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thallub · February 8, 2014, 07:22 PM

The vast majority of popped primers happen with AR-15 rifles. i've never heard of a popped primer when firing factory .223 or 5.56mm ammo in a bolt action rifle. Prior to about ten years ago i never heard of a popped primer when firing an AR-15. Now it's more or less an accepted fact: That is bad.

i own two old Colt AR-15 rifles that were made before 1970. Neither has ever given any signs of high pressure when firing 5.56mm military M193 ball ammo. Neither has my Remington model 760. All my 5.56mm ammo is dated 1980 and prior. i would refuse to fire much of the 5.56mm ball ammo being sold today.

Most AR-15 rifles that experience popped primers are relatively new. The AR-15 is the most popular gun sold in this country. Companies we never heard of five years ago are building AR-15 rifles. Some of those companies use unskilled labor to ream chambers. It's a race to the bottom to build cheaper guns: Cheap guns require cheap labor.

Two gunsmiths have told me no manfacturer chambers .223 guns to SAAMI specs. Very few AR-15 manufacturers belong to SAAMI:

http://www.saami.org/member_companies/index.cfm

i know for a fact that some of the ball ammunition being sold today has been rejected by the US military. The US military uses very little M193 ball ammo. But untold millions of rounds are being purchased for foreign countries. Army QUASAS folks test that ammo and either accept or reject same.

Who knows why the ammo you get was rejected. Maybe the velocity was too low. Maybe, just maybe; the lot of ammo you get was rejected because the firing pressure was too high or the cartridge case was out of spec.

i've already addressed the fact that some .223/5.56mm ammo being sold today has long case necks. As much as .015 too long.

February 8, 2014, 07:22 PM	#35
thallub Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2007 Location: South Western OK Posts: 3,112	The vast majority of popped primers happen with AR-15 rifles. i've never heard of a popped primer when firing factory .223 or 5.56mm ammo in a bolt action rifle. Prior to about ten years ago i never heard of a popped primer when firing an AR-15. Now it's more or less an accepted fact: That is bad. i own two old Colt AR-15 rifles that were made before 1970. Neither has ever given any signs of high pressure when firing 5.56mm military M193 ball ammo. Neither has my Remington model 760. All my 5.56mm ammo is dated 1980 and prior. i would refuse to fire much of the 5.56mm ball ammo being sold today. Most AR-15 rifles that experience popped primers are relatively new. The AR-15 is the most popular gun sold in this country. Companies we never heard of five years ago are building AR-15 rifles. Some of those companies use unskilled labor to ream chambers. It's a race to the bottom to build cheaper guns: Cheap guns require cheap labor. Two gunsmiths have told me no manfacturer chambers .223 guns to SAAMI specs. Very few AR-15 manufacturers belong to SAAMI: http://www.saami.org/member_companies/index.cfm i know for a fact that some of the ball ammunition being sold today has been rejected by the US military. The US military uses very little M193 ball ammo. But untold millions of rounds are being purchased for foreign countries. Army QUASAS folks test that ammo and either accept or reject same. Who knows why the ammo you get was rejected. Maybe the velocity was too low. Maybe, just maybe; the lot of ammo you get was rejected because the firing pressure was too high or the cartridge case was out of spec. i've already addressed the fact that some .223/5.56mm ammo being sold today has long case necks. As much as .015 too long.