204 cratering

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Czhowa

Czhowa

Well-Known Member
Just finished work and thought I'd zero my new rifle. I'm new to small rifle primers and I'm just wondering at the cratering.
No flattening, no extractor swipe apparent, bolt lift was normal. Maybe its just a bigger gap around the firing pin than I'm used to.
Any thoughts?
Cheers
 

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Czhowa said:
Just finished work and thought I'd zero my new rifle. I'm new to small rifle primers and I'm just wondering at the cratering.
No flattening, no extractor swipe apparent, bolt lift was normal. Maybe its just a bigger gap around the firing pin than I'm used to.
Any thoughts?
Cheers
Click to expand...
Could be as yih say regarding the gap around the firing pin and a soft primer
 
I had the same problem when using CCI primers.
This was in a Howa 1500
First thought was firing pin problem but on another forum I was advised to change primers.
I changed to Federal and the problem disappeared.
Are you using CCI primers?
 
kal said:
I had the same problem when using CCI primers.
This was in a Howa 1500
First thought was firing pin problem but on another forum I was advised to change primers.
I changed to Federal and the problem disappeared.
Are you using CCI primers?
Click to expand...
I'm using federal but yeah its in a howa
 
I used Federal #205 to solve the problem
Others recommended CCI 400, BR4, Rem 7 1/2 and Fiocchi.
It seem it was a a common problem when I enquired about it, especially with Howas, so either try different, hopefully harder primers or change gun if it bothers you, it'll still work.
One of these types will work, it's just trial and error.
😉
 
I'm stuck with federal at the moment. Since mcavoys closed down I'm struggling to find a decent supplier locally.
I'll carry on for now, gun shoots great so I dont want to keep endlessly fiddling. Was more a curiosity than anything, I never had cratered lrp, even when I was running hot and flattening primers
 
My R700 .204 was the same but I have a semi custom Tikka 595 now a lot nicer quality made rifle.
The Fed 205m are a softer cup apparently.I've always used Rem 7.5 primers with Cci Br4 as a back up.
I take it your homeloading?
 
Yeah homeloading. Maybe it is just a soft cup like you say. Funny I never got cratering in my 243 howa, maybe srp feds are a thinner skin compared to the lrp feds. Either that or my bolt face isnt drilled as well on the 204
 
Change your primer of choice , see what occurs then! Then you know more . then check loads , any heavy bolt lifts, flattened primers or ejector marks showing - That's load need dropping down for sure
 
243/204 is like comparing tyres on a family salon to a racing car.
Suggest you read LH article on loading heavy bullets in .223 where primer cratoring is an issue. LH has done several excellent articles on primers which any serious reloader should read.
As several previous posts have stated it would appear you don't have an issue and you can't compare the results in one rifle make to another. My .204 is a rebarreled Savage. My .243 is a Howa. My .223 is built on a Remington action. I use Remmy 7.5s in the smaller 2 and CCI in the .243. Now no issues with primers.
D
 
Folk mention trying different primers, I'm wondering if I'm reading a post from 2 years back when we had a choice 🤔
You use what you can get or go without.

There are no concerns with the rounds loaded, maybe just maybe a slight rise in powder weight. But if its hitting the target why bother. Carry on loading and shoot.
 
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