Olliesims Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 Been zeroing in my new rifle and have noticed a difference in the strike on the primar on 2 different brands, Ppu and hornady I know hornady is a better ammo but was wonder about the difference? The hornady strikes normal so I know it's not the firing pin the Ppu strike hits out of the primar and is no longer a flat surface it petrudes from the casing, are they just dodgy primars? Most importantly Will it damage my rifle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy H Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 PPU are a bit on the hot side and the primer cup metal is softer than the Horniday allowing it to flow under pressure causing the cratering effect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olliesims Posted July 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 But this has no effect or possible damage to the gun? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 (edited) No its just an indication of the thickness of metal used in the primer. Some makes of primers are thinner/thicker than others. I wouldn't say Hornady is better ammo, it may be dearer but thats because of where it comes from and how it gets here. Edited July 15, 2012 by Vince Green Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olliesims Posted July 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 I've never seen it happen before so was just curious why for the price Ppu is worth the penny's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy H Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 If you were reloading and part way through a batch of the same make and lot of primers you noticed primer cratering ,It is an indication that something has changed resulting in high pressure , It could just be that it is a hot load and with increased temperatures in summer( If we get any) it's given it that little bit of extra oomph or that your powder measure/ scales may need looking at . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olliesims Posted July 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 I put 49 through it all of them had cratering on them is it something that isn't a problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy H Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 As long as you are not having any other pressure symptoms (hard extraction) you should be ok to use them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonathanL Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 Been zeroing in my new rifle and have noticed a difference in the strike on the primar on 2 different brands, Ppu and hornady I know hornady is a better ammo but was wonder about the difference? The hornady strikes normal so I know it's not the firing pin the Ppu strike hits out of the primar and is no longer a flat surface it petrudes from the casing, are they just dodgy primars? Most importantly Will it damage my rifle? It's probably just softer metal used in the PPU primers, I should think. It can sometimes be an indication of high pressure but the edges of the primer are still round and not squared off so it's probably not that. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 Its pressure. factory rounds are not imune from it. Maybee the round is contacting the rifling? maybee an over charge? maybee a number of things. Will it damage the rifle? perhaps it might, perhaps it might damage you so return them with the empies and get a full refund Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olliesims Posted July 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 Could over pressure through the cartridge cause zeroing problems? As in they would fly everywhere Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 Could over pressure through the cartridge cause zeroing problems? As in they would fly everywhere actually the hot stuff tends to shoot quite well at times, your zero issues from your other thead are nearly certain to be the scope IMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfection Posted July 16, 2012 Report Share Posted July 16, 2012 The only time i've seen primers like that was when i had some very old and really hot Russian machine gun ammunition.Every single primer had that crater effect. On yours the load might be too hot for that particular primer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coyotemaster Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 I would be a little leery of factory ammo that cratered primers--soft cup or not. It is an indication of high pressure from whatever cause. It is a short step from a cratered primer to a ruptured one and that can be dangerous and hard on the action. Very unusual in my experience in that caliber, factory .17 Rems will crater, but they are of a different stripe in many areas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olliesims Posted July 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 I think I'll give the Ppu a miss as I don't like what's happening with the primars in 80 rounds I've used of it now only 3 haven't cratered, I'll try the Remington sp as they should have more quality to them, the 53g v max was ok and didnt crater but at £22 a box I'm not to keen about using many for zeroing purposes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rem223 Posted July 21, 2012 Report Share Posted July 21, 2012 You will also notice there is no flattening of the primers at the edges and i would personally cetegorise the flattening you display there as quite alright. If you want to see a cratered primer, put a full lengh sized primed but unloaded round into your gun and fire it in a safe direction, the primer will more than likely be proud of the case but equally cratered in a very low pressure scenario. If i have time tonight, i will find some examples of cases showing various degrees of flattening and/or cratering and photograph them. You always find flat ones on 6.5-47 cases where the owners stereotypically flOg the knackers off the cartridge. x2 I suspect you have a poorly fitting firing pin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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