Primer and brass marking questions

[assistantchief]

All,
I need your expert help. Fairly new to reloading and I've noticed a couple of things I'm concerned about. One picture is 9mm showing some primer irregularities. I load a MG 115gr HP with 4.8 grains of HP 38 with Winchester SPP at 1.130 OAL. The primer condition concerns me

The other is of 45 ACP 230 gr RN plated, 5.2 grains of AA 2, Winchester SPP at 1.255 OAL. There are marks on the brass head edges that aren't there on factory ammo. I know most 45 brass uses large primers but these are federal and loaded with small primers so that's what I used. Any and all help appreciated

 

[Maximumbob54]

Your 9mm load is right up to the max as listed on Hodgdon's website.

 

[Rule3]

How old is that brass?? Looks like it's been through the mill a few times??

 

[assistantchief]

Bob, the Lee reloading manual list 4.7-5.1 grains of HP-38 for the 115 grain FMJ 9mm. The hodgdon's website closest match I could find gave the same spread for the GDHP. Are the primers showing over pressure?

Rule3, the 9mm brass has been reloaded 2 or three times and the 45 ACP is once fired (mine) then reloaded.

 

[venomballistics]

the flat mark is from your gun's ejector in the 45 pic

 

[assistantchief]

Thanks Venom, I thought it was the extractor mark also but I don't see it on the factory ammo I fired; only my reloads.

 

[venomballistics]

Thanks Venom, I thought it was the extractor mark also but I don't see it on the factory ammo I fired; only my reloads.

that might be a function of your handload being a good bit warmer than factory ball thus introducing more energy into the equation. I see a good many marks like that in various samples of range brass

 

[Scott E White]

Your shooting the 9mm from a Glock, and your .45 leaves extractor marks on the case heads. Neither issue is irregular or anything to worry about.

Carry-on.

 

[assistantchief]

I appreciate everyone's input. When something is out of the ordinary, best to make sure.

 

[cerberus65]

I've seen marks like that on .45 ACP brass before. It was caused by the breech face not being machined flat all the way to the edge. In each of the three guns I've fixed there was a small, almost imperceptible step up at the very edge of the breech face on the ejector side. Careful filing resolved the problem in each case. One gun was a Taurus 1911. The other two were S&W 1911s.