Thread: Help - What is going on with these primers??

Hey guys, today I sighted in a rifle that I just put a new scope on. All went well etc etc. Here's a pic of the primers from the Hornady 32gr ammo from this morning.

I had a hunting and fleecing voucher given to me for a b'day and ended getting a box of Norma ammo to try. I noticed some smoke coming from the back of the bolt on the second to last shot and then when I was picking up the brass I noticed some of the primers had very deep black holes in them.

This can't be normal can it?

Take them back to the shop you got them from.
They look too hot and your firing pin has pierced the primer.
Don’t shoot any more of these rounds.


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Almost like the wrong primers have been used. I had the same issues when I accidentally used large pistol primers instead of large rifle primers.

I would say its been loaded with pistol primers, they are softer metal on the cups than rifle primer

Originally Posted by Simon

Take them back to the shop you got them from.
They look too hot and your firing pin has pierced the primer.
Don’t shoot any more of these rounds.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What he said. Take the hornady ones as well, to show it isn't the firing pin that's the problem

They look real flat too. Checked the bolt face?

Thanks for the feedback guys. Bolt face looks alright?

Face is ok.

Could there be any damage to the pin?

Take the box too as the importer will want the batch number

Hard to know unless you can inspect it visually.

I've had it happen with one of my Howa's and seen the same thing. It carried on ticking away just fine.

As mentioned above, it looks like it's either a hot load, or the cartridge has been loaded with the wrong primer.

If you have any other ammo, try that and see if the pin prints on the primer ok.

G'day Suthy mate has anyone changed the firing pin spring the top Hornady ammo have fairly deep impressions in them as well obviously hard primers and as has been said the norma may have too soft of a primer so there punching through some have given you good advice don't shoot any more and take them back to the supplier never know you may save someone else from harm

I took it back to where I bought it today, they are going to get in touch with whoever imports them. Hopefully will hear back within a couple of days. I'll update and let you know what they come back with.

Pistol primers are shorter than rifle primers and will sit lower in the cup / primer pocket ( before they go bang ) once they go bang they come flush to the pocket face just like a rifle primer. While they may contribute to piercing they are not the sole culprit, IMHO it would be an out of spec load / case that is causing higher pressure.

What did they extract like?

@johnd I didn't seem to have any issue with extraction...all of the rounds came out with any trouble