Originally posted by Sig2340: I have heard that you need to use a special kind of primer (i.e., a MIL-SPEC "hard" primer) when reloading 5.56x45 ammunition for the AR15.
Anyone know anything about this, or is it an urban legend?
B/s meter is kickin in,I probably loaded ten thousand it this and what I and my sons shot to date have gone BANG .
Posts: 3315 | Location: Georgia | Registered: February 19, 2007
CCI makes a milspec primer for the 7.62 and the 5.56. At least for the 7.62 they are to reduce the likelihood of slam fires in M1A1s and M-14s. Is more of a problem at full auto probably. I use them in my reloads, and get them from graf and sons. Have not read of a similar problem with the AR's but there are such primers are made for 5.56
Mundus Vult Decipi
Posts: 376 | Location: Duvall WA, USA | Registered: February 08, 2004
The problem with the M1A1s is that they have a floating firing pin. A slam fire can occur with either a sensitive primer ( or a primer not seated flush),a minimum chamber, head space or inadequate case spacing, hammer following the bolt, frozen firing pin or a fouled bolt face. Anything that places the primer closer to the bolt face or the firing pin closer to the primer. Harder primers help negate this effect. What happens is that the cartridge had fired as the bolt locked but before the operating rod had traveled fully forward. Under normal conditions, the M1/M1A1 operating rod has some free rearward travel before it engages the camming surface of the bolt. This free travel insures that chamber pressure drops to a safe level before the bolt opens.
I've used all kind sof rifle primers in my AR and no issues, even with the allegedly uber sensitive Federal GM205. Seat them well below flush and you'll be fine.
Originally posted by lakeray: The problem with the M1A1s is that they have a floating firing pin. A slam fire can occur with either a sensitive primer ( or a primer not seated flush),a minimum chamber, head space or inadequate case spacing, hammer following the bolt, frozen firing pin or a fouled bolt face. Anything that places the primer closer to the bolt face or the firing pin closer to the primer. Harder primers help negate this effect. What happens is that the cartridge had fired as the bolt locked but before the operating rod had traveled fully forward. Under normal conditions, the M1/M1A1 operating rod has some free rearward travel before it engages the camming surface of the bolt. This free travel insures that chamber pressure drops to a safe level before the bolt opens.
A man who knows his M1A1s. Cool. I would just as soon not experience such an occurrence. Do you have a smith that you trust? I have an M1A1 that will want a new barrel here shortly. People I have talked to around Seattle have "kind of worked on them" prefering to work on ARs
Mundus Vult Decipi
Posts: 376 | Location: Duvall WA, USA | Registered: February 08, 2004
I've used exclusively WSR's so far, and no problems in AR15s or anything else. I do get the little dimple from chambering, just like in any factory ammo.
I've got some Rem 7.5's loaded up and plan to shoot them this weekend.
Does anyone know if there is a single source supplier for military 5.56 primers, and whether they are also commercially available?
Originally posted by ny32182: I've used exclusively WSR's so far, and no problems in AR15s or anything else. I do get the little dimple from chambering, just like in any factory ammo.
I've got some Rem 7.5's loaded up and plan to shoot them this weekend.
Does anyone know if there is a single source supplier for military 5.56 primers, and whether they are also commercially available?
Closest thing you'e going to find is CCI #34 or 41, I don't remember which one's which. One is small rifle , the other large rifle.
CCI #41 for 5.56 ammo... Forget that B.S. about needing arsenal primers for resisting slam fires; that's a problem that doesn't exist in the 5.56. What you need them for in the 5.56 is preventing cratering and pierced primers when loading to mil-spec pressure levels.
