Finally had to throw my first batch of lapua .308 brass into the scrap bucket. At least I got some good mileage out of it, 14 loads pushing 155.5 bergers, 175 SMKs, and hornady 208s.
- Thread starter spiritzerothree
- Start date
Re: A sad day on the loading bench
Split neck or loose primer pocket?
Split neck or loose primer pocket?
Re: A sad day on the loading bench
Primer pockets loose? (someone beat me to it)
Primer pockets loose? (someone beat me to it)
Re: A sad day on the loading bench
Case web expansion and loose primer pockets.
Case web expansion and loose primer pockets.
Re: A sad day on the loading bench
14 loadings is pretty good. How hard were you pushing them?
14 loadings is pretty good. How hard were you pushing them?
Re: A sad day on the loading bench
truthfully i don't know. I just ordered a chrono with the next batch of brass and powder. Loads were 45.2gr Varget under the 175's and 47.3gr RL-17 under the 208's, so they were going at a pretty good clip. based on the data from quickload and dope out to 1000 last year it looked like the 175's were going at 2800ish from the barrel.
truthfully i don't know. I just ordered a chrono with the next batch of brass and powder. Loads were 45.2gr Varget under the 175's and 47.3gr RL-17 under the 208's, so they were going at a pretty good clip. based on the data from quickload and dope out to 1000 last year it looked like the 175's were going at 2800ish from the barrel.
Re: A sad day on the loading bench
Most I was getting were 9 reloads in using 43.1 gr RL-15 (2650 fps) behind a 175 SMK in a 24" Krieger with 95 Palma chamber. I was F/L sizing every load and got neck splits. Primers were still tight.
Most I was getting were 9 reloads in using 43.1 gr RL-15 (2650 fps) behind a 175 SMK in a 24" Krieger with 95 Palma chamber. I was F/L sizing every load and got neck splits. Primers were still tight.
Re: A sad day on the loading bench
Suggestion, I have some with more than 20 reloads pushing . 308 155 L 2950 fps out of a 22" barrel. I min size FL, anneal every 5th, russian primers but I use a RCBS Primer pockrt swedge to reform primer pockets, size first. Don't set up too tight or you will bend rod, I reform pocket rotate case and reform again, its a feel thing, you want just a little pop when it comes off.
Of course if the case head is really expanded it will not cure that, but if has been expanded too much the primer pocket will not tighten, so its a check.
Others I shoot with are doing this on their 7mm RSUMs and have really increase case life.
Suggestion, I have some with more than 20 reloads pushing . 308 155 L 2950 fps out of a 22" barrel. I min size FL, anneal every 5th, russian primers but I use a RCBS Primer pockrt swedge to reform primer pockets, size first. Don't set up too tight or you will bend rod, I reform pocket rotate case and reform again, its a feel thing, you want just a little pop when it comes off.
Of course if the case head is really expanded it will not cure that, but if has been expanded too much the primer pocket will not tighten, so its a check.
Others I shoot with are doing this on their 7mm RSUMs and have really increase case life.
Re: A sad day on the loading bench
44.4 varget/175 smk's/lapua/br2/ trg-22 26" I get 2690fps fwiw
Did you anneal at all?
44.4 varget/175 smk's/lapua/br2/ trg-22 26" I get 2690fps fwiw
Did you anneal at all?
Re: A sad day on the loading bench
2800 FPS with 175smk's is flying!
I take it all confirmed at long range yeh?
2800 FPS with 175smk's is flying!
I take it all confirmed at long range yeh?
Re: A sad day on the loading bench
14 loads is pretty impressive. Good work.
14 loads is pretty impressive. Good work.
Re: A sad day on the loading bench
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Unsichtbar</div><div class="ubbcode-body">... but I use a RCBS Primer pockrt swedge to reform primer pockets, size first. Don't set up too tight or you will bend rod, I reform pocket rotate case and reform again, its a feel thing, you want just a little pop when it comes off.</div></div>
I think you just saved 145+ pieces of Nosler .308 brass that I set aside because of loose primer pockets. I tried what you described and it seems to work very well...
Any drawbacks to doing this that I should be aware of?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Unsichtbar</div><div class="ubbcode-body">... but I use a RCBS Primer pockrt swedge to reform primer pockets, size first. Don't set up too tight or you will bend rod, I reform pocket rotate case and reform again, its a feel thing, you want just a little pop when it comes off.</div></div>
I think you just saved 145+ pieces of Nosler .308 brass that I set aside because of loose primer pockets. I tried what you described and it seems to work very well...
Any drawbacks to doing this that I should be aware of?
Re: A sad day on the loading bench
Loose primer pockets.... Pssssshhh. I can seat my .223 Ackleys with my finger lol. I would scrap when you have the web getting thin though, 14 rounds is a good number of firings on the brass.
Loose primer pockets.... Pssssshhh. I can seat my .223 Ackleys with my finger lol. I would scrap when you have the web getting thin though, 14 rounds is a good number of firings on the brass.
Re: A sad day on the loading bench
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Northern50</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Loose primer pockets.... Pssssshhh. I can seat my .223 Ackleys with my finger lol. I would scrap when you have the web getting thin though, 14 rounds is a good number of firings on the brass. </div></div>
You can seat your primers with with your fingers? I assume your exaggerating to the extreme there, but i've heard you can get bolt face erosion if your primer pocket/primer seal leaks. Soot around the rim of the primer is evidence of the leak. If your primer pockets are extremely loose, I have to assume they are leaking.
I use an RW Hart case saver to tighten up my primer pockets. Between that and annealing, I plan on my 500 lapua 308 cases to last very long time. That is if I can stop losing one here and there all the time
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Northern50</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Loose primer pockets.... Pssssshhh. I can seat my .223 Ackleys with my finger lol. I would scrap when you have the web getting thin though, 14 rounds is a good number of firings on the brass. </div></div>
You can seat your primers with with your fingers? I assume your exaggerating to the extreme there, but i've heard you can get bolt face erosion if your primer pocket/primer seal leaks. Soot around the rim of the primer is evidence of the leak. If your primer pockets are extremely loose, I have to assume they are leaking.
I use an RW Hart case saver to tighten up my primer pockets. Between that and annealing, I plan on my 500 lapua 308 cases to last very long time. That is if I can stop losing one here and there all the time
Re: A sad day on the loading bench
I have not seen any down side to reforming primer pockets with the RSBS swage, actually if work hardens the pocket a bit which so far has been a positive. May be over time they might get to hard but doing it every 5th reload when they are annealed and over 20 firings no problem so far.
There has been some causality (need to inspect often) that I pitched if I get a bright ring near the case head. My shell holder acts as a gage of web expansion, once putting the case in starts getting tight I pitch the case.
I have not seen any down side to reforming primer pockets with the RSBS swage, actually if work hardens the pocket a bit which so far has been a positive. May be over time they might get to hard but doing it every 5th reload when they are annealed and over 20 firings no problem so far.
There has been some causality (need to inspect often) that I pitched if I get a bright ring near the case head. My shell holder acts as a gage of web expansion, once putting the case in starts getting tight I pitch the case.
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