Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Pulling Rounds-- Then what?

I had my first pressure sign the other day, a deeply dented primer on some .223. I was below MAX, but I'm not going to argue. God does not give clearer messages than that one. 23 years of loading without a pressure sign-- I guess that deserves a pat on my own back.

I have a Hornady bullet puller that I've used a few times before. I ordered the .223 collet. It's due today.

My question is this: after I've pulled the bullet and poured out the powder, what should I do?

My guess is neck size without decapping and reload with less powder.

yep, its that easy.

Looks like you have it covered. Some people would say you don't have to neck size them but I would.

Same here. I would reset the necks.

Cool. Many thanks. I always like to check things with y'all, even though it sometimes seems a bit silly. It beats losing your face.

Shaman, you have probably already thought about this, but make sure no powder granules are stuck in the case.

As others have already said, you will be doing it correctly.

Reminds me of a time when I was visiting my father and went to the rifle range. This was in Hilton NY.

Old Eddie was there shooting a 30/06 Model 1903 Springfield he had sporterized equipped with lyman sights. Every week he would put together a different load and shoot at a 200 yds. I was a bench away and realized he was tapping his bolt handle open after each shot with a brass hammer! I said to Eddie: "those rounds appear to be a bit hot!". He says: "oh yea, I have 12 more to go." I moved far away from him, wishing he had instead decided to go home and pull those rounds.

I have always been conservative -- OKAY, even I'll call it what it is: lily-livered-- in my loadings.

I started off with reduced-recoil 30-06 loads 23 years ago, and that set the pattern: I usually start with the MIN load, get a good group, and just stay there. They kill deer, so why bother with the fuss of higher velocities?

It has been only recently that I've started to wander from that path. Part of it is that I didn't want to put my anatomy at risk, but a good part of it has been a perverse view of rifle history. 308 WIN works great on animals, so why not download 30-06 to 308 WIN levels and save wear and tear on everything. The benefit has been less wear and tear on the whole system, less recoil, and damn good accuracy.

I have a 25-06 that shoots like a hot 257 Roberts
I have a 30-06 that shoots like a 308 WIN
I have a 308 WIN that shoots more like a hot 300 Savage
I have a 35 Whelen that used to shoot at 358 Winchester levels, and now I'm going to give it a try at hot 35 Rem loads.

This last batch was .223 REM 75 grain Hornady BTSPs, and TAC. Everyone said TAC worked best when it was up close to the MAX, so that's what I did. I started below the MAX, but obviously not far enough. I got over 50 FPS over the max velocity on that second round, but it the primer showed I'd gone too far. This is for a Ruger American Predator that I'm trying to wring as much accuracy out of as possible. There is no sense in pushing it just to make holes on paper at 100 yards.

The only project that's gone completely in the other direction has been my 7mm-08. I got that in a bit of a rush several years ago and used it close-in with 139 grain Hornady SPs over Varget. The velocity was down below 2700 and the accuracy was fine for a rifle used inside 100 yards, but nothing better. In this last trip to the range, I tried StaBall 6.5 instead and shot under 1" with a load 2% off MAX and 98% MAX velocity. I boosted the velocity by 200 fps over the Varget load. I'm impressed with both StaBall 6.5 and myself.

"My guess is neck size without decapping and reload with less powder."

I've been doing it that way for years.
PJ

While someone said, yep, that's about it. I'll go even further and say: Nope, that is not about it. If it were me I'd assess the primer. Are you using a CCI400 when maybe you should be using a CCI450? If in fact you are below max, as you stated it could be as simple as changing out the primer. If you are already running magnum primers, scratch what I said.

Do you know why it's showing pressure at that load?

Could be as simple as seating the bullet to get off the lands.

My father loaded some .243W with what should have been a mild load, and blew a primer. I looked at his load, had him verify which powder was on the bench, etc. Measured his cartridge, just a little long by the book so asked him how he decided on his seating depth. His answer wasn't very clear, so I seated a bullet in empty brass, and used that to determine his length to the lands.

His loaded ammo was longer.

The seating is well off the lands. The primers are CCI small rifle.

What makes you think that a deeply dented primer is a sign of excess pressure?

Because it is all but pierced, and I've fired gobs of rounds through that rifle and only seen a normal dent. I'll shoot a pic when I get back to the bench-- probably tomorrow.

Is it dented strictly inward or is there a raised edge, like a little volcanic crater?

Had a similar experience the other day with a load that has never had a problem in the past. Difference was a new batch of CCI 400 primers. I did exactly what BSA suggested and switched to 450’s and the problem went away. I believe the cup is awfully soft on the 400’s.

I believe the 400 cup is thinner.

And it's hot outside. When were the loads initially concocted? Lots of potential issues here, and without more description/information it's difficult to make an intelligent assessment.

Yep, it sure is. Last year, I had an issue with a new to me 204 Ruger. It did not like my usual CCI400's, so I switched to 450's and the problem went away. On the CCI400 primers, they were highly cratered and one even looked like it was almost pierced. Too close for my comfort. Like I said, I don't know what primer the OP is using, but that would be the first thing I'd look at and change, if he's using a small rifle primer like the CCI400.

I also can confirm the primer is pierced. I can blow through the neck and air comes out the other side.


You made me go down to the Shamanic Secret Underground Reloading Facility before finishing my first cup of coffee to get this picture:



That's not a good thing. Ed, the guard, drinks way too much coffee, and he's wired like a spring. Surprising him is not a good idea. Besides, if I go down before the alligator has been properly fed, he keeps throwing himself against the bottom of the trapdoor and makes a horrible noise.