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Old 09-01-2017, 11:36 AM
OLDNAVYMCPO OLDNAVYMCPO is offline
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Let me preface this by saying that I have been a reloader for 57 years but am new to loading for an AR.

The other day, I was at the range firing my PSA AR trying to sight in a new red dot. I was shooting my own reloads. My gun is very reliable but suffered a failure to fire. I ejected the round and it had a very light mark on the primer, off center. I wasn't even sure it was a firing pin strike. I dropped the magazine and found a spent primer jammed between the feed lip and the top round, holding it out of place.

I recovered all my spent cases. I discovered the case without a primer and an additional case with a backed out primer.

I'm sure expanded primer pockets are at fault but these cases have only been reloaded three times at most.

This has happened in only these two cases in over 400 rounds of reloads.

What am I doing wrong and how can I correct it.

Below are photos of the cases.
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Old 09-01-2017, 12:28 PM
rockquarry rockquarry is online now
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ARs often leave a visible ejector mark on brass, even with safe loads, but it appears pronounced in your photos; potentially a sign of high / dangerous pressure. Also, there is what appears to be the beginning of case head separation (bright ring just forward of extractor groove). This is usually caused by a headspace problem rather than high pressure.

Enlarged primer pockets are often the result of loads that exceed safe limits. Regardless, that brass should be discarded. Do you know the history of the brass and does it all have the same headstamp? What is the data for your load?
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Old 09-01-2017, 12:46 PM
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Headstamps are not all the same. Started loading with misc range brass. My load is 55gr FMJ X-treme bullets over 25 gr H4895. Each charge is individually weighed.

I went back and examined the other cases and none exhibited the pronounced ejector marks or the ring. Seems just those two cases. Could have been fired in a different firearm prior to me reloading them. I had never noticed that until I looked at the photos again. You are correct though, it looks like high pressure.

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Old 09-01-2017, 01:04 PM
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Years ago I reloaded some 77 grain match loads in some mixed GI brass, "once fired" according to the source. After a few case head separations, the remainder went into the brass scrap. If you are reloading with a Lee primer tool, you can usually feel the cases with loose primer pockets and discard them. If you want to use brass that has been fired, you can check for incipient head separation with a bent paper clip inserted into the case and dragged out toward the mouth, feel it, toss it. My suggestion would be to fire fresh ammo, collect the cases and reload them. I would not reload them more than once. Naturally case length is important in rifle brass.
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Old 09-01-2017, 01:05 PM
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Back when I shot Highpower I used LC cases almost exclusively with CCI primers. I learned I could get 6-7 reloads before the necks would split. Never had a case head speperate. One thing I was warned not to do was use Federal cases with Federal Match primers. I did once and found 1 out of 4 primers would come out of the primer pocket and fall down into the trigger group. I suppose under size primer cups coupled with over size primer pockets. I would toss the range brass.

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Old 09-01-2017, 01:23 PM
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Your load may be safe, but I would check several sources to make sure.

The bright ring is not caused by high pressure but excessive headspace. If most or all of the cases show this ring after firing and they did not before firing, you have a headspace problem. The brass may have been sized too much for a chamber that is within spec but slightly oversize; regardless, these cases will separate on the next firing.

Unless you have faulty brass, enlarged primer pockets are usually caused by high pressure from unsafe loads. Others will disagree, but range pickup brass is not the best or safest stuff to use.
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Old 09-01-2017, 01:30 PM
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The brass looks like high pressure, possibly even combined with reloader induced excessive headspace.

I've stopped reloading range brass because I was getting split necks and incipient case separation on brass that should not have done either. I figure my firearms are too valuable to risk damage in an attempt to save a few pennies.
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Old 09-01-2017, 03:05 PM
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Since none of your other brass have given you problems such as this, I would say you picked up a couple of brass cases that were overpressured so much they expanded the primer pockets and left the prominent extractor marks and also caused the incipient separation rings on those 2 cases. In other words, not the fault of your rifle, but rather the fault of someone else loading hot rounds and leaving the brass on the ground.

