EllieMae -- I am not too sure which dimension you are measuring or with what you are measuring it.<P>The case head and web portion is solid brass and doesn't expand very much and maybe not at all given the 47,000 psi operating pressure of the 300 Savage. If you are measuring the diameter of the case in front of the web, you are measuring the area of the case that is supposed to expand to seal the chamber.<P>I don't know how to explain this exactly, so try and bear with me. The solid web portion of the case extends for some distance up the case from the extraction groove. In front of this you should see an area of the fired case that is definitely larger in diameter. This is normal, and I stongly suspect that this is the diameter you are measuring.<P>If you go out to <A HREF="http://www.ammoloading.com" TARGET=_blank>www.ammoloading.com</A> and click on the Case Condition button and then scroll down to Head Separation, you will see a photograph of an '06 case that shows the normal expansion ring just in front of the solid web.<P>In any event, excess headspace will not result in the case increasing in diameter, but it will result in the case lengthening excessively in its head-to-shoulder dimension (i.e., the headspace dimension). Obviously, if your rifle does have somewhat excessive headspace, it is not enough to cause the head to separate, which is the danger of rifles with excessive headspace.<P>Full length resizing dies will generally not resize the web portion of the case but will resize the expanded portion back to between maximum and minimum cartridge dimensions depending upon the die dimensions and whatever tolerances it might have.<P>If you are taking the case measurements from a loading manual, be aware that these are almost always maximum case dimensions. Factory case dimensions are generally somewhat smaller than the maximum case dimensions.<P>After having written all this, I think you are wise to question the headspace of that rifle. Primers backing out of factory ammunition is an indication that the headspace might be excessive. If it were me, I would take the rifle to a good gunsmith and have it checked over thoroughly.
