Federal Primers Pierce. Heads up

[louis f]

Pics?

Pictures on original post

 

[Deleted member 107796]

Isn't that a burr or knick of some sort on your bolt face? I zoomed in and it sure looks like it. If so, all shot cases would show a flaw in that area, even of not pierced.
It would be right in the area of the primer failure.

 

[John 264]

I was shooting Remington 7stw brass that had been shot by someone else and traded to the gun shop where I bought them used.. It's not always the primer; sometimes it's crappy support from the brass combined with rather high pressure loads.

But what manufacturer

 

[louis f]

Isn't that a burr or knick of some sort on your bolt face? I zoomed in and it sure looks like it. If so, all shot cases would show a flaw in that area, even of not pierced.
It would be right in the area of the primer failure.

Sorry but there is nothing wrong with the bolt face except the three etchings. The etchings are from the failed primers.

 

[louis f]

Sorry but there is nothing wrong with the bolt face except the three etchings. The etchings are from the failed primers.

There were three failed primers. But thanks.

 

[Frog4aday]

Thanks for posting the pics. The 'pits' in your bolt face are surprisingly deeper than I expected. Also, I went back to post #1 to see the pics you added (thank you.) I couldn't really see the 'hole' (too dark in that area of the image) but on the first pic, I could see a black line up the side of both primers. It's as if the primer pocket had a 'defect' and allowed gas to escape around the side of the primer pocket in that one, very narrow spot. I'm curious to hear those with more experience weigh in on this.

 

[louis f]

Thanks for posting the pics. The 'pits' in your bolt face are surprisingly deeper than I expected. Also, I went back to post #1 to see the pics you added (thank you.) I couldn't really see the 'hole' (too dark in that area of the image) but on the first pic, I could see a black line up the side of both primers. It's as if the primer pocket had a 'defect' and allowed gas to escape around the side of the primer pocket in that one, very narrow spot. I'm curious to hear those with more experience weigh in on this.

if you click on the arrow in the top right corner you will get a bigger picture

 

[Frog4aday]

Thanks...I got the picture to be HUGE...it's just the area where the hole is (I'm guessing where it is) is just not illuminated very well so I can't 'see' it. But I can see where I think it would be. I just don't understand the black line along the SIDE of the primer. If it 'pierced' where it did, why would there be a black line on the side of the primer? It is odd to me.

 

[John 264]

View attachment 138747 View attachment 138748 Just got back from a prairie dog shoot. If you are like me you shoot many rounds. Had 3 pierced primers that etched my bolt face. The pierce is on the radius of the cup not a firing pin pierce. Called Federal Ammunition and told them about their FED 205 M primers. There answer was that the primers were old, 10 years old to be exact. I for one buy primers by the sleeve do to availability. They told me that there is no way to tell when the primers got contaminated. With that said, a friend had the same thing happen with Winchester primers and they said there that it was not a common problem, So he just let it go. I was on this forum a few months later and people started saying they had the same problem with Winchester primers. My friend called Winchester back at that time and the story had changed. Winchester replaced his primers and offered to pay for any gunsmithing work. Like I said I buy components when you can find them. So I buy large quantities. Because you never know who is going to be in the White House. Things can dry up pretty fast if you know what I mean. Just thought I would put this out there maybe others have had the same problem. Update: After many phone calls to federal talking about all the variables. Their answer, it was caused by stress corrosion cracking.

Your bolt face is fixable but as long as you are not having any problems with extracting I would keep shooting it until you need to put a new barrel on and fix it then I see this all the time as a gunsmith with 20 years experience but if it starts getting ruff to open the bolt then you need get it fixed

 

[louis f]

Thanks...I got the picture to be HUGE...it's just the area where the hole is (I'm guessing where it is) is just not illuminated very well so I can't 'see' it. But I can see where I think it would be. I just don't understand the black line along the SIDE of the primer. If it 'pierced' where it did, why would there be a black line on the side of the primer? It is odd to me.

That black line is a split. Federal told me that was a classic example of Stress corrosion cracking. I asked if it was a primer pocket issue and they said no.

 

[Frog4aday]

Wow. Interesting. Thanks for sharing that info. So...does this mean my Federal primers are corroding as we type? I'm not liking the sound of that.

 

[louis f]

Your bolt face is fixable but as long as you are not having any problems with extracting I would keep shooting it until you need to put a new barrel on and fix it then I see this all the time as a gunsmith with 20 years experience but if it starts getting ruff to open the bolt then you need get it fixed

That is my plan If I would have the bolt faced the barrel would have to be set back for proper head space. Just wait till it needs a new barrel and fix all. I shot it a lot after the primers faulted and it still shoots fine.

 

[louis f]

Wow. Interesting. Thanks for sharing that info. So...does this mean my Federal primers are corroding as we type? I'm not liking the sound of that.

What they said If you have primers in the house with cleaning products such as ammonia or other copper removing products for gun cleaning in the area not good. Just the vapors are bad over time. I still think that is a stretch. 10 year old primers and no history of failure is what they told me. That was the reason of the original post. Winchester had the same issue and replaced the primers a offered to pay for rifle repair a couple years ago. At first the said they were not at fault and a post on this web sight showed several instance of the same thing. But I don't know how old the primers were. I guess I was hoping for the same outcome. It might have been on a different shooting site that had the post about the Winchester primers, I don't remember.

 

[Frog4aday]

I keep the ammonia and copper cleaning solvents far away from my reload room, so hopefully I'm okay. Never thought about the fumes doing damage over a long period of time. Seems a stretch but perhaps possible. Sorry your bolt face got fried. I'm glad you are okay and the rifle is still usable. Thanks for your post. Always something interesting on this forum.