I posted here about my cousins reloads working just fine in his Ruger .270 but showed primer leaks in my Stevens. Wed. we got a repeat with some of my reloads. this time I blew a primer.

The extractor was moved far enough so the detent would not return it to position and the ejector was driven into the bolt face and jammed in place. The same thing happened with my 22-250 Stevens using a load that wasn't max in other rifles and not in this one with different brass the same day.

In testing components, as I do, and having blown a lot of primers I guess I've been conditioned not to be too concerned about damaging rifles with simple blown primers. The Savage design is a horse with different feathers. It will suffer damage under this happening.

I have 4 Stevens and 1 Savage which I really enjoy. I and all like me will have to file this feature in our memory banks and be more carefull.

I hope this embarassing expose has been of some help to someone roger

On the positive side; I was vigorously cleaning the bolt face on my Stevens .243 and slid the extracter blade to far. It an the .125" hard steel ball detent flew in different directions.

I found the extracter blade buried amoung 500 used primers in the trash can . Did not find the ball detent. A call to Savage got me the ball detent in 4 days at no charge. roger

quote:

Originally posted by bartsche:

In testing components, as I do, and having blown a lot of primers I guess I've been conditioned not to be too concerned about damaging rifles with simple blown primers.

Have you considered taking up knitting? JMO, Dutch.

Anyone who reloads should know that what works in one rifle probably won't work in another rifle, even of the same manufacturer. You have violated some of the basic reloading laws. Just thank God that you haven't injured yourself or someone else yet. You should probably consider using nothing but factory ammo. By the way, the Savage action is designed to handle blown primers and ruptured cases much better than a Remington or Ruger.

I went over pressure working a load on my Savage. The brass extruded into the ejector hole, but the primers held and looked only a little more flat than normal.

If you're seeing blown primers I'd suggest that something is wrong. I've never had a blown primer in a rifle, and only once in a hand gun (20 year old primers).

As Bob Hagel said in his book GAME LOADS & PRACTICAL BALLISTICS FOR THE AMERICAN HUNTER, "All rifles are individuals. What may prove to be a maximum load in one might be quite mild in another, and vice-versa."

It's the "And vice-versa" that jumps up and nips you in the butt......

quote:

Originally posted by Dutch:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by bartsche:


Have you considered taking up knitting? JMO, Dutch.

I would probably do some bodily harm to myself with those dull needles. roger

quote:

Originally posted by bowhuntrrl:
Just thank God .

I do every day ;that I made it to be 70 years old.

I buy into what you have to say except the the contrast in design between Ruger - Rem to Savage. My primer popping has proved otherwise. roger

quote:

Originally posted by LorenS:
I went over pressure working a load on my Savage. The brass extruded into the ejector hole, but the primers held and looked only a little more flat than normal.

If you're seeing blown primers I'd suggest that something is wrong. I've never had a blown primer in a rifle, and only once in a hand gun (20 year old primers).

Loren, when the case extruded into the ejector cavity did it jam the ejector into the bolt face? roger

Roger..have you ever checked headspace on the stevens you have?? I have a 300 win mag sav/stevens and it has an extra .030"!! I should probably get the barrel cranked down further. But, I simply have my sizing die set to match the chamber/brass initial growth. Ive gotten some scary fast loads with tsx bullets during load development with no damage to the gun or extractor. I sure like my stoney point headspace gauge for checking situations like this out.....is it possibly you have extra headspace contributing to the pressure problem.

quote:

Originally posted by kraky:
Roger..is it possibly you have extra headspace contributing to the pressure problem.

Maybe I missunderstand. Did you say .030" additional head space with a belted cartridge?

When shooting paper I usually size the cases so the bolts just snugly close. roger

.030" is correct. And according to my insert tool from Sinclair my "trim" length is way beyond Saami. I never have to trim a piece of brass for that gun.