Cratered pimers?

[Rem 700]

I shoot a Remington 700 7RM SPS with Winchester brass and Federal 215 mag primers, 168 gr. bullet, 61 grains IMR 4831.
My primers are cratering, not heavily, but noticably. No excessive pressured needed to extract the case after firing as long as I full lengh size each time. I noticed after about 2 neck sizings only, I had to use a mallet to get the bolt to extract the case after firing. My velocity is pretty steady, around 2880, with a SD of about 30 (other charges, even lower, gave me a higher SD).
Anyway, here's my question: "Should I be conserned about the cratering?"
The primers are not flattened. I don't feel like the pressure is dangerously high, but I have read that excessive pressure can cause a barrel to wear out quickly. That concerns me.
Any thoughts?
Should I try large rifle (nonmagnum) primers? IMR 4831 burns pretty slow I think, so I'm not for sure whether it will perform well without the mag primers.
Here's the pic of the primers: http://i637.photobucket.com/albums/uu98 ... 1665e4.jpg

 

[PJGunner]

While primers are not the best way to look for pressure signs sometimes they can tell us something. I think I'd take a close look at the firing pin hole in the face of your bolt. If you uncock the bolt so that the pin protrudes, is there a bit of a gap between the the pin and the edges of the hole? That could be the source of your problem. Does the edges of the hole appear to have a slight chamfer? I know that sounds crazy but I have an M700 BDL that has a chamfered hole in the face of the bolt and I bought it NIB back in 1981. :shock: I get cratered primers even with very light plinking/small game loads using a 120 gr. cast bullet and 5.0 gr. of Unique. I never have figured out why they did that to that bolt. :?: :?: :?:
Paul B.

 

[FOTIS]

All my 215's crater.

Is this a 30-06???? If so with 175 gr Hodgdon lists 57.5 max

 

[yellow dog]

looked like a 7mm rem fotis

 

[FOTIS]

looked like a 7mm rem fotis

Oops never looked at the picture. Your load should be ok pressure wise.

 

[shoots_5]

I think that's just pretty normal for a sps. I have one chambered in 22-250 that no matter what load makes primers look exactly like that.

 

[OU812]

All my 215's crater.

Yep, looks like a normal fired 215 to me.

 

[Rem 700]

Thanks, guys. That's real encouraging and puts my mind to rest. I looked at the pin and there didn't seem to be any gaps between the pin and the pin hole. However the hole does looked a little chamfered...not perfectly flat or square around the edges, but slightly angled.
It sounds like this isn't going to cause any problems, so I wont change anything.
Thanks again.

 

[onesonek]

Yep Feds. are soft, but I still like them best for my loads. I go by casehead expansion, or the least, stickiness of the action if I really want to find my max., and then back off some.

 

[Guest]

If you're unable to extract them without a mallet after a couple of firings on neck sized brass, I'd think about backing down half a grain or so. I don't get alarmed by primers cratering, as I have some rifles that do it with every load, no matter the pressure (Remmies...) but when I get difficulty unchambering a fired case and it requires a mallet, that's an issue to which I pay attention.

 

[DrMike]

Cratering of the primer on a Remington is not unusual; having to open the bolt with a mallet is. Dubyam's recommendation is spot on.

 

[sask boy]

I have had a number of Remingtons that have had crater issues, & the primers not flattened at all.
I also would be concerned on having to open the bolt with a mallet this would indicate a pressure problem.
As was mentioned before decrease the load by .5 and see what transpires.

Blessings,
Dan

 

[Rem 700]

OK...but I have no problems opening the bolt when I full length size...opens without any pressure at all. It is only when I neck size that I have this problem. Anybody know why that might happen with neck sizing but not with full length sizing?

 

[nvbroncrider]

Not bumping the shoulder back far enough. Could be caused by your chamber being a touch tight but still within SAMMI specs.

 

[nvbroncrider]

My 280AI built on a 700SPS does the same you can feel the crater become sharp when you close to max. That is what I have found in my rifle hope that helps.

 

[Guest]

I believe you're above 65kpsi. The reason full length sizing helps is that you're doing two things. First, you're dissipating pressure through brass expansion, and you're dealing with brass that is work hardened a bit and springing back to closer to the FL sized shape after firing. I'd chalk it up to case dimensions except that there should not be so little clearance on brass that is fired in this chamber and then neck sized. If it were difficult to extract after two firings that'd be one thing, but you said you need a mallet to get it out, which tells me it's stuck pretty hard. If you're developing that much tightness from two firings, on neck sized brass, you are over pressure in my opinion. FL sizing does not cure the problem, only the symptom.