back of the book for the choice of primer in the AR is the CCI #41 or the Remington 7 1/2. There are probably other good choices but primers with a soft cup are not a good choice. The risk may be low with the CCI 400 but there is no need to accept that risk.

Most of my competitive shooting experience has been with the M14 and we discovered the slam fire hazard risks with that configuration and how to reduce that risk many years ago. I am new to the AR and had not given the slam fire risk much consideration. I am changing to the CCI #41 for the AR.

Thanks for alerting me to this risk.

 

[jlow]

jlow, I have done some more research on this subject and talked with someone that I know that has considerable experience on this subject (M14 and AR applications) and has technical and work experience that I trust.

I have concluded that the right answer in the back of the book for the choice of primer in the AR is the CCI #41 or the Remington 7 1/2. There are probably other good choices but primers with a soft cup are not a good choice. The risk may be low with the CCI 400 but there is no need to accept that risk.

Most of my competitive shooting experience has been with the M14 and we discovered the slam fire hazard risks with that configuration and how to reduce that risk many years ago. I am new to the AR and had not given the slam fire risk much consideration. I am changing to the CCI #41 for the AR.

Thanks for alerting me to this risk.

No sweat bud. I went through the same thing myself many years ago and so always want to help people who might be in the same shoe.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Ive never had a slam fire on an m1a or an AR but im always careful. I put a buuunch of rounds thru m1a rifles every year- im addicted

 

[searcher]

Since you are familiar with the slam-fire potential on a M-14 (especially when single-loading rounds on top of an inserted magazine), the AR-15 faces the same hazard due to the floating firing pin. You probably got around the risk by deploying a "sled" or other similar device to slow the bolt down when closing on a round not fed through the magazine. Anyway - same deal and same risk, thus the reasoning for the desire of the thicker primers. The 400 primers are not "bad" primers, quite the contrary - they just aren't the best choice for use in A/R's. Back in my "early years" in learning reloading, I used 400 primers almost exclusively and ruined the face of more than one bolt in the process - just getting loads that were anywhere close to the loading manual velocities. Nowadays, I use them infrequently - and never in an A/R. At certain (lower) velocities - they are just fine - but there is always that extra chance of a rare slam fire. Some cartridges (like a .17 Hornet) do far better with a thin-cupped primer and prefer it.

 

[chkunz]

Ive never had a slam fire on an m1a or an AR but im always careful. I put a buuunch of rounds thru m1a rifles every year- im addicted

Dusty, I am new to the AR but have been shooting the M14 since they dug the river. I have a wheel barrow full of shot out M14 barrels.

There was a time when folks were shooting the M14 as the service rifle (1990s) when some folks decided at 600 yards slow fire to break the magazine and load the round directly into the chamber and then release the bolt. The thinking was that when you let the bolt chamber the round from the magazine that it bangs the round around a bit. And it does, dings the tip of the bullet and increases run out, etc. However this practice led to slam fires. There were damaged rifles and trips to the emergency room.

Analysis of the slam fires indicated that usually there were two or three factors involved (high primers, dirty chambers, our of spec firing pins, etc.). One common factor was soft primers such as the Federal 210M, a very accurate primer but probably not worth the risk for this application.

So folks changed primers and changed loading procedures and no more slam fires.

When I started shooting the AR a few years ago this was in the back of my mind but since slam fires with the AR seem to be rare I did not give it much thought until folks on this thread pointed out that CCI 400 might not be a good choice for this application. I have done my research and will adjust accordingly. I post this here to share information with others. Slam fires are no fun.

 

[chkunz]

Since you are familiar with the slam-fire potential on a M-14 (especially when single-loading rounds on top of an inserted magazine), the AR-15 faces the same hazard due to the floating firing pin. You probably got around the risk by deploying a "sled" or other similar device to slow the bolt down when closing on a round not fed through the magazine. Anyway - same deal and same risk, thus the reasoning for the desire of the thicker primers. The 400 primers are not "bad" primers, quite the contrary - they just aren't the best choice for use in A/R's. Back in my "early years" in learning reloading, I used 400 primers almost exclusively and ruined the face of more than one bolt in the process - just getting loads that were anywhere close to the loading manual velocities. Nowadays, I use them infrequently - and never in an A/R. At certain (lower) velocities - they are just fine - but there is always that extra chance of a rare slam fire. Some cartridges (like a .17 Hornet) do far better with a thin-cupped primer and prefer it.

Agree and see my reply to Dusty. Although, as explained to me, the M14 and AR both have floating firing pins but the AR design is somewhat more forgiving to slam fires. Even so, there is no reason not to lower the risk with the appropriate primer.