Thread: Flat primers

Originally Posted by stevodog

Attachment 144115

at the range today with a new to me husky 6.5. Pretty mild starting load and Bullet neither cramping cartridge space nor jamming the lands. Easy bolt lift and extraction.
Figure the headspace is a little excessive. No sign of case head expansion/separation.

Something to watch out for. Rifle is off to gunsmith sometime for bedding and trigger job as well.

Greetings Stevodog,
Primers that look like that are common with 6.5 x 55 cases that are full length sized. A lot of the US dies set the shoulder back too far, even for commercial rifles, and the the flat edge is due to head space and nothing else. Primer appearance is practically useless in determining pressure. Velocity is a much more accurate measure.
Regards Grandpamac.

Originally Posted by grandpamac

Greetings Stevodog,
Primers that look like that are common with 6.5 x 55 cases that are full length sized. A lot of the US dies set the shoulder back too far, even for commercial rifles, and the the flat edge is due to head space and nothing else. Primer appearance is practically useless in determining pressure. Velocity is a much more accurate measure.
Regards Grandpamac.

yes, good to know. I was not concerned about pressure but rather headspacing. I can see how variations in chamber size can occur over 100years of cartridge history.
I have never seen a primer flat like that in any of my rifles and am satisfied its not dangerous. (No case head expansion).
Ill still get the gunny to check with gauges all the same