Need Opinions- Once-Fired .223 LC / 7 Brass BAD Primers (?)

[Silvercrow1]

Hey All- I recently bought a 500 count lot of once-fired .223 brass that is sized, trimmed and primed. The brass is LC/7. I bought it privately but it originally came from Scharch (sp) / Top Brass. The brass was in a sealed plastic bag, along with dissecant ( the dissecant which had ripped open in transit I suppose). So I carefully cleaned off the drying material prior to use, inside and out. Also in the bag was a small note stating the primers were CCI and IIRC the number 401. I've since lost the paper.

I loaded up 20 rounds Sunday night and went shooting yesterday morning.

Out of 20 rounds, 4 did not detonate. Upon examination, the primers in these four instances look like they might be "hard"; the firing pin impressions are not as deep as on the detonated cartridges (I realize this may have more to do with detonation than anything else). I did try to fire the four in question again, and again received only "clicks"...no boom!

Wondering what to do; the brass looks great- no defects etc. I'm wondering if it could be a bad batch of primers?

Should I remove the primers and re-prime with known good primers (I've reloaded somewhere in the area of 250 rounds using other brass and Remington 7 1/2 BR primers with NO failures- same gun.

Even though I'm a once removed buyer, should I contact Top Brass?

Certainly NOT blaming seller- I'm sure he did not know. Any suggestions are welcome- Thanks! Brian

[davemuzz]

One time in my reloading "path" I purchased several items of reloading "stuff" and included in it was a box of 357 primed, sized and trimmed brass. It was nice and shiny and the primers looked just fine.

So, I loaded 'em with a mid-range load of powder and lead bullets. When I went to the range about 30% of the bullets would shoot, and I had two (yes 2) hang-fires. Now, that was my first (and last) experience with hang-fires. I can only assume that somehow the primers either gathered some moisture, or flat out got wet and then dried out.

I pulled the bullets that did not fire, decamped 'em (Make sure you are wearing safety glasses when you do this….and in addition I usually put a small piece of plywood between me and the brass. Probably over caution….but hey!!) The brass was fine and I'm sure I'm still shooting some of it today.

So, what I'm saying is I would decap 'em and replace the primers with what I know are good ones.

Dave

[wbm]

So, what I'm saying is I would decap 'em and replace the primers with what I know are good ones.

Me too.

[Nor Cal Mikie]

Punch out a few of the primers, hit them with a hammer and see if they go BANG! If they do, good chance that the cases have the shoulders pushed back too far when resized and the case is being pushed forward by the firing pin and not getting a hard enough strike.
Also, try pulling the bullets out a bit to increase the OAL. With the bullets jamed into the lands, the firing pin can't push the case forward. See if that makes any difference. Don't blame the primers till you've checked everything else. Been there, done that and have never had a bad primer.

[GaryB]

I would have to wonder more if the desiccant hasn't somehow sucked the life out of the primers. That stuff can do weird things. If it were me I would chamber each case(unloaded) and fire the primers and then decap and re prime, just to be safe.

Good luck
Gary

[davemuzz]

I would have to wonder more if the desiccant hasn't somehow sucked the life out of the primers. That stuff can do weird things. If it were me I would chamber each case(unloaded) and fire the primers and then decap and re prime, just to be safe.

Good luck
Gary

Wear ear protection!! But I would agree with this method.

Dave

[Silvercrow1]

Wear ear protection!! But I would agree with this method.

Dave

Thanks all! I'm gonna "pop a cap...or 480:eek:" I sincerely hope it isnt a shoulder problem. That would mean the brass is junk

[Silvercrow1]

Dang computer I'm on wont let me edit for some reason. ANYWAY- IF there is a shoulder problem- is the brass junk? How would I correct that (posture lessons for slouching cases?)? Brian

[eddiesindian]

Its possible that some of the primers used are military grade. the cups are defently harder.
Pull-em apart...resize/deprime.....get the brass prep,d and load-em-up
I seriously dought theres anything wrong with the brass.

[davemuzz]

I doubt the brass is junk. If your really concerned about that…..then just load up 20 or 25 rounds….full size 'em first and go to the range. Then you will know.

Dave

[GaryB]

I doubt the brass is junk. If your really concerned about that…..then just load up 20 or 25 rounds….full size 'em first and go to the range. Then you will know.

