Anyone having a problem reloading LC10 brass?

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

Got a buddy who bought a batch of LC 10 brass. He removed the military crimp, loaded 55 grain bullets with a starting charge of H335 and is getting primers that are blowing out of the pocket on every shot. I double checked his crimp removing routine and he is not removing too much crimp, because that was my first thought. When he is seating the primers after removing the slightest amount of the crimp they are seating firmly and are not going in easily.

It is not a rifle issue because other brass reloaded to the same specs performs flawlessly. He is shooting an AR15.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

[rockshooter]

I would make sure that the bbl is stamped for 5.56, not .223. Then I would check the (unloaded) case length to make sure the brass is at the trim-to length. Lastly, I would drop a couple of grains under the starting charge he is presently using. The brass may be a little thicker since it is military. In general, I would rule out pressure as a factor.
Loren

[texassako]

Weigh one of the LC10s against the others he has fired. It would tell you pretty quick if it is thicker(heavier).

[bruce drake]

Always drop 10% when you are using military brass. it is heavier than commercial so it can be fired in an open bolt M249 machinegun.

[Multigunner]

Got a buddy who bought a batch of LC 10 brass. He removed the military crimp, loaded 55 grain bullets with a starting charge of H335 and is getting primers that are blowing out of the pocket on every shot. I double checked his crimp removing routine and he is not removing too much crimp, because that was my first thought. When he is seating the primers after removing the slightest amount of the crimp they are seating firmly and are not going in easily.

It is not a rifle issue because other brass reloaded to the same specs performs flawlessly. He is shooting an AR15.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

Maybe he isn't removing enough of the crimp and the cups are being swaged down undersized as they are forced pass the constriction.

[frkelly74]

I have had issues with an RCBS pocket swager swaging the pockets too big. I was putting too much pressure on the tool and getting loose pockets. A little is enough.

[phonejack]

If he is using Federal match primers, they have a nasty habit of falling out when used in autos. In the case of an AR, that means they fall down into the trigger group. I know !

[EDG]

Starting charge? Is he sure? Does he have a way to check his scale?
Does he have the wrong powder in the cannister? Something is fishy for every primer to blow.
Any chance the cases were annealed in the head?

[medalguy]

No, military brass is NOT necessarily heavier or thicker. This myth has been around for years and several studies have shown it to not be true. Sometimes it might be heavier or thicker but there's no hard and fast rule on this. Brass length should not be a factor either so I would look at the primer swaging or cutting first, then the primers being used. Federal brass is notoriously known to often be softer than other manufacturers, but again, there's no hard and fast rule here. Softer brass of course would expand the primer pocket quickly.

[scb]

If it's pressure the primers that have fallen out will be "flat", the radius on the face will no longer be there. Most likely a new primer will either drop in or seat very easily.