Loose primers

[Papa Charlie]

I probably already know the answer to this but thought I would ask anyway.

I spent the last three days prepping two sets of 100 Lapua LP .308 cases. One set had been fired 9 times and the other 5 times.

When I seated the primers in the set with 9 firings, they seated evenly and with normal force. In fact they same force that a third set with 25 firings has.

But when I seated the primers int he set with 5 firings, the primers slid in with little to no resistance. In fact at at least 8 cases I could tap against the bench and the primers would start to slide out. I could reseat them with little force from my finger.

So the question is, would you still shoot any of these cases, especially in competition or would you scrap them?

I must say after the last two sets of Lapua, I am more than a little disappointed. I shoot Varget 42.7gn and Berger 185 Jugs. I have never seen signs of over pressure and I have the two sets, loaded the same that are up to 9 & 25 firings.

Thanks for you input.

 

[watercam]

Personally I would not shoot them. Gas leakage and cutting onto my bolt face is a probability. I know one engineer/gunsmith who made a machine to compress the heads of rifle cases to size loose primer pockets but I believe he only used it once and never again so take what you will from that.

 

[Walt Krafft]

If I can push them out by hand, I pitch the case. I made this tool to check any that seem loose when I hand prime a case.

 

[Rdlningcltchdmpr]

Toss them.

 

[Papa Charlie]

Thanks guys, you are confirming what I already knew. Just hate to throw away brass. Especially when I have only gotten 5 firings out if them when I have others with far more doing just fine.
Thanks again.

 

[Nature Boy]

Thanks guys, you are confirming what I already knew. Just hate to throw away brass. Especially when I have only gotten 5 firings out if them when I have others with far more doing just fine.
Thanks again.

switch to .308 Palma brass. Pockets will last longer. I’ve been purging all of my .308 LRP brass. Like you, when loading them on the hot side (F Class loads) I was only getting 4-5 loads before they started getting loose.

 

[Papa Charlie]

switch to .308 Palma brass. Pockets will last longer. I’ve been purging all of my .308 LRP brass. Like you, when loading them on the hot side (F Class loads) I was only getting 4-5 loads before they started getting loose.

This is the only set that I have had this issue with. I have two other sets, one with 9 firings and the other with 25 firings using the exact same load with no issues. I think this was a bad batch from Lapua.

 

[moondog]

Had the same issue with Lapua 260 brass years ago. Bad batch o brass.

 

[Nature Boy]

This is the only set that I have had this issue with. I have two other sets, one with 9 firings and the other with 25 firings using the exact same load with no issues. I think this was a bad batch from Lapua.

Could be.

I saw some variation in my brass but I had also used it for load development so it all saw a spectrum of charges from mild to hot. I’ve read that hammering new brass with a hot load reduces it’s life expectancy.

This is all speculation on my part but it is well understood however that SRP brass lasts longer than LRP brass when loading it on the upper end.

 

[wedgy]

The ball bearing method works, you can get a couple more firings out of them. Opinions vary greatly so read and decide if it's right for your purposes.
ADG brass has been getting great reviews from everyone I know who has tried it.
https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/tighten-primer-pockets-heres-how.152361/
https://atlasdg.com/product/308-win-2/

 

[D-4297]

Had the same issue with Lapua LRP brass . Was loading 43.3gr of Varget behind a 185 Hybrid and primer pockets were going south on the 5th or 6th firing . Also switched to Lapua SRP brass . End of problem . SRP Brass also allows you to use a "hotter" primer , while reducing the charge weight .

 

[Ned Ludd]

They're done...toss 'em. That load seems pretty mild to be trashing primer pockets (i.e. 42.7 gr Varget/185 Jugs). What kind of velocity were you getting? Before I switched over all my .308s to Lapua Palma brass, I had a load with Juggernauts over 43.4 gr Varget that was exceptionally precise. I was getting ~2725 fps out of a 30" barrel chambered with a fairly short freebore (0.085"), with a longer than average Lot# of 185s and LRP Lapua brass. As I recall, predicted pressure was in the 60-61K psi range (Quickload), and the primer pockets only lasted ~5 firings.

With fairly similar loads in a couple different rifles, my [anecdotal] observation was that loads predicted (QL) to be in the 57K to low 59K psi range were fine and brass life with the LRP Lapua brass was good (at least 8-10 firings). If the predicted pressure went up to the 60-61K (or higher) range, the primer pockets didn't last so long. Due to the short freebore I was using at the time (0.085"), the Juggernauts were seated fairly deep in the case and even small Lot-to-Lot length variance could make a noticeable difference in pressure. So even though SAAMI maximum average pressure for .308 is listed at 62K psi, QL-predicted pressures in the 60-61K psi range would kill the primer pockets pretty quickly. That could be an issue with the QL pressure predictions, the ability of the brass to handle pressure just under max, or both. That was a big part of the reason I switched to Lapua Palma brass (SRP), whose primer pockets laugh out loud at pressures of only 62K psi.

 

[Falfan2017]

You can see cutting in your bolt with pockets like that. Also I had one primer fall out in the gun during a match and a piece of powder interfered with the trigger almost causing a dq

 

[Nature Boy]

I had a load with Juggernauts over 43.4 gr Varget that was exceptionally precise. I was getting ~2725 fps out of a 30" barrel chambered with a fairly short freebore (0.085"), with a longer than average Lot# of 185s and LRP Lapua brass. As I recall, predicted pressure was in the 60-61K psi range (Quickload), and the primer pockets only lasted ~5 firings.

You and I are running almost identical loads and speeds and seeing the same results, ~5 firings and done with LRP Lapua brass.

 

[bobm]

Not all primer brands are the same diameter. I use Rem 9 1/2 and CCI 200 mostly. When Rems feel too easy to seat I switch over to CCI and get extended case life. On average CCI's are .0007-8 larger than Rem.

Not precision BR shooting, just recreational stuff.

 

[Rdlningcltchdmpr]

Thanks guys, you are confirming what I already knew. Just hate to throw away brass. Especially when I have only gotten 5 firings out if them when I have others with far more doing just fine.
Thanks again.

List them for sale !

 

[Rdlningcltchdmpr]

List them for sale !

Just kidding.

 

[LA50SHOOTER]

I would contact Lapua and let them know what you are encountering with the specific details of your load and also the comparison you’ve made in batches. And include the Lot numbers of the brass in both the failing and non failing batches. If nothing else it may help for the future.

- Ron -

 

[46and2]

The ball bearing method works, you can get a couple more firings out of them. Opinions vary greatly so read and decide if it's right for your purposes.
ADG brass has been getting great reviews from everyone I know who has tried it.
https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/tighten-primer-pockets-heres-how.152361/
https://atlasdg.com/product/308-win-2/

This method is worth a try, nothing to lose.
I started that thread and I still use this method to this day.

 

[46and2]

Some of my brass costs more than $2.25 a piece, others (and wildcats) have had hours of prep to become the best I could make them. It hurts to throw it out!