Thread: .308 flattening primers

As others have said, those primers arent flat. When there is a little raised area around the primer ( when its gone bang the primer heats and flow back into the bolt face ) thats cratering and indicates it is time to look at the head space / load should.
Good on you for checking too BTW.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

it never fail to amaze me in this modern internet enlightened enviroment that folk who reload STILL DONT READ A MANUAL....... you have a load from a manual....most if not all have a start load and a maximum load....you ARE SUPPOSED to start low and work your way up....UNTILL you know rifle and what it likes/doesnt like.....nearly EVERY reloading manual will have two cautions in it
nearly every source of reloading data will have the same two warnings

data was safe in test rifle...all rifles are different
start low and work up.

a good example of this is my .270 Vs RUMPYs one....his loads would be fine in mine...my loads would quite likely blow his rifle up..... my rifle HAPPILY sits 2grns above maximum of most manuals.......his flattens primers and gets sticky bolt 1-2grns BELOW MAX....
his has short throat...mine has longthroat and what appears to be a loose barrel..both shoot sub moa and both kill animals.

Hey Micky Duck

Thanks for the input.

I have loaded from min to max load for 5 different projectiles for this rifle. I have cross referenced the ADI reloading manual with the projectile manufactures load data and also cross checked powder equivalents used in the projectile manufactures load data with the adi powder equivalents information.

It’s certainly not a lack of caution or reasearch that has prompted my question, I merely noticed that my primers were a bit flatter with these loads than the 42.5gr of 2206h that was behind the 165gr loads I was making for my rem 700 .308

I’ve also had no sticky bolt lifts with this load, only when I have previously neck sized instead of FL sized.

Thanks for the input from everyone. I’ve settled on a load that will do the job for me.

Strider

Originally Posted by Strider B

I have a neck sizing die for .308 so I might try a few loads with that, I found that last time I use it some of the rounds were a bit hard to chamber.

One thing to watch when neck sizing is that you only size 3/4 of the case neck. If the die touches the neck you can bulge the shoulder and the round will chamber hard if at all. Even with that you will get only two maybe three reloads until you need to full length size in the .308 case. More tapered cases like the 6.5 x 55 are generally better with minimal full length sizing. Primers usually look wonderful with neck sizing but the same load may look flattened in a full length sized case. You just need to find a process that suits you.
Regards Grandpamac.

My 22" 308 Montana is doing similar with 168gn LRABs (see post) Fed match primers...just under 2750 fps. I find Fed primers a little softer than CCI I normally use. I have sometimes used Fed primers cos they are 1 thou larger than my CCI and go better in brass where the primer pocket is just starting to be loose.