Galil primer hits

[Tim Coste]

Hi All,

Sorry I haven't updated my results with the ORF receiver...just too busy with a new job at work with added travelling. I've still got some issues with the receiver, but the rifle seems to shoot well. With the one exception I'm about to describe...

I've fired perhaps 30 rounds through it so far in testing. At least half of the empties show cratering around the firing pin indent on the primer. The primers aren't flattened at all, but the primer hit looks kind of like the primer hit on a glock handgun. I've got some pics at home I can post later, but I wanted to run this by people before I take it out shooting again tomorrow.

As background, Todd ot ORF headspaced it for me. I don't currently have 5.56 gages to check it. The ammo is Federal LC milspec 55 gr.

Thanks!
Tim

[falluvver]

My new Galil that I built does the same thing, A slight V on the base of the brass with the narrow part towards the primer area........it's from the bolt but did'nt feel it was a issue....................am I wrong?

[Tim Coste]

My problem isn't on the brass. It's the primer itself. It's kinda like a cratered primer, or the mark a Glock leaves on the primer. The only way I guess I could explain it is it's like the primer flowed back into the firing pin hole. There's no sign of flattening like would classically occur with over pressure. Hopefully it's nothing, I just don't like to hope with firearms! :)

Tim

[Tim Coste]

Finally (been busy!), here's some pics of the primer hits I was talking about. As you can see, the primer "flowed" up around the firing pin. It doesn't look like high pressure to me since the primer isn't flattened at all, but I'm a little worried about pierced primers. I only shoot LC XM193, so I'm not too worried about weak primers, but I also don't want hot gases in my face!

So, any opinions on the safety of shooting this?

Thanks!
Tim

[shortround]

Looks to me like the firing pin hole in the bolt is oversize. The primer is extruding around the firing pin and is "smearing" on ejection. Is your rifle built from a used kit? Might want to look around for another bolt and try swapping it out. Make sure you check the headspace again before firing if you do.

[Tim Coste]

I need to find a new bolt anyway. My current one doesn't have a spring loaded firing pin. I've read that these models tended to have slam fires. At least if they were used with commercial ammo. As I said, I only use LC XM193, so I'm not too worried about that, but safer is (almost) always better.

So, any opinion on the danger of this? How likely is a pierced primer?

Thanks for your input.
Tim

[idfman121]

I had a couple of S&B rounds slam fire so I would definitely go with the harder primers.