Case stuck in chamber, primer leaked at edge

[Gabe22BR]

I’d be scrapping the brass…

 

[bobcat93]

Maybe tumbling media.
Are you tumbling, some time media can stick under the case shoulder and it's impossible to see
It will case a pressure spike if a big glob is stuck in the case..just a thought..ive had it happen then got in the habit of just blowing out bottle neck cases with compressor and blow gun..

 

[jelenko]

The cases were all wet tumbled.

And you’re sure it’s the primer…???

I’ve failed to see where a single piece of other manufacture brass was tested with the primers…. as the primer pocket could be junk.

“I sent the brass out to get processed ” -

-did they swag they over swag the pocket ? Your photo looks like it,,

Lots of simple reasons & questions come to mind…

Good question. But, at this point, I've gone through almost 2,000 [the most recent1500 with no leaking primers] of the Win 41 primers with just three leaking at the edge. So, I'd need to test a LOT of cases in another lot of brass.
All of this brass was processed by someone else - this is the third firing.
That said, it has crossed my mind this most recent processor might have done something to the primer pockets. They've processed three different lots of 1500 pcs each. Each lot had something odd and/or not right. I assume they ran the cases through a swager simply as part of the standard processing.

 

[Gabe22BR]

The cases were all wet tumbled.

Good question. But, at this point, I've gone through almost 2,000 [the most recent1500 with no leaking primers] of the Win 41 primers with just three leaking at the edge. So, I'd need to test a LOT of cases in another lot of brass.
All of this brass was processed by someone else - this is the third firing.
That said, it has crossed my mind this most recent processor might have done something to the primer pockets. They've processed three different lots of 1500 pcs each. Each lot had something odd and/or not right. I assume they ran the cases through a swager simply as part of the standard processing.

Yeah like over swaged them pockets !!!
I’d try some different name brand brass.. before ruling on primer being bad… I’m using some WSR from 1977.. they not bad.. neither are my 1968 CCI 400…
…Just say’n…

 

[searcher]

“Should be” has no place in reloading……….or brain surgery………..

Given there no absolute certainties of how a particular bullet, powder or primer will work as planned - I'd be contrary to that statement. Ha!

 

[243winxb]

just three leaking at the edge

Out of 1500. Not to bad.

Is bolt face pock marked? Like my old M16?

 

[jelenko]

Out of 1500. Not to bad.

Is bolt face pock marked? Like my old M16?

Exactly. Only just three pockmarks.
And, now, another 500 rounds.
At this point, I'm betting that there was an issue with the brass not the primers. If it were the primers, I'd expect a lot more to have leaked. Does that sound right?

 

[searcher]

Exactly. Only just three pockmarks.
And, now, another 500 rounds.
At this point, I'm betting that there was an issue with the brass not the primers. If it were the primers, I'd expect a lot more to have leaked. Does that sound right?

I would think that to be the case. Sometimes, it cannot be pinpointed to bad primers or bad brass exclusively - but rather how all the components work together. To get only three pockmarks after that number of rounds, while firing rather warm loads, it could have been just a case of a few rounds getting 2/10th' more powder from the hopper, combined with a case or two that had different capacity, etc. Easiest thing to do is just back off a bit to prevent the weaker links from showing themselves. Getting a case stuck in the chamber is highly unlikely due to any problem associated with a primer. Pressure signs would have been showing already, I'm sure.

 

[jelenko]

Getting a case stuck in the chamber

Ah. I found the cause of the stuck case!
Turns out the chamber in that barrel is somewhat narrower than my other barrels. For example, a fired case will not drop into the barrel it was stuck in but easily drops into my other barrels.
After the initial case stuck/primer leaking, I had another 10 cases simply get stuck in the chamber but no leaking primer. Changing uppers/barrels, no more stuck cases. The load is really not hot - 2860 fps out of a 24" barrel with Hornady's 68 grain hpbt.

 

[searcher]

Ah. I found the cause of the stuck case!
Turns out the chamber in that barrel is somewhat narrower than my other barrels. For example, a fired case will not drop into the barrel it was stuck in but easily drops into my other barrels.
After the initial case stuck/primer leaking, I had another 10 cases simply get stuck in the chamber but no leaking primer. Changing uppers/barrels, no more stuck cases. The load is really not hot - 2860 fps out of a 24" barrel with Hornady's 68 grain hpbt.