Dave

I agree.
You could even seat the bullets into the lands with a min. charge, then the brass would stretch some to fill the chamber.
Just a thought.

[Silvercrow1]

Good info. and as always, thanks! Something to keep me busy...LOL. Brian

[Nor Cal Mikie]

Probably nothing wrong with the brass or primers. If you can get them to fire, the brass will fireform to fit your chamber. Once that is done, make sure when your resize that you don't push the shoulders back too far and run into the same problem again. Take what you have already loaded, pull the bullets out some to increase the OAL. (bullets jammed into the lands) If there's no problems with the primers, the rounds should fire and the brass will form to your chamber.

[davemuzz]

I'm going to make this statement again at the risk of sounding obstinate. First of all, primers….however difficult at the present time seem to be difficult to obtain….yet I will also state that this is now not as sever as it was a few months ago….PRIMERS ARE CHEAP!! So, why would anyone want to screw around with primers from an unknown source? Primers that may have been subjected to who knows what?

I know this from first hand experience in loading up 50 rounds of "nice and pretty" 357 magnum brass that had been primed. Believe me, when you have most of the rounds NOT GO OFF, and you also have TWO HANG FIRES because you didn't replace $4 worth of primers when reloading ammo for your….what….$500 to $700 firearm?

What exactly are you trying to accomplish here? Don't skimp to use something you have no idea what it was subject to. The brass is easy to look at and determine if it's good or bad. The primers?….not so much. Dump 'em!! You have been given many suggestions as to how to do that.

Reload with quality components that you know where they came from. If someone else likes to load with unknown junk….then let him. That is not what I do.

Dave

[Nor Cal Mikie]

Dave:
I'll jump back in here and say" punch out a few primers, hit them with a hammer and see if they'll go BANG!' That should tell him if the primers are a problem. Could also be that the shoulders on the "once fired brass" are pushed back too far for his chamber.
He needs to start somewhere and IMHO, that is a good place. No matter what the availability or price of primers is/are, start somewhere and work from there.
So he replaces all the primers and still has the problem? Then what? Check primers first and see what happens. ( I'ts pretty hard to kill a primer! ) Could also be case length compared to his chamber.
We're not talking about "junk" components here. Maybe defective primers, not from the factory. Or....
Mike.

[BillPa]

IF there is a shoulder problem- is the brass junk? How would I correct that (posture lessons for slouching cases?)? Brian

Not at all. One of the basic methods making things into things they weren't made to be made into is creating a false shoulder by expanding the neck up to the next caliber then partially resizing it for a slight crush when chambering.

For example, using 222 Rem Mag brass to make 204 Ruger.
http://i44.tinypic.com/2ag0xsg.jpg
A 222 RM case on the left with a false shoulder made by running it part way into a 204 FL die. On the right one fired in the 204 chamber. The false shoulder provides the correct head clearance, or the lack of it in this instance for firing and forming.

Some use a bullet jam to keep the casehead in contact with the breach face when fire forming brass. I don't, never have and never will.

Bill

[davemuzz]

Mike,

If those pieces of brass got water in them and then dried out, the primers…..like the case of my 357 magnums….will have perhaps 30% of them go off. The rest of them will be junk. So, why mess with them? Why? Your speaking of a minimal amount of work and a tiny amount of dollars.

I did it once and learned a very valuable lesson. I will never use pre-primed brass from any source again. It's simply too risky for a few pennies to be saved.

Dave

[Nor Cal Mikie]

Dave:
If in fact the primers got wet then dried out, they may very well be junk. He still needs to find out if they're bad or if it's a brass/headspace issue. We can guess all we want but he still has to see if he can find out the problem?? It's got nothing to do with $$ saved or spent.
Find out excatly what the problem is then go from there.
Mike.

[davemuzz]

Mike,

This is my last post to comment on saving $4. If the primers are in fact bad….or even good. To suggest to set the bullet length to seat into the lands, and then have a hang fire occur (which could be a primer give a low sizzle and set off your powder…then go BANG…and set off the cartridge charge) and possibly split your barrel, bulge your barrel, or worse.

Not worth the $4 or the time to simply decap and put in new.

If the headspace of the brass is your concern…..the just measure the brass against your previous shot brass. If you don't have a gauge to measure it….now would be a good time to buy one.

Dave

[stangfish]

Pay attention to billpa's and Davemuzz's post. The case headspace is off.