Enlarged flash holes

21 May 2003, 10:32

Strange things are happening to my flash holes. I am using Lapua brass in both .243 and 6.5x55Swe. All cases are fully prepped with flash holes and primer pockets uniformed. Loads are not showing any signs of excess pressure. Now the problem. I first noticed in the .243 that the f'holes on some of the fired cases were enlarged eliptically and others were hexagonal. Having been using H414 and Magnum primers I thought it must have been the over hot primers. I stopped playing and went back to the trusty old Swede with a new batch of brass, so I prepped 20 cases and after only 2 firings I was back to ragged flash holes, but this time in nearly every case. This problem has only happened since I bought and used the primer pocket uniformer. Someone on this site said he used his primer pocket uniformer to clean the pockets after every firing, so i have been doing this by hand and removing a little brass every time. I am wondering whether the base of the Lapua case is so thin that I have weakened it to the extent that it is eroding with the heat of the primer? Has anyone had this happen to them? Oh, and before anyone says stop uniforming the pockets, I have decided to do that as it hasn't made a blind bit of difference, apart from wasting 30 cases and giving me cramp in the hand [Frown]

Hoping someone can help.

21 May 2003, 12:15

Bigdaddytacp

quote:
Originally posted by polecat:
Strange things are happening to my flash holes. I am using Lapua brass in both .243 and 6.5x55Swe. All cases are fully prepped with flash holes and primer pockets uniformed. Loads are not showing any signs of excess pressure. Now the problem. I first noticed in the .243 that the f'holes on some of the fired cases were enlarged eliptically and others were hexagonal. Having been using H414 and Magnum primers I thought it must have been the over hot primers. I stopped playing and went back to the trusty old Swede with a new batch of brass, so I prepped 20 cases and after only 2 firings I was back to ragged flash holes, but this time in nearly every case. This problem has only happened since I bought and used the primer pocket uniformer. Someone on this site said he used his primer pocket uniformer to clean the pockets after every firing, so i have been doing this by hand and removing a little brass every time. I am wondering whether the base of the Lapua case is so thin that I have weakened it to the extent that it is eroding with the heat of the primer? Has anyone had this happen to them? Oh, and before anyone says stop uniforming the pockets, I have decided to do that as it hasn't made a blind bit of difference, apart from wasting 30 cases and giving me cramp in the hand
Hoping someone can help.

...I haven't seen or had this problem.....BUT SOME uniformers are adjustable and might be cutting the pockets too deep and making the case thin in the flashhole esp. if you also uniform and deburr the flashhole.....if you cut too much on the flashhole uniforming and make the cut/cone too deep the edges of the hole will be razor thin and then I could see the burning/flame cutting of the flashhole too thin edges......I have prepped many brands of brass this way but the Lapua, NOrma and some Sako cases need very little if any flashole work but some do benifit from the pocket uniforming....but mainly in a very accurate gun/load combo....good luck and good shooting-loading!!