Primers coming out while tumbling

[shooter357]

I have been running some once fired .45s in the tumbler and I'm finding that some of the primers are coming out. This has not happened before and I'm using the same headstamp brass. I can't confirm that the brass is once fired but by looking inside, I would have to say it is. The stamp is GFL. Is this a common occurance?

[Rainier42]

Haven't seen this before in my brass. What kind of media/tumbling are you doing?

Currently I am de-priming my brass with a dedicated de-priming die prior to cleaning. Find my primer pockets get cleaned up nicely.

[Arrdy]

I'd take a good hard look at that brass for any signs of failure: buldging, cracks, over length .... not normal for primers to fall out when tumbling.

[kimbershooter]

I have been running some once fired .45s in the tumbler and I'm finding that some of the primers are coming out. This has not happened before and I'm using the same headstamp brass. I can't confirm that the brass is once fired but by looking inside, I would have to say it is. The stamp is GFL. Is this a common occurance?

I would just toss those cases, primers falling out is not a good thing. Better safe than sorry, much less risking injury. just my .02 cents

[Steve in PA]

I've been reloading for over 20 years and I cannot ever remember having a primer come out during tumbling.

[Bib]

My only experience (in 30 years) with loose primer pockets was when I was working up VERY heavy loads for my Thompson Center Contender. Like the others have said....I'd be very suspect of that batch of brass, especially if it is range brass that you don't know the history of.

[WVBob]

Toss it out. If the primer falls out something is very wrong.

[Kramer]

I've been reloading for over 20 years and I cannot ever remember having a primer come out during tumbling.

I agree 100% and it's over 25 tears for me. Throw it into the scrap bucket.

[Lycanthrope]

I've had that happen several times, but I have brass that has been loaded until I can barely read the headstamp.

Mark them as dummy rounds to practice reloads.

Lycannotworthitthrope

[Flash]

The "GFL" headstamp is Fiocchi brass.

Before I'd toss them,. I'd actually try to reprime a couple of them and see if the new primers go in easy or firm. If they go in easy, the primer-pockets are more than likely oversized, for whatever reason. However, if the new primers go in with the usual force, and stay in, especially after firing and tumbling them again, it is a safe bet that the original primers were undersized.

Remember, "Fiocchi": not neccessarily top-tier in every respect, but generally good ammunition. And the primers might not have been exactly to spec originally, which I'd think more likely than primer pockets not being to spec.

Just as a side-note here, how many cases are we talking about? If it were only a relatively small number of cases, I might be tempted to toss them, but if we have 4,000 or some significant number, the time and labor to diagnose the problem might be worth it.

Everything is relative.

Flash