Unlike the above folks, I will still pick of 223 range brass and reload it, but I segregate it and check it thoroughly before reloading it. And I generally won't pick up or keep range brass with unknown headstamps either.
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Old 09-01-2017, 03:24 PM
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Frankly, I haven't experienced your problem. I load 25.3 grains of H335 pushing a 55 grain fmj Xtreme lit up with a Winchester small rifle primer.
I have an original S&W MP15 Sport (no forward assist or dust cover) which functions perfectly with the fore mentioned load. I might also mention that all brass, after resizing, is gauged and trimmed if necessary.
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Old 09-01-2017, 05:48 PM
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You are running near max loads. Is the OAL allowing the bullet to somehow wedge into the rifling? Are your cases too long, pushing the case mouth into the chamber? It isn't likely OAL is an issue, but expanded primer pockets are a sure sign of over pressure. If you are positive of the charge wt & powder, not sure what would be blowing primers but those two things. Mag primers do increase pressures, not an issue unless riding the ragged edge.
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Old 09-01-2017, 06:08 PM
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@OP,

I have been reloading for the AR for about 20 years, and have yet to experience the problem you are having. I am now loading heavy 223s for thousand yard matches.

Have you had this brass since it was first fired, or did you acquire it as once fired? I can't see the headstamp, but if it was acquired as once fired military, I would suspect that it was fired in something full auto with an oversized chamber.
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Old 09-01-2017, 08:02 PM
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OLDNAVYMCPO, one other thing to watch out for if you run into this problem again in the future is that with a DI AR like yours, if you have a primer back out when firing, it can also go into the gas key and hang in it. I had that happen with a primer on some reloads I had made. One case had a defective primer pocket and lost the primer inside and it went inside the gas key and gave me extremely erratic feeding and extraction. It would let enough gas through to function the bolt most of the time, but would get failures to feed and/or extract a case about once or twice a 30 round mag. I was able to get it out with a small drill bit by carefully running it into the gas key and turning it slowly until I felt it bite into the primer, then pulled it out on the end of the bit. I now inspect my 223 brass more carefully before reloading it.

I know this post doesn't directly answer your question, but it is something you might run into at some time when shooting your AR. I guess that is why the military crimps or stakes their primers.
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Old 09-01-2017, 08:23 PM
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OK, I've seen the very occasional primer ejection with arsenal loaded US ammo. I agree you might have picked up a couple overused empties. That said:

1. Do you have a case gauge? If not, get one and verify the headspace adjustment of your dies. DO NOT accept the idea that if you set factory dies per factory instructions, you'll have proper headspace on your loaded rounds. Do watch overall length, I generally load to 2.240-2.250 for ball equivilent.

2. Are you trimming brass? If not, better start. It affects #3.

3. Are you crimping your bullets? If not START NOW! The AR system is hard on ammo in the loading cycle. The carbine length gas system is downright violent. Bullet setback during the feed cycle raises pressures much faster & higher than bullets in the rifling per independent testing.

4. Powder choice & charge weight. As noted by other above, you're at max, leaving no room for variables. Change powder to something more appropriate for the case and back off a grain or so. Somewhere around 2900 f/s is good for 55 gr bullets in a 16" barrel. Around 21-22 grains of either 4198 will do that and save you money in the long run.

I know a couple guys who load certain powders in .223 because they only want to stock one rifle powder. They end up with loads that certainly aren't optimal for the platform/caliber. Depending upon what bullet I'm loading I may use one of 4 powders.

5. Being over enthusiastic in primer pocket crimp removal can result in loose primer pockets. When I pick up any used 5.56 mm empties, if they aren't bright brass cases with the primers still crimped in, they go in the range trash barrel.

Slight detour- I've never tried the bullets you're using. I stick with standard jacketed bullets in large part because of the violence of the feed cycle of the AR/carbine system [it's been demonstrated to occasionally destroy frangible-compressed & bonded copper powder- bullets, leading to the development of that type of core being inserted in a normal jacket for similar results on steel targets without the problems]. I have no clue if that might affect anything, but I'm not willing to experiment with my own gear.

Sorry if I'm beating basics to death, but loading for semis isn't the same thing as loading for your bolt guns.

Last edited by WR Moore; 09-01-2017 at 08:37 PM.
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Old 09-01-2017, 09:33 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WR Moore View Post
3. Are you crimping your bullets? If not START NOW! The AR system is hard on ammo in the loading cycle. The carbine length gas system is downright violent. Bullet setback during the feed cycle raises pressures much faster & higher than bullets in the rifling per independent testing.
Normally I don't disagree with WR Moore because of his experience, but I have to disagree with his insistence on crimping bullets. I come from a high power competition background. You will be hard pressed to find a competitor that crimps. They get around that by using full cases of powder, like 55gr of H4895 behind a 55gr bullet, and by reducing the expanding ball a thousand or two from stock. Admittedly, the rifle length gas system is much more gentle than the carbine, but many of the competitors also have carbines for other purposes. They don't usually crimp that ammo either.

