Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Problem ...yes or no

Just loaded fifty 222's using virgin Rem cases, CCI small rifle primers and 50 gr Sierra bullets. After loading these, I noticed that the primers weren't seated completely (level) in the cases. They were just sticking out slightly, so I tried a few rounds in my rifle and the bolt closed over them without any problem. I then tried seating a few more primers in unloaded virgin cases and they wouldn't go all the way in either. I guessing the primer pockets in the cases are a bit smaller they they should be ? Anyway, I think the loaded rounds should be safe to shoot, but since this is the first time anything like this has happened to me, I thought I should get a few other opinions before actually trying them. TIA, Ben

They should be safe to shoot, but the primers may look pretty flattened after firing--which will not be due to excessive pressure, but the primers being "raised" a little bit.

Pull them and use primers that go all the way in... you dont want any going off when you close the bolt.

That's what would worry me. It's only 50, I'd pull 'em myself.

If closing the bolt on a raised primer is going to set the primer off, then how do we get away with seating a primer in the first place?

What John said

Just don't slam the bolt shut on them and you'll be fine. Reference what RR said above.

The only time I'd worry about a slightly raised primer would be with a semi-auto.

You probably have a little wiggle room anyway, unless your headspace is on the short side.

Thanks for the comments ... I guess I'll try them ... carefully. Ben

What Vic said.

Normal bolt-action chambering won't cause a primer to go off.

I would just go back to the press and try to seat the primers all the way. You don't have to pull them for that. Use appropriate caution of course.

If the rounds with raised primers do chamber, that indicates you're bumping shoulders back too far on your brass and creating excess headspace. Measuring shoulder bump and adjusting the sizing die appropriately will let your brass live longer, and will prevent showing false pressure signs.

I had some Sellior and Bellot .308 cases that had slightly shallow primer pockets. Every primer seated was raised slightly, enough to feel with my thumb.

They shot fine.

He's using virgin brass at this point.

I had a primer go off when I was loading 44 mag shells , they were too high and I was bumping them down even with the back of the case. and one fired. no harm was done as it only had the primer in it . I removed all the ones I had the primers in and put the proper primers in them.. anyone that would try to reseat a loaded shell primer is plain nuts. me and a friend used to load about 400 44 mag shell a week as we used revolvers to hunt with for several years..

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OK, but that doesn't necessarily mean unsized. Plenty of handloaders, myself included, size every case before loading even with new brass. But you're right, the factory new brass is likely to have the shoulders bumped back a bit more than necessary, so it may not be the OP's die setup at fault.

Either way, it's still an indication that headspace is likely excessive, unless the OP has very sensitive fingers and is noticing just a few thousandths protrusion.

No worries Ben. You'll be fine. Certain posts in this thread reminded me of my sig line. Not your post, but a couple of the responses. Cheers.

The firing pin will seat them.

I am a huge fan of the 222 Rem, that said Rem probably makes the worst brass for this chambering. You have 2 choices #1 get a primer pocket uniformer and fix the cases you have or #2 buy a box of Lapua brass and they will out last your barrel

Wait a minute! Do you want to rethink that? These are loaded rounds!

Do NOT try to reseat primers on loaded rounds!