Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters MARCH column: Primer Flattening

I will attempt to add something useful.

Mule deer mentioned the movement of the primer in the case and while I know that to be true, I've never went about proving it until this morning when I was proving (to myself) that small pistol and small rifle primers are the same dimensionally.

ANYWAYS, I found this large rifle (probably a Federal #210) primer in the catch cup of my Bonanza CoAx. It shows (to me at least) definite movement and "riveting" from the case head (which must be harder brass than the primer cup)



If the image is not clear enough, I can retake the picture with a "real" camera and repost it.

Also: Would not the brass in primer cups, while of the same composition, be "softer" due to less work hardening during manufacture?

RJ