As far as the charge of powder that the OP is using being max, we need to remember that the printed data is mostly for .223. A similar charge fired in the NATO or .223 Wylde chambers will have lower pressure. I firmly believe in following book data and not exceeding it and don't recommend anyone else doing so either.
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Old 09-01-2017, 11:45 PM
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Federal .223 cases have the softest brass and a thin flash hole web.

Lake City 5.56 have harder brass in the base and a thicker flash hole web. Meaning longer lasting brass and thighter primer pockets.





When you have brass flow into the ejector it means you are over pressure for that brand of brass.

I buy bulk once fired Lake City 5.56 cases and to keep things simple thats all I shoot from my AR15 rifles.

The problem you are having was well documented at ar15

Below a 2 inch rod was used to measure the thickness of the flash hole web. And the cases with thinner flash hole webs were rejected for reloading. I have new factory loaded once fired Federal cases with over sized primer pockets.



When seating primers any primer pocket that is not tight I use a Lee primer remover tool. If I can move the primer with just finger pressure the case goes into the scrap brass bucket.



How Hard is Your Brass? 5.56 and .223 Rem Base Hardness Tests << Daily Bulletin

Bottom line, I only use Lake City cases or commercial 5.56 cases made for the military made to military standards.

The photo below was from AR15.com and the poster said he didn't worry about loose primer pockets and would replace the bolt when it got bad enough. (not very smart)



The only range pickup brass I use are once fired Lake City case that still have a crimped primer.

.223/5.56 - Cleaned, Deprimed & Swaged - LC Only - 500 Pieces $54.00 free shipping.
.223/5.56 Cleaned, Deprimed & Swaged Lake City Brass 500 Pieces

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Old 09-02-2017, 11:37 AM
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When I first started loading for my AR I had the same problem. I was loading them too hot. What powder and charge are you loading and what bullet? OAL?
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Old 09-02-2017, 12:40 PM
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Quote:
WR Moore wrote:
Somewhere around 2900 f/s is good for 55 gr bullets in a 16" barrel. Around 21-22 grains of either 4198 will do that and save you money in the long run.
Please note that according to Hodgdon's website (Take Aim at Rifle Reloading Data | Hodgdon Reloading) the maximum loading for IMR-4198 with a 55 grain bullet is 20.4 grains and for H4198 it is 21.0 grains.

Lyman #49 and Hornady #8 provide similar maximums.

The recommended charges are in excess of the powder manufacturer's published maximums.

When developing a load, it is proper reloading procedure to begin with the Starting Load (in the case of 55 grain bullets, Hodgdon shows 18.0 and 19.0 grains for IMR-4198 and H4198, respectively) and then increased in increments of a fraction of a gram until either 1) pressure signs are apparent, or 2) maximum load is reached.
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Old 09-02-2017, 12:47 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bigedp51 View Post
When seating primers any primer pocket that is not tight I use a Lee primer remover tool. If I can move the primer with just finger pressure the case goes into the scrap brass bucket.


This is a very good technique and worthy of immitation.

Thank you.
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Old 09-02-2017, 01:10 PM
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Bullet setback in a rifle does not raise pressures. You reduce the jump, in essence a very long throat. Its not at all like setback in pistol rds. Powders are far slower & the jump to rifling increase reduces pressures.
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Old 09-02-2017, 02:02 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MichiganScott View Post
Normally I don't disagree with WR Moore because of his experience, but I have to disagree with his insistence on crimping bullets. I come from a high power competition background. You will be hard pressed to find a competitor that crimps. They get around that by using full cases of powder, like 55gr of H4895 behind a 55gr bullet, and by reducing the expanding ball a thousand or two from stock. Admittedly, the rifle length gas system is much more gentle than the carbine, but many of the competitors also have carbines for other purposes. They don't usually crimp that ammo either.
Some years back the bench rest crowd discovered that crimping bullets resulted in a more uniform neck tension (even with all the stuff they do to cases) and powder burn leading to increased accuracy. You'll note that bench rest bullets notoriously lack crimping cannelures. If those nit-picking folks find no issues with crimping, I see no reason why the rest of us should shy away from it.

