Extruded primers safe to shoot?

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Fnusa

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I have some loads worked up for my .204 ruger that I have been having success with. Recently I picked up some CCI 400 primers to give them a try, and started getting slightly extruded primers. I tried getting a picture, but my phone would not focus. It's just barely enough to catch my fingernail. After doing some research, I think it is because CCI 400 primeres have a thinner cup, but I could not find anywhere whether or not it is ok to shoot them like that. I've got 20 loaded up, is it safe for me and my gun to shoot them?
Thanks
 
If you are talking about the primer not being below flush and protruding some, you may have problems. Whenever I had a primer like that, it was nearly always because I did not seat it properly. A properly seated primer will be below flush.

It is possible that they may not go bang when you want them to.
 
I don't think extruded is the right word. And linking that to CCI 400 primers having thinner cups only confuses what you're trying to say. This makes it unclear what the problem is.

Try your description again, or post a picture. Or search the web for a picture that matches your problem and post a link.
 
With high primers there is the possibility of a slam fire (ignition before the action is fully locked). To shoot them, close the bolt very slowly and gently. The 400 CCI primers should seat fully in the primer pocket. You may need to clean the primer pockets after each firing.

Or first try to seat the high primers with a little more pressure.
 
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Sorry, I guess that's not the right word... something like the attached picture
 

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Your photo makes it more confusing since it shows a .243 with a large primer rather than a .204 with small primer. Are there any indications of high pressure with the .243? The primer cup seems to be wrapping itself around the firing pin rather than a more normal primer indentation.
 
The OP is showing an example...
That said, it does show a degree excessive pressure for that primer/that firing pin channel
 
The primer in your example picture is what is called a "cratered primer".

This is quite different from an unfired primer not seated fully.

Are they safe to shoot?? well, you did, and the world didn't end, did it?
(sarcasm intentional)

What the cratered primer usually is, is a sign of high pressure, however, it can also be caused by an overlarge firing pin hole.

What I mean by high pressure is essentially this..
a degree excessive pressure for that primer/that firing pin channel
Click to expand...

this is usually, but not automatically overpressure compared to the standards. It is, however, overpressure for that particular load components. Primers vary, and a load that is normal looking with primer A COULD show pressure signs with primber B if B is made of a softer/thinner cup metal.

Back off the load (10%) and try again.
If you are shooting a load that didn't do this with a different primer brand, and only have 20rnds or so left, its unlikely the pressure is high enough to damage your gun, but DO check your already fired brass for case head expansion. Safest thing to do would be pull the bullets and reduce the powder charge.

I have shot rounds that did that, but I won't recommend it to anyone as being completely safe. I think it is, but I don't have your gun or your loads, so if you do shoot them, its all on you.
 
I read in an article or book, that cratered primers may have more to do with the firing pin striking force than with over pressure of ammo. Best action was to shoot factory round and compare the striker Marks to verify.
 
The OP didn't suggest improperly seated primers as someone else "interpreted" the post wrong. I read it as primers deformed on firing, and "extruded" may not be the perfect word, but I understood (cup material extruded into the firing pin hole, cup deformed when fired).

I'd double check the loads to make sure they weren't too hot and try another brand of primer. How do factory ammo primers look after firing?
 
get harder primers.
Some rifles and pistols have a little indentation around the firing pin hole.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
The OP didn't suggest improperly seated primers as someone else "interpreted" the post wrong. I read it as primers deformed on firing, and "extruded" may not be the perfect word, but I understood (cup material extruded into the firing pin hole, cup deformed when fired).

I'd double check the loads to make sure they weren't too hot and try another brand of primer. How do factory ammo primers look after firing?
Click to expand...

Read the title of his post. That gives the impression that asks "are they safe to shoot" which implies that they have NOT yet been shot. It is easy to reach your interpretation after he has posted a picture.
 
joeanybody said:
I read in an article or book, that cratered primers may have more to do with the firing pin striking force than with over pressure of ammo.
Click to expand...
Don't believe everything you read. If you can't find the same information in at least one or two other reliable sources, consider it suspect.
 
mikld said:
The OP didn't suggest improperly seated primers as someone else "interpreted" the post wrong. I read it as primers deformed on firing, and "extruded" may not be the perfect word, but I understood (cup material extruded into the firing pin hole, cup deformed when fired).
Click to expand...
Well, FWIW I'm a technical writer, and I interpreted the original post as indicating that he thought the primers had been incorrectly manufactured. This is why photos are important, as well as using correct terminology to describe problems.
 
"...have a thinner cup..." No they don't. CCI 400 primers are just small rifle primers. A cup is a cup.
If your primers are flattened like the one in your picture, we need the load you're using too. Conventional wisdom says that if you change any one component, you should work up the load again. If you're at or near max loads, you might have a pressure issue.
 
As Dufus points out, the OP wording suggests that the unfired rounds are suspect due to the primer condition (like high primer). High pressure is further suspected since the CCI primers used with the .204 rounds, assuming they are cratered like the .243 primers, have harder primer cups than most other primers.
 
Disagree. "Are these safe to shoot?" referring to primer condition of fired primers, means he already fired some and wanted to know if he can continue, safely with the load and remaining handloads. But, I'm not an English major , nor an engineer (thank God), just a life long machinist/mechanic that had to deal with engineers (having to explain what happens in real life :rolleyes:)...
 
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