Primers stopped backing out.

idahoducker

Thought I'd try starting a new thread regarding the primers backing out in my Rem 722 in .257 Roberts.
Anyway, I switched to the factory ammo (Hornady) brass that I bought when I bought the gun and the problem is gone. So far anyway. I'm also not FL sizing it. Only tried four rounds so far but will do more this weekend including some with new Winchester brass. I'm pretty sure the Remington brass will be in next weeks trash. Thanks to everyone who really helped, you know who you are. I learned some good stuff.

For reference here's what went on with the Rem brass.
All primers were backing out .008 with any hand load from minimum charge to just under max. Didn't matter.
Tried a different primer. Didn't help.
Learned that I was probably over sizing the brass. Probably was but I tried backing the sizing die out in small increments up to a full turn of the die. Didn't help either.

JustC

remove the decapping assembly, and run the die down until it just makes contact with the shoulder, then reinstall decapping assembly. Try that and see if the problem persists. You can run a die way too far down and not really know it unless you are measuring with headspace guages etc.

Or,..leave the die as is,..and resize the new 1x fired brass, load a medium charge, and fire it. If the problem re-presents itself, then you know it is the die and not the brass.

sandwarrior

idahoducker,

What you had there sure sounded like a die problem not a brass problem. As noted by JustC run the die down and see where it hits on your brass. Make sure it only slides down on the neck to just above(like .001"-.005") where the neck meets the shoulder. Make sure the shoulder is not being resized if the die isn't going down all the way on it. It's a rare bird, but I have seen dies go out wrong. The wrong body reamer does the body for a given neck/caliber size. And, vice-versa. Sometimes, the die reamer gets run too deep or not deep enough. Anyhow, you need to do a little troubleshooting and elimination of the problem to decide what you're going to do with this set-up.

-good luck

idahoducker

30 rounds today. 24 new Winchester brass and 6 once fired Hornady. Primers were all flush. The Hornady's were with the same load I had in the Remington brass. Winchesters were work ups with a different bullet, primer and powder. Still waiting on the tools to measure head space but it appears the problem was the Rem. brass.

sandwarrior

idahoducker,

I just thought I would mention that in the .257R you should separate your brass. The +P(Win and Fed) usually runs around 185 gr. and standard Rem Brass is 170 gr. Meaning, your load may be too hot for the Rem brass. Hornady .257 Brass(light Mag) is running around 180 gr. I've found. I've reloaded for a lot of .257's and that is what I've found.

If you started low in Rem brass and worked up and it was doing it, then it has to be a die problem. The brass shouldn't just malfunction if it worked right the first times.