Folks,

My uncle put me onto an old, mint box of Herter's large rifle primers. Anyone have experience with them? So far, I've used them sparingly in 30-06.

Using those primers, R22, and a 160 grain speer mag tip, I was simultaneously working up to a max load and breaking a new ruger barrel in. Seated ~.01 off the lands, I worked up to 67.5 grains - 2.5 over what alliant shows as max. Primer starting to flatten, extraction normal. Do I have a weird lot of R22?

Thanks,
Jerry

What was you're chronographed velocity? If you were getting more than 3100 fps, I'd say you're WAY over max. Don't blow that new rifle up, it's not worth the extra fps. I just found out that my 7mm Mag 160 gr. load with RL22 (63 grs.) is going 2730 fps. Did the deer, moose, and bear notice, I'm not sure.

If your primers are starting to flatten its time to back-off.Bolt lift doesn't tell you that much other than your WAY OVER if its stiff.

The only Herters primes I have used were some small pistol ones had misfire every other shot.

I've got some Herter's primers that are over 30 years old. They do as well as major manufacturer's primers made yesterday. Consistent and accurate.

Provided primers have been properly stored, they seem to have infinate useful life.

No comment on your load, except to note that RL 22 is famous for a substantial variation in burning rates between lots.

I don't know what your book says, but I load 66 RL22 in my 7Mag with 175 Nosler partitions. These are not too hot and chrono 2907 fps. These are used in Winchester cases- they'll take nearly a grain more to have the same velocity as a Remington case in 7 Rem Mag.