A friend has been getting strange primer piercing that surprised me. They are not piercing where the pin is hitting them, this I've seen, but at the edge of the primer. The primers don't seem terribly flat or anything like that, but the ammo was loaded in a cooler climate. The cases aren't decapping themselves either. Just this little hole, at the edge of the primer. Any ideas? Bad batch of primers?

If it is happening at the same place on the bolt face check for a divot.
If it varies in location it is bad primers.

I have to agree that it is probably a bad batch of primers.

This was a long time ago, but I bought brick of Remington 9 1/2 Large Rifle primers once that pierced on the sides with quite mild loads.

Remington replaced them.

I'd check the firing pin for a burr or rough edge.

Thanks for the replies.

Rapid, it's piercing off to the side. That's what is confusing. So it shouldn't be the firing pin.

SR, a divot, a dent? Not a proud spot? I did inspect his bolt face and there was a rough patch but yes, a slight indentation. I figured the primers had burnt it.

enlarged primer pockets will do this too.

Thank you. I thought about that but discounted it as the guy said that the primers seated with "normal" pressure. But that is a thought.

Any chance they are large pistol primers which are generally made of softer material for lighter pin blows?

What primers, what cartridge?

Not my rifle,but 300 Win Mag. I was told Fed215s.

Gas leaking between the primer & case. Or a defective primer that will do this even at mid to low pressure. Hade some 9 1/2 Rem that did it to me. See more photos here >photos

quote:

Originally posted by 243winxb:
Gas leaking between the primer & case. Or a defective primer that will do this even at mid to low pressure. Hade some 9 1/2 Rem that did it to me. See more photos here >photos

That's ugly on the bolt face, permanent or just wipe off?

Thanks guys. That's it.

Bolt face was slightly pitted... after only 3 or 4 of these.