Flash Hole in primer pocket Not centered
- Thread starter BGD
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Potatohead
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- Mar 9, 2013
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Ive got one of those to, that I kicked aside. Anxious to see what everyone says.
Reloadron
Contributing Member
Does it matter? Yes. Can it cause an accuracy problem? Yes. The question becomes how much it matters and how much of an accuracy problem. The serious bench rest reloaders will actually use a pin gauge to check flash hole diameter and many will ream the flash holes looking for perfect uniformity.
I don't see where an off center flash hole matters much for the average shooter using an average rifle. I doubt it will matter enough to notice. That being as long as the powder charge gets a uniform ignition. So while an off center flash hole will induce some small error I don't believe that small error will come in light of the cartridge's intended use. Long as the primer anvil sits correctly and the primer detonates the cartridge will go bang.
Ron
I don't see where an off center flash hole matters much for the average shooter using an average rifle. I doubt it will matter enough to notice. That being as long as the powder charge gets a uniform ignition. So while an off center flash hole will induce some small error I don't believe that small error will come in light of the cartridge's intended use. Long as the primer anvil sits correctly and the primer detonates the cartridge will go bang.
Ron
ArchAngelCD
Member.
IMO it doesn't matter when shot from an AR style rifle.
Arkansas Paul
Member
If you mostly plink, don't worry about it. Load, shoot, repeat.
If you shoot competitively you may want to keep it separate.
I would do this from a standpoint of it just making me feel better. I'd be hard pressed to think it would matter for the vast majority of us.
If you shoot competitively you may want to keep it separate.
I would do this from a standpoint of it just making me feel better. I'd be hard pressed to think it would matter for the vast majority of us.
WestKentucky
Member
Depending on how far off center it might bend or break a primer punch pin. If it's just a few then dump them, if it's a bunch you make a bigger judgement call.
phonejack
Member
My son broke a decapping pin when was resizing some range brass (.223) he had picked up. Turned out it was all Fiochhi and there were several more with off center holes.
Do a "blind test" load some with the offset flash hole and some with normal. But do not know which is which (mark the bottom and let someone else load) see if there is a difference. If you know which one it is, the Psychological factor kicks in.
FROGO207
Member
If you are loading average rounds for shooting at 100 YDS out of a stock rifle I would worry more about breaking a decapping pin than any accuracy issues.
Your post question suggests this. As stated above if you are shooting through a precision rifle at 1000 YD bench rest targets then the things you need to do to make uniform ammo would cause you to scrap them I bet. I would load and shoot a sample batch while working up a load with them and if the accuracy is good and you do not break your die then use them up. YMMV
Your post question suggests this. As stated above if you are shooting through a precision rifle at 1000 YD bench rest targets then the things you need to do to make uniform ammo would cause you to scrap them I bet. I would load and shoot a sample batch while working up a load with them and if the accuracy is good and you do not break your die then use them up. YMMV
Steelworker
Member
Fiocchi perhaps? I had some like that also. Never bothered to reload them after I saw how offcenter the flash hole was.
Dudedog
Contributing Member
I had some really bad ones. Broke a decap pin. See here
pics here
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=748343
pics here
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=748343
I went by to visit Pat in Ohio, he had new 30/06 pull down LC Match cases. The flash hole was not centered. I purchased a few like 1,000, thinking I was in the category if high volume buyer I called another reloader and ask him if he will interested, with sight unseen he said no. After I got home he came over and wished he had purchased a few.
I called Pat, he made us a deal and the shipping was cheaper than driving 800 miles back to Ohio, I could have split the 1,000 with him, instead we ordered an additions 2,000. There is nothing like using new cases when case forming, every task behaves as it was designed to.
there is a long ago and forgotten article about a shooter/reloader that purchased 500 cases from one manufacturer, he culled, shot and sorted and sorted and shot again, then he indexed the cases in the chamber etc.. He settled on 47 cases, prep, load and shoot, other cases were as accurate but he had to index etc. the case in the chamber.
F. Guffey
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Grumulkin
Member
I have some CMP military ammo; I would say at least a third have off center flash holes which I discard. I don't know that it makes a difference though accuracy wise. The worse I've seen was some new 222 brass I bought years ago. As I recall, 3 or 4 out of 100 had off center flash holes and one was so far off I doubt a primer could have ignited the primer.
Dudedog
Contributing Member
Even the ones I posted a picture of (range brass) fired the first time (aparently). I tossed the worst ones because I did not want to worry about ruining another decap pin. So if they decap ok I would say you are good to go. Probably not as accurate as centered ones but probably not enough to make a big difference IMO.
MI2600
Member
I've just been in the process of converting a batch of fired 5.56 into 7.63X25 and observed a flash hole waaay off. I then checked the rest of mixed head stamps. I found about 40-50% of the "MPA" brass was from slightly off center to over near the edge of the pocket.
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