Primer Blanking?

[Kevin]

I'm getting a "new-to-me" caliber and in reading about it online, I keep coming across a term, "primer blanking." For the life of me, I cannot figure out what they are talking about.

If I'm understanding what they are talking about, I believe they are trying to get the bullet to intentionally malfunction. I'm not sure though.

Anyone have a description for the term "primer-blanking." ????

 

[DeletedMember275]

I expect they're speaking of primer piercing which is never a good thing, and frequently damages your gun. It can etch the bolt face on a rifle which causes problems down the road. It also frequently etches the firing pin tip, leaving it rough. This can cause further primer piercing, exacerbating the problem. I have also heard of instances of the leaking gas damaging trigger mechanisms, which required their replacement.

 

[NikA]

Primer blanking occurs when the brass of the primer is under enough pressure to flow back into the firing pin hole, sometimes to the point of pushing out the firing pin dent. This can tie up the gun if the action cannot remove the flowed brass from the firing pin hole.

The next step is primer piercing, which as previously mentioned, can cause permanent damage to the firearm.

 

[powder smoke]

Never heard the term! probably a good thing! Never ever had pierced primers either! ps

 

[mikld]

I started reloading in '69, and started looking is reloading forums in 2006-2007 and I have never heard/read of this term. Do "they" do it intentionally? Use primed only, no powder cases? On any new load/caliber and anytime anything is changed in a load, I inspect the brass soon after it's fired looking for any indication of a problem (like primer "flow", cratering or piercing).

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Are they possibly talking about a primer backing out from not enough powder in a cartridge. That can jam up a gun. I have seen that most often when a primer only is used to shoot a blank or wax bullet.

 

[Rclark]

Are they possibly talking about a primer backing out from not enough powder in a cartridge. That can jam up a gun. I have seen that most often when a primer only is used to shoot a blank or wax bullet.

As an FYI, that is why when shooting wax, you set aside 'X' number of cases and drill out the flash holes. These cases are never again to be used for anything but wax.

Never heard of 'primer blanking' either.

 

[DHD]

Pierced primer usually with an almost perfect plug knocked (burned) out of the primer. Some cartridges are more prone to it than others, but predominantly mentioned in competitive events. No hard and fast rules, but think very high pressure and large firing pin holes in breech faces. A very good example would be a 6.5×47 Lapua in a Remington 700 with standard firing pin. A "blanked primer" can wreck a finely tuned Jewell trigger.

I eventually sent every Remington 700 action I own (long and short), to Gre-Tan (Greg Tannel) to get his Firing Pin Bushing conversion done. Every other action I have is custom and have small diameter firing pins so it is a non issue, with one exception mentioned below.

Why some cartridges are more prone to it than others is a debate for those more expert than I, but if you see a pierced primer in say a factory 30-06, you have other issues like a sharp firing pin. A Surgeon short action I own was originally chambered in 308 and never had an issue. I had it rebarreled to 6×47 Lapua and couldn't even get the load work up done until I had the firing pin bushed. The primer would flow into the firing pin hole and leave a nice tit on every primer. These were not hot loads.

The family of cases I referred to above would be have one trait in my experience. Lapua brass, small flash hole, small rifle primer. Oh, and there are no downsides to a small diameter firing pin and corresponding small firing pin hole.

Out of curiosity, what is this new to you cartridge you are speaking/typing of?