First Slam Fire on a AR15!

**Hawk** · May 30th, 2019, 12:35 PM

Been shooting AR's and reloading .223 for over 10 years. Never believed a AR could slam fire. Two weeks ago had my first ever. I was sighting in a scope on a new mount. As always, for safeties sake, I had the rifle pointed at the target when I closed the bolt on a single loaded round (1 of 30 rounds fired from the same batch). Surprised the shit out of me.

After inspecting the spent casing it was obvious that the primer must of been seated too high. Funny thing, it was loaded in a Dillon 550B like the rest. However, it was a group of newly swaged (Dillon Super Swage 600) once fired military brass. I'm guessing it was either a shallow swage on that one case or I didn't push the handle hard enough forward on the press to seat the primer.

Anyways, here's a pic of the primer. Notice the center of the primer took the shape of the firing pin hole on the bolt.

IMG_3284.jpg

**CleanDean** · May 30th, 2019, 01:57 PM

Very odd and rare occurrence. Glad the rest were loaded with flush primer depth.
BTW. I have never seen a struck primer look quite like that. Doesn't show a firing pin strike. Just a hit from the bolt face?

Mysteries abound in this day and age.

**frankski** · May 30th, 2019, 02:00 PM

I had that happen once on .223 primed and loaded on a 550b. I inspected the rest of the loaded cases and discovered about 1/4 of the primers were high. I shot them in my bolt action .223.

Since then, I do all my rifle case priming in bulk on a RCBS bench priming tool and inspect each case before finishing on the Dillon.

**Hawk** · May 30th, 2019, 03:23 PM

Originally Posted by CleanDean

Just a hit from the bolt face?

Yup.

**Hawk** · May 30th, 2019, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by frankski

I had that happen once on .223 primed and loaded on a 550b. I inspected the rest of the loaded cases and discovered about 1/4 of the primers were high. I shot them in my bolt action .223.

Since then, I do all my rifle case priming in bulk on a RCBS bench priming tool and inspect each case before finishing on the Dillon.

I've reloaded thousands of 223 on my 550B with out a hitch until this one. I'm leaning towards a shallow swage instead of the 550B primer seating. I don't typically pick up range brass and swage. After this event I dumped the entire batch of range pickup and went back to my supply of once fired processed (purchased) military brass.

**Iron Sights** · May 30th, 2019, 05:58 PM

That's why I like my mesh brass catcher that covers the ejection port. I know it's my brass and can track how many times it has been used. I don't reload in bulk so I check each before the next step.

**Rosco the Iroc** · May 30th, 2019, 07:40 PM

Wow, well at least you know what to look for.

**wanneroo** · June 1st, 2019, 08:59 PM

Every single round I load I check in a case gauge and at the same time I get to inspect the primer. Yes it's extra time but quality is assured.

**gghbi** · June 1st, 2019, 11:12 PM

Originally Posted by wanneroo

Every single round I load I check in a case gauge and at the same time I get to inspect the primer. Yes it's extra time but quality is assured.

This is the key to really reliable reloads. I also used to do this when I was shooting competition and reloading was the only way I was going to afford it. While handling the round you can kind of pick out light/heavy ones to a degree as well.