Tikka 223: Pierced Primers and Firing Pin Size

[AZ Gator]

I just measured the firing pin of my 65CM bolt from the non-threaded days, 0.069”

I also just measured the firing pin from my month old 223 stainless with factory threads, 0.069”

 

[The Harbor Master]

Firing pin on my T3x blued Lite Compact (purchased March 2025) at 0.068"

Firing pin on my T3x SuperLite 7RM (purchased January 2022) at 0.068"

Gets some gnarly craters on Hornady Frontier 75gr HPBT... not going to shoot this again. 6 out of 20rds failed to fire / light strike.



I did shoot another 30rds of the BoneFrog 77 TMK. Some primers had a little crater, some didn't. No pierced primers thankfully, and no light strikes.



Not trying to derail the thread, I hope it's ok to ask since we are talking about .223 firing pins and primers... does anyone have insight as to why the Frontier would fail so bad, but BoneFrog is fine? Is Frontier loaded with a harder primer? I also had some FTF with Hornady Black 75gr and 73gr ELDm, albeit more like 1 in 20. Firing pin assembly and inside of bolt body are clean and free of lube/grease. Everything factory.

Maybe in my case BoneFrog using CCI400 works to my advantage?

 

[Tahoe1305]

Blued 20" muzzle threaded

Had same issue with my BF 77TMK and 20” blued.

 

[The Harbor Master]

Had same issue with my BF 77TMK and 20” blued.

Curious if you have the same "small" firing pin.

 

[Tahoe1305]

H

Curious if you have the same "small" firing pin.

Haven’t taken it apart to measure.

Only ammo down the pipe has been that bonefrog though. Piercing 1 in 5 or so. Sadly I haven’t thought much of it until I saw the post.

 

[Formidilosus]

Firing pin on my T3x blued Lite Compact (purchased March 2025) at 0.068"

Firing pin on my T3x SuperLite 7RM (purchased January 2022) at 0.068"

Gets some gnarly craters on Hornady Frontier 75gr HPBT... not going to shoot this again. 6 out of 20rds failed to fire / light strike.

View attachment 1028941

I did shoot another 30rds of the BoneFrog 77 TMK. Some primers had a little crater, some didn't. No pierced primers thankfully, and no light strikes.

View attachment 1028945

Not trying to derail the thread, I hope it's ok to ask since we are talking about .223 firing pins and primers... does anyone have insight as to why the Frontier would fail so bad, but BoneFrog is fine? Is Frontier loaded with a harder primer? I also had some FTF with Hornady Black 75gr and 73gr ELDm, albeit more like 1 in 20. Firing pin assembly and inside of bolt body are clean and free of lube/grease. Everything factory.

Maybe in my case BoneFrog using CCI400 works to my advantage?

Because Hornady frontier generally uses a mil primer. It happens in bolt guns with lots of different “5.56mm nato” ammo.


Why don’t care about slight cratering of a primer?

 

[The Harbor Master]

Because Hornady frontier generally uses a mil primer. It happens in bolt guns with lots of different “5.56mm nato” ammo.


Why don’t care about slight cratering of a primer?

Copy that, thanks. If you're asking why I care about the craters, I suppose I just assumed that deep cratering like that is "closer" to piercing a primer than just a normal dimple, but I may be wrong on that. I have always read it's less "desirable" so to speak, as it can indicate pressure issues, headspace issues, etc. But you know what happens when one assumes...

Doesn't bother me beyond that, though. If it goes bang instead of click with no problems, I'm happy.

 

[Formidilosus]

Copy that, thanks. If you're asking why I care about the craters, I suppose I just assumed that deep cratering like that is "closer" to piercing a primer than just a normal dimple, but I may be wrong on that. I have always read it's less "desirable" so to speak, as it can indicate pressure issues, headspace issues, etc. But you know what happens when one assumes...

Doesn't bother me beyond that, though. If it goes bang instead of click with no problems, I'm happy.

No, it doesn’t really matter. If you aren’t having issues, it’s not an issue.

 

[coast range]

Sorry for the slow response. I ordered my .223 end of January from euro. 20” blue factory thread pin is .685

 

[Pharmseller]

Mystery solved, those are inappropriate primers for 223, even moreso for 5.56, and cause problems all over the place.

I’ve used CCI400 in 7 different Tikka .223s since 2008 or so. No issues.

 

[BLJ]

I’ve used CCI400 in 7 different Tikka .223s since 2008 or so. No issues.

There’s always got to be that guy…………

 

[ResearchinStuff]

I’ve used CCI400 in 7 different Tikka .223s since 2008 or so. No issues.

Lean on them a bit and see what happens.

 

[Jimbee]

I’ve used CCI400 in 7 different Tikka .223s since 2008 or so. No issues.

I have a bunch of cci400 primers and I've been using them in 2 different Tikka 223s. No issues besides being flat all the time. I've probably went through 2k. I wouldn't buy them again but that's what was available a few years ago and I didn't know any better.

 

[Lawnboi]

I’ve used CCI400 in 7 different Tikka .223s since 2008 or so. No issues.

Wernt you just blowing primers with a crazy amount of tac last year?

400s can work. With others available I don’t see a reason to even mess with them. Even if your load is fine with them at the range, I want the thicker cup for when there’s moisture or debris in my chamber.

 

[Pharmseller]

Wernt you just blowing primers with a crazy amount of tac last year?

400s can work. With others available I don’t see a reason to even mess with them. Even if your load is fine with them at the range, I want the thicker cup for when there’s moisture or debris in my chamber.

Yeah, but that was totally operator error. Like, I don’t even want to say how much TAC stupid.

 

[Pharmseller]

Lean on them a bit and see what happens.

Max load Benchmark, 75 ELDM, 2915 fps mv is leaning all I need.

Same with max load Varget, 2927 fps mv.

 

[Castle Rock]

I’ve used CCI400 in 7 different Tikka .223s since 2008 or so. No issues.

You are telling lies

 

[Castle Rock]

CCI 400 and Rem 6.5 are intended for low intensity rounds like 22 hornet and 222.
Use an appropriate primer

 

[bpitcher]

Beretta CS closed my case again this morning without resolution.

I spent about 30 minutes on the phone with them last week ensuring that they understood what I was asking - "Was there is firing pin size change and if so, what is the correct part number for a replacement?" CS Representative acknowledged the pictures and size discrepancy.

Called them again after receiving the case closure email. More confusion...

Again tried to direct me to the "Universal" style firing pin. "We think that perhaps the 6.5CM has a different sized firing pin than the rest of the Tikka line up and we feel that the part number we have given you would likely be the best option." Reference: Part Number s5850155

This doesn't seem to make sense as several people here have measured their 223 firing pins at .068, which is the same as both of my 6.5s.

I am still thinking that there has been some sort of change in design as my rifle was confirmed to have been manufactured in January of this year.

Can someone with a non-6.5CM pin grab a measurement for me?