Question for the reloading experts....

[358 Winchester]

I reloaded a 30-06 once fired Federal case, it was loaded for the same rifle it had been fired from everything went well until I fired it. I got a back gases from the case, it didn't rupture the primer, but the escaping gas seemed to come out of the side of the primer?? The primer looked fine with no flattening or cratering, but it had a pinhole on one side that went through the flash hole as well. Weird ....any answers??

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

What is the exact load, and what rifle where you shooting it in?
Was this the first time you shot this load in federal cases?

 

[FOTIS]

Sounds like not enough pressure

Need EXACT load stats!

 

[SJB358]

Yup, sounds like you didn't have enough pressure to seal the case.

Excellent screen name! Welcome to the Forum. Scotty

 

[358 Winchester]

The 30-06 load was 55 grains of IMR 4350 under a Hornady 165 grain flatbase bullet, this is 2.5 grains off max according to the Hornady manual. The other exact loads shot without incident, this makes me believe that there may have been something odd with the primer or the pocket. I have been reloading for 12 years, this is a first for me, hopefully the last.
Any thoughts????...........

 

[boolit]

I reloaded a 30-06 once fired Federal case, it was loaded for the same rifle it had been fired from everything went well until I fired it. I got a back gases from the case, it didn't rupture the primer, but the escaping gas seemed to come out of the side of the primer?? The primer looked fine with no flattening or cratering, but it had a pinhole on one side that went through the flash hole as well. Weird ....any answers??

escaping gas seemed to come out of the side of the primer

oversized primer pocket..... clean up the case and have a case that it didn't happen to, reseat primers in both and feel the difference while seating. Feel the effected case to tell if it went in to easy.

 

[Jim1 AB]

With out a photo of both the primer and case I'm thinking the primer may have been deformed. If it was the case, primer pocket you'd think you would have had a similar issue with the first load fired. These are not hot loads by the sounds of it. I think and this is just me and being of Scottish background, I'd reload the case with an closely inspected primer and see what happens. Of course making dam sure I was wearing good safety glasses.

Oh yea, what brand are the primers? I'd sure be looking over the rest of that box of primers if nothing happens.

 

[358 Winchester]

All of the other primers fired without a hitch, all fired ones had the radius on the primer with no flattening or cratering. The blown one had a small streak of black on the outside of the primer betweeen the outside of the primer and the pocket.
The primer looks normal, except for the pinhole on the radius.....weird.
The primer pocket is undamaged and is still nice and round. The primer after firing still has the radius and no signs of pressure.
I can only think that it was a thin skinned primer .....

 

[DrMike]

Another possibility, though perhaps a long shot, is that a flash hole burr was so situated that it deflected a portion of the primer fire back and toward the wall of the primer pocket, which would then account for the soot you observe. It is a good practise to clean the flash hole on new brass to ensure unhindered ignition, especially on brass that does not have drilled flash holes and primer pockets. Consequently, this is not a possibility when using Nosler or Norma brass as they are drilled.

 

[boolit]

Another possibility, though perhaps a long shot, is that a flash hole burr was so situated that it deflected a portion of the primer fire back and toward the wall of the primer pocket, which would then account for the soot you observe. It is a good practise to clean the flash hole on new brass to ensure unhindered ignition, especially on brass that does not have drilled flash holes and primer pockets. Consequently, this is not a possibility when using Nosler or Norma brass as they are drilled.

Low pressure load along with loose pocket.

 

[358 Winchester]

Another possibility, though perhaps a long shot, is that a flash hole burr was so situated that it deflected a portion of the primer fire back and toward the wall of the primer pocket, which would then account for the soot you observe. It is a good practise to clean the flash hole on new brass to ensure unhindered ignition, especially on brass that does not have drilled flash holes and primer pockets. Consequently, this is not a possibility when using Nosler or Norma brass as they are drilled.

If it had a flash hole burr, why didn't it happen on the first firing??
This brass was once fired Federal out of the same rifle......

 

[Jim1 AB]

358W have you reseated a primer in the case yet to see if it feels tight enough. Something DrMike said got we thinking. If it wasn't a deformed primer maybe a bur from the flash hole may have got between the primer and the pocket wall.

 

[FOTIS]

I am thinking faulty case

 

[DrMike]

358 Winchester,

It is, unfortunately, speculation from this distance. I can envision a burr that melted slightly to form a blob, or which drooped as the brass at the base of the burr softened during the first shot. POP is likely correct that the most likely scenario is a deformed case. While it is possible that the cup was deformed, it seems more likely that the case itself was deformed.

 

[358 Winchester]

I checked the primer with a magnifying glass, there is a split from top to bottom on the primer itself.
it looks just like a neck split but on the primer.

 

[DrMike]

There is your answer. Good job. I've never seen one split, but it obviously happens.

 

[Jim1 AB]

Oh that's not good. Now there's an understatement. lol Did you ever mention the brand of primer. Mystery solved though. Maybe run an e-mail off to the company an see what they have to say. Can you get the crack to show up in a photo you could send with the e-mail??

 

[boolit]

ok the cup failed..