So, I have a question about the high-pressure steel-case concept in general. This question would apply to any caliber.
What about primers? Does the extra hoop strength in a steel case versus brass, help stop primers from blowing?
I have been shooting a 5.56 pressure (but well below predicted max in GRT, and my chrono results support that) load in my .223 and with one certain brand of primers (that is historically known for this, though it's irrelevant as they haven't been imported in over a decade) - Tula small rifles - I get 'blanking' every few shots. I discontinued their usage. Good news is, I have other primers; bad news is I have a good many of those TulaSR I will need to burn elsewhere, and I don't shoot those 'elsewhere' calibers much at all anymore.
But that highlights an issue - primers tend to be the weak link in ammo. An overpressure brass case load is likely to blow out a primer before it ruins a case, and of course if the primer pocket enlarges, there's nothing to stop the primer itself from rupturing.
All that to set up my question: Are our legacy primers strong enough to withstand 80kpsi when used in steel cases? Or does this new ammo indicate a need for a thicker cup or steel-cup primer? Is priming a steel cup primer into a steel casehead a safe exercise with conventional equipment? Or should we just expect to see primers flattened with no attendant problems to go with that?
I'm genuinely not asking to be critical. I just don't know the answer to these questions and don't remember seeing them discussed, though I'll admit I didn't read the entirety of every thread we've had.