Excessive pressure?

[Jason277]

So I’m newer to reloading. I have only shot new brass so far and saving my used brass to tumble etc… any way, im shooting 6.5 cm ( don’t laugh) 143 eldx with 40.2- 40.6 gn . When I got home I noticed that most all the primers were flat . The max load is 41.5 ….? Look at the right . What you guys think ? Thank you in advance Jason

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

I’m not even having fun till my primers are flat.

How’s your bolt lift feel?

 

[Don Fischer]

So I’m newer to reloading. I have only shot new brass so far and saving my used brass to tumble etc… any way, im shooting 6.5 cm ( don’t laugh) 143 eldx with 40.2- 40.6 gn . When I got home I noticed that most all the primers were flat . The max load is 41.5 ….? Look at the right . What you guys think ? Thank you in advance Jason

I would not call those primer's flat, other's would. See the ring around them where they meat the case, way to much pressure will push the primer flat to that edge. Pay attention to what the manual is telling you and stick to it till you learn a lot more. I do load over the manual sometimes but I've also been reloading about 55yrs now. Have a real good idea what pressure might look like and where it might come from. Tell you something I'd bet you don't know, the flatting you see on those two cases could be no more than soft primer cups. My advice to all new loaders is to follow what the manual your using tells you exactly. You could still blow up a rifle but it won't be because of bad info from the book.

 

[pbroski]

Which powder are you using? What's the barrel length? What are the velocities?

 

[Jason277]

I’m not even having fun till my primers are flat.

How’s your bolt lift feel?

Bolt lift is normal .

 

[Jason277]

Which powder are you using? What's the barrel length? What are the velocities?

H4350 24 “ barrel + 7” TB can velocities 2663-2689

 

[pbroski]

H4350 24 “ barrel + 7” TB can velocities 2663-2689

There is no ejector smear on the brass, no heavy bot lift, no cratering on the primer, and your velocities are where they should be for the powder charge. I think you're safe to use that load. Have fun.

 

[SDHNTR]

How far are you bumping shoulders back? Or if new brass, what’s the delta between the shoulder length of fired brass vs new?

An overly short case can slam back against the bolt face flattening primers even in the absence of pressure.

 

[Vern400]

I agree with sdhntr. Excessive remaining Case lube (any) or cramming your headspace all the way back can cause the cartridge to grip the chamber when it develops pressure and then stretch rearward. That can flatten primers and several other bad things.

I do not allow my primers to flatten much. Your left side photo looks normal, your right side photo is flattened. What I look for is the radius around the edge of the primer will be slightly smaller and sharper as I am approaching a maximum pressure load for whatever reason.

I do allow a little bit of deformation of the primers but I absolutely do not let the primer fill up the entire chamfer and be flat with the case head. When that chamfer on the case head fills up with primer, that's a bad thing.

Hope you get it sorted out! There are a lot of hand loaders that push pressures pretty high. So you get varying answers. I personally would not be afraid to shoot a few of those cartridges at the right. Only with a darn good reason. But I absolutely would not load anymore of them. I put thousands of rounds down range, and you can't see metal fatigue. And I have seen a gun blow up. I don't want to be holding it.

 

[Jason277]

I have only used new brass so far and I seat the bullet to the same as factory currently I haven’t started playing with seating depth . I’m leaning towards a carbon ring ….

 

[kevingm1987]

What primer?

 

[Jason277]

What primer?

Federal N0. 210

 

[The_Whitetail_Kid]

I go more by ejector marks and heavy bolt lift

 

[Jason277]

I go more by ejector marks and heavy bolt lift

Neither one of those but the primer just doesn’t bode well with me like that one on the right .

 

[pbroski]

I have only used new brass so far and I seat the bullet to the same as factory currently I haven’t started playing with seating depth . I’m leaning towards a carbon ring ….

How tight is the case mouth on the case in question?
Will a bullet slide in easily, or do you have to force it in?

 

[Jason277]

Definitely doesn’t feel like I’m forcing it .

 

[Mike D Texas]

Pffftttt. Those are rookie velocities.

I see nothing that would prevent ME from raising the charge even higher. YMMV. We run my buddies Bergara 6.5CM at 42.6 grains of H4350 at 2760’ish in a 22” barrel. Still has a 2 finger bolt lift.


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[Jason277]

Pffftttt. Those are rookie velocities.

I see nothing that would prevent ME from raising the charge even higher. YMMV. We run my buddies Bergara 6.5CM at 42.6 grains of H4350 at 2760’ish in a 22” barrel. Still has a 2 finger bolt lift.


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Rookie, that would be me ! Ha!

 

[pbroski]

Definitely doesn’t feel like I’m forcing it .

No carbon ring, then. It wouldn't hurt to clean the neck area of the chamber anyway though.

I don't think you have excess pressure. High pressure equals high velocity, and you don't have that. The velocities are normal. The other signs of high pressure are also not there. Don't worry. You aren't going to blow up your gun. Keep shooting man, but keep an eye on things as you go in case something changes.

 

[Jason277]

No carbon ring, then. It wouldn't hurt to clean the neck area of the chamber anyway though.

I don't think you have excess pressure. High pressure equals high velocity, and you don't have that. The velocities are normal. The other signs of high pressure are also not there. Don't worry. You aren't going to blow up your gun. Keep shooting man, but keep an eye on things as you go in case something changes.

Copy , I’m going to give it a good chamber cleaning and see what transpires. Will see!