Back in 1999 I bought a .222 bolt gun and after fitting a .223 match barrel decided to pull the bullets of the remaining famous factory .222 ammo to use in the .223. I was shocked to discover that the non-cannelured bullets were crimped so deeply, you could see a wasp waist in the bullets with your bare eye. They still shot one ragged hole regardless of what rifle I shot them out of.

So far as I can tell, the LC M118LR ammo I have is crimped. I see no reason to avoid the practice despite what certain competitors may do.

Quote:
As far as the charge of powder that the OP is using being max, we need to remember that the printed data is mostly for .223. A similar charge fired in the NATO or .223 Wylde chambers will have lower pressure. I firmly believe in following book data and not exceeding it and don't recommend anyone else doing so either.
True to a point, and also with reference to a later post about currently listed charge weights......the published data is what produced maximum pressures in the test firearms/test barrels & universal receivers and were valid IN THE TESTED EQUIPMENT. If you check several load data sources you may find differing maximums. I had a lengthy discussion about this several years back with a Sierra tech and someone from Alliant*. To simplify the response: "If you don't see the velocity, you're not seeing the pressure". One can relatively accurately gauge pressure using new cases and an accurate micrometer to measure case webbing before and after firing. The range of charges I noted are not over maximum (or even real close with IMR 4198) in my equipment-or in 4 different published data sources I have. You'll also note my use of the term "around", meaning approximately or on the order of the weights noted.

All that said, riding the maximum pressure limits isn't wise, it leaves little room for variables and/or
error. If you exceed published data, you own all responsibility for the results.

*What prompted the call was a significant change in maximum load data between issues of the Sierra data manual. A safe charge I'd been using for several years without pressure indicators was suddenly beyond maximum. Sierra noted they changed test rifles and Alliant noted no changes in powder.

FWIW I've found that Alliant data will duplicate factory loads in caliber, but you will almost never get the velocities Alliant does.

Last edited by WR Moore; 09-02-2017 at 05:35 PM.
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Old 09-02-2017, 02:23 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OLDNAVYMCPO View Post
Headstamps are not all the same. Started loading with misc range brass. My load is 55gr FMJ X-treme bullets over 25 gr H4895. Each charge is individually weighed.

I went back and examined the other cases and none exhibited the pronounced ejector marks or the ring. Seems just those two cases. Could have been fired in a different firearm prior to me reloading them. I had never noticed that until I looked at the photos again. You are correct though, it looks like high pressure.

You may not be doing anything "wrong" If you are using brass you picked up at the range, How do you know how many times it has been reloading. May be just old tired brass. I am a brass scrounge but refuse to pick up range 556/223

Start with some fresh "once fired brass" trimmed to length and drop your powder charge a bit. No need to be on the upper end for killing paper.

Always start with the simplest "fix" first and go from there.
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Old 09-03-2017, 03:54 PM
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I use range brass exclusively that is once fired. I see the new boxes of ammo, ask shooter if he wants his fired brass, and happily police up his shooting bench to get once fired brass.

I get 3 reloads out of once fired brass in my AR rifles. After that the brass goes in the "bolt gun" brass bucket. This practice stopped blown primers or cracked cases in my AR rifles. My bolt guns safely test brass quality without any problems.
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Old 09-04-2017, 10:12 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OLDNAVYMCPO View Post
This has happened in only these two cases in over 400 rounds of reloads.

What am I doing wrong and how can I correct it.
You're probably not doing anything wrong, as Rule3 and others have said

398 of 400 fired fine
398/400 = 99.5%

with mixed brass, mixed number of firings, mixed reloading history

you are just subject to the numbers!
why would you expect 100% reliability?

from an article about US Army quality control


"We test random samples and have a 98 percent lot acceptance rate," said Ken McKee, chief, Quality Assurance, Ballistics Division.


Ammunition manufacturing: quality control crucial to success | Article | The United States Army
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Old 09-12-2017, 02:34 AM
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Do the other cases have ejector pin marks? Somewhere around that pressure level, the brass case head expands and the primer pockets loosen.

I have some that I loaded at max that did that. They were safe in the gun and ran well, but going back into the shellholder was a no go. Now I check every case head for this kind of damage.

I also load with a light crimp from a Lee fcd. That die is a collet crimper. Some length variation is ok.
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