Issues with White River Energetics Large Rifle Magnum Primers

To my eye…the fired vs. mis-fired case looks identical in terms of primer strike.

Mac

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looking at your pic left case double strike, right case fired that tells me you have to much headspace with the brass. the right primer backed out and slammed the bolt face and when case expanded it forced the primer back in thats why it is that flat at the edges. use false shoulder or jam the bullet .020 or more until you feel good resistance when chambering.
 
So wanted to just get this out there…purchased 1000 of the White River Energetics Large Rifle Magnum Primers to hold me over until I could get my hands on some Gold Medal LRM primers. Reloading supplies have been sporadic lately, and combine that with how hard it is to get stuff in Alaska, and you have a decision being made to just buy whatever I can get my hands on. I decided to use these to fire form some .338 Lapua Improved brass out of regular Lapua brass. I loaded up 50 of them with some US869 and 300 grain Bergers to start making brass. So far I have fired maybe 40 shots, and of those, I have had a failure to fire on 14 of them. As you can see in the picture the firing pin is striking them good, but they didn't go off. I even tried shooting them a second time to see if it was a light strike or not and they still didn't go off. Not sure if I got a bad batch or not, but thank god my Gold Medal's are here for me to use from now on.

Mac

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I read the replies that you have received, you have gotten some really good responses and information. I am not familiar with this brand primers, so I do not have much information to provide you in this area. I did notice in the photos you posted that the primer strikes are not at all uniform, some lighter than others. Living in Alaska I suspect that you have more than one rifle that accepts large rifle primers and that rifle has a standard case. I would suggest that you try this same batch of primers in another rifle. You don't need any powder in these cases, just seat a primer to find out if it goes bang. Also... I suggest that you try contacting the smith who built your rifle and let the smith know the issue that you are having with the primers and with fire forming cases. The smith knows your rifle, he knows the reamer used on your rifle and he may be able to provide you with some suggestions about your fire forming your cases.
 
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So wanted to just get this out there…purchased 1000 of the White River Energetics Large Rifle Magnum Primers to hold me over until I could get my hands on some Gold Medal LRM primers. Reloading supplies have been sporadic lately, and combine that with how hard it is to get stuff in Alaska, and you have a decision being made to just buy whatever I can get my hands on. I decided to use these to fire form some .338 Lapua Improved brass out of regular Lapua brass. I loaded up 50 of them with some US869 and 300 grain Bergers to start making brass. So far I have fired maybe 40 shots, and of those, I have had a failure to fire on 14 of them. As you can see in the picture the firing pin is striking them good, but they didn't go off. I even tried shooting them a second time to see if it was a light strike or not and they still didn't go off. Not sure if I got a bad batch or not, but thank god my Gold Medal's are here for me to use from now on.

Mac

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Someone has already mentioned it, but i have first hand experience fire forming a few wildcats, including the 338 LM improved from LPR. I seat the bullets into the lands with pretty tight neck tension. If I have very little neck tension or not seated into the lands with the slow mag powder. I've had this exact issue. My best note is 0.003"neck tension minimum and 0.005" into the lands, near the low end of book load has had the best 1 round forming and success on firing for me.
 
I've been wildcatting for years. The primers are not the problem. Seat the bullet about .030 longer then what you are currently doing and the primers will start working again. You want to feel some resistance when closing the bolt. Be sure to lube your lugs before doing this to prevent galling…especially if it's not melonited.

I set my rifles up for a crush fit on virgin brass. Not all smiths do this. Also, different lots, or different brands of cases can have different headspace. I've seen big variations in the headspace measurements on 300 Norma cases from lapua, adg, and Peterson.
 
WOW!!! Thats a problem. Ill bet their CS department will ship you a new Box of 1000. I can tell you I have had to use Win LR Mag primers when I was down to may last few Packets of Federal 215M's . I expected to have a huge issue in Groupe size , but I did not!!! As far as my Hunting loads are concerned, If I work up a batch with either brand primer, and stick with that primer throughout the Load Development process, AND all other components remain consistent , I have no issue.
 
Primers aren't getting seated deep enough. Measure the primer pocket depth and some primer heights then some seated primers. I bet you will find the answer.
 
To my eye…the fired vs. mis-fired case looks identical in terms of primer strike.

Mac

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To me this is all the proof I would need to say it is a bad primer. I have no experience in fire forming AI chambers yet, but there is no plausible explanation why the primer would not ignite in this situation other than a bad primer.
 
I have some WRE primers that I got a couple weeks at Sportsman's in Anchorage. I've only tried the LRP ones, as the magnums were out, but they made good and got me 1,000 of them last week. Anyways, I've not had an issue with the LRP, it that's a one time thing. I'd call WRE CS line and let them know. I have family in AR that works in the bullet manufacturing part of the company in Cabot. Said family member said these were tested to CCI primers. I'm interested in what you find out.
 
To me this is all the proof I would need to say it is a bad primer. I have no experience in fire forming AI chambers yet, but there is no plausible explanation why the primer would not ignite in this situation other than a bad primer.
If the firing pin is using energy to push the primer deeper into the case, or its using energy to push the case forward there will be a dent just like what you are seeing, but no (BANG)
 
When LRP's were just no where to be had awhile back, I called WR about their primers. Very knowledgeable CS guy that answered my questions well. Their product is made to be a CCI "clone", for lack of a better term. CS said the only noticeable difference was the WR primer is about .001 taller than the CCI. I use CCI primarily or Winchester. There is some very good advice and opinion being offered here. From talking to CS, if there is a problem with their product, they would want to know about it and would want the opportunity to rectify any issue. Had I not been able to find any primers, I would have bought their primers.
 

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