Need help with case issues

[ngnrd]

I'm just getting into reloading and I have some questions about some of my brass. I have been saving my empties for a while in anticipation that one day I would start loading my own. At this point I have about 100 Remington and Federal cases, along with a few Winchester. I got a tumbler for Christmas, so I thought I would go ahead and clean 'em all up and start prepping for reloading.

But, as I was wiping off the corn cob dust and giving each of them a good inspection, I found a couple of things I wasn't expecting. (Bear in mind that these are all factory loads fired in my Remington 700, mostly premium varieties.) There are about a half dozen that (I think) show signs of overpressure. The primers have cratered and the brass has flowed into the ejector hole. I've only found these particular issues on the Federal cases, not on the Rem or Win cases.

Also, about a third of each of the brands have bulges in the bodies near the heads. Most of these bulges are about a third to halfway around the cases, but some are all the way around. Is this a sign of a "loose" chamber?

So, the questions...
Is there something wrong with my rifle that I should get checked out?
And, are these shells safe to reload, or should they be culled?

I hope the pictures post OK...

EDIT: Not that it should make any difference, but this is a .270 WIN (in case somebody can't see the pics).

 

[243winxb]

Remington Cratering

[/URL][/IMG] Not a true pressure sign. Reload left, factory on the right. Reply from Remington. "The cratering you are experiencing is from a design* in the bolt face, it does not effect any thing in a negative way it is a worry to some because it makes it difficult to read your primers for reloaders. With this said Remington will replace your bolt, follow the instuctions on the web-site for sending your whole gun to us for repair" I love the way Remington uses the word "design"* instead of "defect" lol. The bulge in the case body is normal for a sloppy factory chamber with a factory maximum loading. Head is showing pressure. http://remington.custhelp.com/

 

[chasw44]

N: Factory loads are about as hot as you can safely get, since buyers want maximum velocity and range. Reloaders, on the other hand, are generally striving for accuracy and will avoid maximum loads on those grounds.

Primer signs are one indication of pressure, the other is your chronograph. By measuring the velocity of a loaded round, in the context of published data about that powder and bullet combination, you can avoid the maximum velocity and pressure. As already mentioned, your rifle may be contributing to the cratering due to a loose fit of the tip in its orfice.

Personally, I look for flattening of primers rather than cratering around the firing pin. By the time cratering becomes significant, the rest of the primer will be completely flattened against the bolt face. Low pressure loads will leave the primers almost as rounded at the edges as when they were first pressed into place. You will notice that fired factory loads often show this very flattened primer sign. - CW

 

[The Bushmaster]

The "bulge" does not look like a problem and will iron out when you resize them.

Every one seems to be looking at the primers on your cases and are missing the extracter port mark on the case rim. That is a pressure sign and should be looked into.

 

[243winxb]

Mark left by the hole when the ejector sits-High Pressure Sign

missing the extracter port mark

I didnt miss it

Head is showing pressure.

and its an ejector plunger hole mark. Thank you for pointing it out Bushmaster.

 

[68wj]

@243winxb: Were those factory loads?

 

[243winxb]

Hand loaded, photo was posted here on THR if i remember correctly. Not my brass.

 

[ngnrd]

So, a sloppy chamber, Remington's firing pin design, and hot factory loads have combined in my rifle to show false(?) overpressure signs. I suppose I can live with that.

But, these answers bring more questions. First, since I'm only set up for neck-sizing at this point, should I set the bulged cases aside until I can FL resize? Or can I consider these to be "fire-formed" to my chamber and use them as-is? And second, should I cull the cases that have flowed brass into the ejector hole? Or are they usable?

 

[243winxb]

should I set the bulged cases aside until I can FL resize?

No, they should chamber. Only way to know is run them thru the action. Soon or later you have to full length resize.

should I cull the cases that have flowed brass into the ejector hole? Or are they usable?

The brass is usable. Case life may be short as the factory loading was as hot as they get. If an overload, the primer pockets would have expanded.

 

[Walkalong]

Every one seems to be looking at the primers on your cases and are missing the extracter port mark on the case rim. That is a pressure sign and should be looked into.

Yep, that is a real sign of pressure, and much more reliable than primers. Could be soft brass though. They are probably OK. Check inside for signs of case head separation using feelers of some sort.

 

[243winxb]

Ammo Recall ?

Possible Ammo Recall?? A quick google found this. http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:zlQKbqzN_ZgJ:www.gunsite.co.za/forums/showthread.php%3F2540-Comment-please-apparent-.270-Win-PMP-ammo-recall+270+ammo+recall&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us Recalls have happened before. You should do more research. Dont reload any brass that has been recalled. More recall here, quick look, i dont see 270 ? http://www.firearmsid.com/Recalls/Ammo_Recalls%201.htm

 

[Fixxah]

Case head seperation is not a good thing. Toss that brass and don't look back.

The primers might be made of real soft metal.