That barrel might be a good case for a small base sizing die?

 

[jelenko]

That barrel might be a good case for a small base sizing die?

Yeah
I'm thinking it may be the way a processor sized the cases. I've had many issues with them
I'm using another processor - hoping the cases are sized better

 

[jelenko]

Update.
Now just over 5000 rounds using the Win 41's.
Total of 6 [maybe 7] primers leaked at the edge of the pocket. At least once it happened with the brass processed by the new processor. He is meticulous - I'm sure he's not doing anything to the pockets.

The brass has all been fired 2 or 3 times; the 'lot' is 6000 of Wolf [bought as new primed brass] => went through > 12,000 with CCI 450's and no leaking.

While the failure rate isn't high, I'm back to thinking it's the Win 41's. However, with the low failure rate, I'm simply using the same bolt [ar15] and plan to replace it when all the 41's are used up.

 

[Cfshooter]

Update.
Now just over 5000 rounds using the Win 41's.
Total of 6 [maybe 7] primers leaked at the edge of the pocket. At least once it happened with the brass processed by the new processor. He is meticulous - I'm sure he's not doing anything to the pockets.

The brass has all been fired 2 or 3 times; the 'lot' is 6000 of Wolf [bought as new primed brass] => went through > 12,000 with CCI 450's and no leaking.

While the failure rate isn't high, I'm back to thinking it's the Win 41's. However, with the low failure rate, I'm simply using the same bolt [ar15] and plan to replace it when all the 41's are used up.

I have had the same issue with Win primers, and many others have too. I now stay away from all Win primers.

 

[jelenko]

I have had the same issue with Win primers, and many others have too. I now stay away from all Win primers.

Yep. It does seem odd that there's only 5-6 failures per 5000.

 

[Cfshooter]

Yep. It does seem odd that there's only 5-6 failures per 5000.

That’s not too bad. I would get 4-5 per 50 it seemed.

 

[Webster]

I think this is the result of too much pressure, but wanted to confirm.
This is with an AR15. Load is 26.0 BLC2, S69's loaded to 2.290, Win 41 primer. Muzzle velocity is just over 2900.
Round fired, bolt carrier locked back - case stuck in chamber - but primer doesn't look particularly flat. Lots of smoke came out of the upper after the round was fired. There is some rim missing where the extractor ripped it off.
There is a ~ 25 thousandth hole at the edge of the primer.

To get the stuck case case out, I had to lightly tap a cleaning rod that was inserted through the muzzle. The case did not come out when I first tried hitting the cleaning rod with my palm.

Using a mic, this case head appears to be 7-9 10 thousandths larger than other cases fired in the same chamber.

At first I was focused on the hole at the edge of the primer thinking it's the 'known' issue with Winchester primers. But, the case being stuck seems to say it must have been high pressure, yes?

You already know the load is near max published charge. Did you shoot other ammo with the same powder charge without problems? Simple answer is to back off just to play it safe. Are lighter loads accurate enough for your comp matches?

 

[jelenko]

It's been awhile since the first post - not remembering what came afterwards.
I can say that I went through 4,000 rounds with H68's at 25gr of Shooters World Match and continued to have occasional primer leaks. So far, with just over 5000 of the Win 41's, there have been 6-7 primers leak.
GRT says that load would be about 47K psi => indicates it's the primer.

 

[Bill K]

Out of all the round you have shot, and only 6-7 primer pockets/primer leaks have shown up. I would say it is more likely those 6-7 cartridges had a primer pocket issue and not the primer causing it.
Just a fact that a few cartridge and the brass had a defect and it showed in this manner.

 

[jelenko]

Out of all the round you have shot, and only 6-7 primer pockets/primer leaks have shown up. I would say it is more likely those 6-7 cartridges had a primer pocket issue and not the primer causing it.
Just a fact that a few cartridge and the brass had a defect and it showed in this manner.

Ok. I've got a bunch of new Starline brass. I'll use the next 2000 Win 41's on them. We'll see.

ETA. Just remembered that I've been using CCI 450's along with the Win 41's. I now realize I've been assuming it's the Win 41's that are leaking. I'll start checking which primer it is.

 

[Jeff Porter]

So how much Jam do you have with a SMK 69 at 2.290”? I ran those back about 0.050” shorter in a Wylde chamber