does your encore give you cratered primers?

[thelaw]

just wondering if anyone else has experienced cratered primers with their encore? long story short, ever since i've started loading for my .260 encore i've been getting cratered primers. on most all of my loads i am between 1-2.5 grains below the listed max and still getting them. i' ve even switched primers. velocities out of my 26" foxridge barrel run about 2900fps with most of my loads. here is my info on one load that shoots good, but craters primers:

120gr. ballistic tip
44.5gr. H4350
Win. lr primer and fed. 210
Col 2.810"
vel. 2920fps.

on another board one member thought it could be too long of a firing pin or that the  firing pin is not getting back into the breech before the case hits the breechface when firing? any ideas?

[Redhawk1]

I have 5 Encore frames and different T/C barrels and none of them give me cratered primers. So I am no help to you.

[Grumulkin]

In my frames (Encore and Contender) as the pressure is pushed up, some cratering starts to occur; that lets me know to go no higher.

There is a slight gap in the receiver around the firing pin when the pin is down.  Metal extrusion into this gap is what causes cratering.  If there is more of a gap, you will get more cratering.  I suppose the hardness of the metal in the primers you're using could also be a factor.  I use pretty much CCI and Federal primers.

[PaulS]

just wondering if anyone else has experienced cratered primers with their encore? long story short, ever since i've started loading for my .260 encore i've been getting cratered primers. on most all of my loads i am between 1-2.5 grains below the listed max and still getting them. i' ve even switched primers. velocities out of my 26" foxridge barrel run about 2900fps with most of my loads. here is my info on one load that shoots good, but craters primers:

120gr. ballistic tip
44.5gr. H4350
Win. lr primer and fed. 210
Col 2.810"
vel. 2920fps.

on another board one member thought it could be too long of a firing pin or that the  firing pin is not getting back into the breech before the case hits the breechface when firing? any ideas?

thelaw,
Look very closely at your primers do they have a raised area around the firing pin hole or are they normal looking but with a pierced hole from the firing pin?
If they don't have a raised rim around the hole then you have pierced primers not cratered primers. I have seen this on a couple of the boards that I frequent from a number of shooters who are, like you, using "safe" loads but getting these holes in their primers. It seems to me that in most cases the firing pin hole at the breech doesn't seem to be oversized which rules out that reason but the firing pin is sharper than it should be and it protrudes more than .060" which is what it should be limited to.
Check for slop at the firing pin hole with the firing pin outthrough the hole. If there is excessive play there then that may be at least part of the problem. Now with a magnifier (10x) examine the tip of the firing pin. It should look round at the tip like a ball and smooth. Next measure how far the pin comes out through the hole. If it is more than .060 (about 1/16") then you have found another possible answer. If you have a protruding pin, that is sharp or jagged, and loose in the breech hole then that is probably what is causing the problem. Give TC a call and see if they will fit your rifle with a new pin, bushing with a smaller hole and repair the stop so that the pin will no longer protrude far enough to pierce primers. It will mean shipping it back to them but they should fix it at no cost. if you continue to use it when it is piercing primers you are steps away from a ruined gun and possible harm to yourself.

[Redhawk1]

PaulS, that is some great advice. Also, you may want to try some CCI primers, they are the hardest of all the primers.

[huntswithdogs]

Guys,
I shot mine last nite and experiencing the same thing. Mine is a 7-08 10" ,shooting factory shells. The area directly around thedent form the pin is raised above the surface of the primer itself. The primer isn't pierced. I checked the primers from my 25/06 barrel and they also have this same cratering effect. The primer surface, around the pin dent, isn't flattened like an over-pressure load.

HWD

[RonF]

I recall reading somewhere a number of years ago that a weak firing pin spring could contribute to this, making it easy for the pressure from the cartridge to push the firing pin back just a bit and leaving room around the tip for this cratering.  Since the firing pins in Encores and Contenders are pretty short and light and have very small springs, it seems to me this weak spring would have a greater effect than in the case of a bolt rifle, where the firing pin (striker) is long and heavy and has more inertia.  Maybe you should check the firing pin spring.  I'll bet T/C will send you one free.  They are sending me a replacement firing pin and a spare for free.  Just a thought.

RonF

[thelaw]

went and shot this morning. i shot some loads of H4350 4 grains below max and the cratering stopped. at 2 grains below max they cratered. this barrel has not been all that accurate for me and the bullet selection isn't all that great so i think i'm just going to sell it. i may be doing all of this prematurely, but i'm just not happy with it. i ordered a .25/06 barrel today. that's a caliber i'm very familiar with and have great success with it in my ruger.

[PaulS]

If your Encore is doing this you need to let TC know about it. If it is happening with factory loads then TC needs to know so that they can correct it - before someone gets a face full of hot gas and frame parts.
If the brimer blows gass into the frame and can't vent it all safely it could cause failure of the frame - that is spelled G R E N A D E.
we don't need the bad press that comes with that kind of accident. Report the problem to TC.

[thelaw]

i already have.

[PaulS]

So, are you going to make me ask?

what did they say?

[thelaw]

they just said to send it to them and let them look at it.

[TC2]

You might want to look at your OAL for this barrel. If your reloads are too long you could be experiencing too high pressure.