Primer Question and 30-06 Brass Identity

Uncle Buck · December 24, 2009, 08:42 AM

I posted before about the amount of 30-06 brass that I picked up at an auction, along with some other brass.

Well, I got around to decapping the 30-06 brass and I noticed that when I did pop the primers out, some of the anvils inside the primers also fell out. Is this caused by age? Over pressure? Poor primers?

Most of this brass, I believe, was reloaded. Some of the necks were cracked and I found one piece that looked like it had burnt marks comming out of the primer pocket (The primer was still seated).

Also, I was unable to decap five rounds. The head stamp on the casings are all the same: III OJP 60. There is a red ring around the primer, sort of like I use to see on some military blank rounds. Who made this casing and was it military? I am guessing some kind of military crimp, but do not know for sure.

If it makes any difference, I was using a Lee Universal Decapping Die.

Jim243 · December 24, 2009, 09:06 AM

Uncle Buck

Just a wild guess but I would say you have used military brass made in 1960 probably made in the Philipines. You will need to swedge the cases to get new primers into the pockets, unless they have been swedged already. The red ring you are seeing is the sealer placed on the primer which is required for mil rounds. On blanks the neck would be completely unuseable because of the type of crimp used. And I believe on tracers the whole bottom is painted red or yellow I don't remember.

No problem using the cases except for their age (49 years old), I would double check them for brittleness and rings around the bases for head seperation as well as the necks for cracks after you resize them.

Jim

PS: You have to remember that mil cases have a smaller inside space than commercial cases and need to be carefull as to how much powder you use so you do not build up unsafe pressure on your loads.

res45 · December 24, 2009, 10:59 AM

Quote:

some of the anvils inside the primers also fell out

Thats normal for anvils sometime they do sometimes not. Now if the whole primer just falls out of the case all by itself or you have burnt areas around the primer,I would just throw that case away.

Decapping crimped in primer is generally not an issue but you do run across some that are tough to get out sometime,I like using the Lee universal decapper for crimped primers,also when decapping any brass of unknown country especially military crimped it's a good idea to shine a light down into the case to make sure it's boxer primed one hole in center and no berdan two small holes off center,those go in the recycle bin also.

Here are a couple of examples of crimped in primers you might run across.
http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting...play/index.asp

medalguy · December 24, 2009, 11:56 AM

Yeah, don't try to deprime BERDAN cases or you'll be looking for a new depriming pin! Those go straight into the scrap can. Also I would suggest you hold the cases up to a light and slowly turn the cases, examining the inside of the necks. That's the best way to find split necks IMO. Also watch for annular rings about 1/2 inch up from the base of the case. Signs of case separation. Any evidence of a ring, into the scrap can.

This is why most shooters try to buy once-fired brass. After a few reloadings the stuff starts going bad. I try to buy only military cases because I can tell once-fired by the crimped-im primers. Lots of guys will sell anything and call it once-fired, so you never know.

Uncle Buck · December 24, 2009, 10:22 PM

Thanks guys. I know they were not berden primed, just I had neer had that much trouble decapping a military crimp.

Also, never seen an anvil fall out of a primer before, so I was curious.

December 24, 2009, 08:42 AM	#1
Uncle Buck Senior Member Join Date: June 21, 2009 Location: West Central Missouri Posts: 2,592	Primer Question and 30-06 Brass Identity I posted before about the amount of 30-06 brass that I picked up at an auction, along with some other brass. Well, I got around to decapping the 30-06 brass and I noticed that when I did pop the primers out, some of the anvils inside the primers also fell out. Is this caused by age? Over pressure? Poor primers? Most of this brass, I believe, was reloaded. Some of the necks were cracked and I found one piece that looked like it had burnt marks comming out of the primer pocket (The primer was still seated). Also, I was unable to decap five rounds. The head stamp on the casings are all the same: III OJP 60. There is a red ring around the primer, sort of like I use to see on some military blank rounds. Who made this casing and was it military? I am guessing some kind of military crimp, but do not know for sure. If it makes any difference, I was using a Lee Universal Decapping Die. __________________ Inside Every Bright Idea Is The 50% Probability Of A Disaster Waiting To Happen.

December 24, 2009, 09:06 AM	#2
Jim243 Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2009 Location: Just off Route 66 Posts: 5,067	Uncle Buck Just a wild guess but I would say you have used military brass made in 1960 probably made in the Philipines. You will need to swedge the cases to get new primers into the pockets, unless they have been swedged already. The red ring you are seeing is the sealer placed on the primer which is required for mil rounds. On blanks the neck would be completely unuseable because of the type of crimp used. And I believe on tracers the whole bottom is painted red or yellow I don't remember. No problem using the cases except for their age (49 years old), I would double check them for brittleness and rings around the bases for head seperation as well as the necks for cracks after you resize them. Jim PS: You have to remember that mil cases have a smaller inside space than commercial cases and need to be carefull as to how much powder you use so you do not build up unsafe pressure on your loads. Last edited by Jim243; December 24, 2009 at 09:20 AM. Reason: clarification

December 24, 2009, 11:56 AM	#4
medalguy Senior Member Join Date: August 31, 2009 Location: New Mexico Posts: 1,033	suggestions Yeah, don't try to deprime BERDAN cases or you'll be looking for a new depriming pin! Those go straight into the scrap can. Also I would suggest you hold the cases up to a light and slowly turn the cases, examining the inside of the necks. That's the best way to find split necks IMO. Also watch for annular rings about 1/2 inch up from the base of the case. Signs of case separation. Any evidence of a ring, into the scrap can. This is why most shooters try to buy once-fired brass. After a few reloadings the stuff starts going bad. I try to buy only military cases because I can tell once-fired by the crimped-im primers. Lots of guys will sell anything and call it once-fired, so you never know.

December 24, 2009, 10:22 PM	#5
Uncle Buck Senior Member Join Date: June 21, 2009 Location: West Central Missouri Posts: 2,592	Thanks guys. I know they were not berden primed, just I had neer had that much trouble decapping a military crimp. Also, never seen an anvil fall out of a primer before, so I was curious. __________________ Inside Every Bright Idea Is The 50% Probability Of A Disaster Waiting To Happen.