Author Topic: 300-221 PROBLEMS (Read 445 times)

patw · « **on:** May 23, 2005, 02:15:48 PM »

Just came back from the range where I tried my new 300-221 upper receiver on an AR15. Lots of fun, but in five out of 15 shots, the primer came out during shooting. I found out when a primer jammed the rifle mechanism.
I was using 18 grains of H110 with a 150 grain bullet, and CCI 400 small rifle primers. I bought the brass ready-made some time ago, don't remember exactly where, but it is Federall brass. If this is any help, I also had some loads of 9 grains of Unique with the 150 grain bullets and one out of ten lost its primer, and that load was not even strong enough to cycle the rifle. This is my first try at reloading for a semiauto, any thoughts?

ricciardelli · « **Reply #1 on:** May 23, 2005, 05:27:49 PM »

Sounds to me like whoever prepped your brass got a little carried-away with reaming the primer pockets.

Nobade · « **Reply #2 on:** May 24, 2005, 02:05:25 AM »

Are the primers loose in the fired cases? If so, you've wrecked your cases. Federal brass seems to be pretty soft stuff, I never have gotten much life out of it before primers come loose using loads that work fine in other brands. If many of them are loose you probably want to dump the whole lot of them and start over with some Rem .221 cases.

Questor · « **Reply #3 on:** May 24, 2005, 10:59:02 AM »

I didn't know that Federal ever loaded 221 fireball. I wonder if it was just one lot of brass some time in the distant past.

patw · « **Reply #4 on:** May 24, 2005, 04:07:27 PM »

I should have mentionned that the brass was made from Federal 223 brass. You guys hit it on the head though. I went back to the shells that still had primers, an on some of them I could push the primers out by hand, so it must have been a loose primer pocket. I was discussing the problem with a friend, he said that he had the same problem with CCI primers, but that another brand seated tighter and eliminated the problem, so I may try that. I hate to have to toss a couple hundred empties, but I would rather do that than have primers flying out. Thanks again for the input.

patw · « **Reply #5 on:** June 10, 2005, 04:34:52 PM »

I got some new Remington 221 Fireball brass, sized it and reloaded it. I went out to the range, and blew out primers again. Lost primers of about a quarter of the shell with CCI primers, none out of the ones loaded with another brand of primers. So, it appears I will be not be reloading the 300-221 with CCI primers anymore.

patw · « **Reply #6 on:** June 18, 2005, 02:48:27 AM »

I just awarded myself the dumba$$ award. While I was blaming the brass I overlooked the evident. I was reloading and noticed that the primers were flattened and the headtamps had marks. Took out the micrometer, and found some serious case head expansion. Looks like those loads were WAY too hot for my rifle. Looking back, I can see not just one, but several mistakes I made. When reloading for the contender, I always start low, work my way up and check each shell as I take it out. With the AR, I made one batch, and then I just sat there pulling the trigger, blasting away and having a good time. When I found problem, I blamed the wrong thing.
Live and learn, I'm just glad I didnt blow my dumb head off.