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Hot Topic (More than 10 Replies) About enlarged flash holes? (Read 10985 times)
dogman
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About enlarged flash holes?
Feb 6th, 2012 at 5:57pm
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I read to much,too many books..too much cornfusion..

Again in Wolfs book he mentions about enlarging the flash holes in the case to get a better ignition...Have any of you tried this method..Or know of anyone who has done it? If so I would like to know how it worked for you..I thought about trying it,but figured I would ask some of you guys...
From what I read you have to keeps the cases separated....Damn,I gotta stop reading so much...John
  
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JLouis
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Re: About enlarged flash holes?
Reply #1 - Feb 6th, 2012 at 6:06pm
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Warren Page recommended enlarging flash holes in his book the Accurate Rifle and I do the same. I believe he recommended a #32 drill bit, I have some current eye issues and can't seem to read what number it says on mine. I have been doing it since he mid to late 70's when I first read his book. 

I hope this information is helpful.
J.Louis
  
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oldbluelight
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Re: About enlarged flash holes?
Reply #2 - Feb 6th, 2012 at 6:40pm
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Dogman, I noticed in an earlier post that you are considering shooting BP. I have tried the enlarged flash holes but that was early on when I was trying to find a BP load for an H&R Officer's Model. Was just starting to play with these toys and didn't know enough to know whether it was a good thing or not or set up some systematic testing to determine its value. I simply took Wolf's book as gospel. Am now shooting a Pedersoli John Bodine and a Browning BPCR in 45-70 and 40-65 respectively. Wolf was writing about finding a load that would duplicate the arsenal ammunition performance in original trapdoors. His enlarged flash holes and use of magnum primers doesn't recieve much credit among the current top shots in BPCR. In fact they are at the opposite pole with some swaging down flash holes, using wads over the flash hole or in the primer pocket to dampen the primer's force. They are also favoring the use of pistol primers over regular or magnum rifle primers. By all means try it if you'd like. I hope some background will help you decide. I am now using CCI BR2's and Fed Large Pistol primers in my loads. My only modification at that end of the case is the use of a primer pocket uniforming tool.
  
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Cat_Whisperer
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Re: About enlarged flash holes?
Reply #3 - Feb 6th, 2012 at 8:13pm
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Sharp, in his volume on reloading, documented some interesting things about enlarging primer holes.  I believe it was with pistol cases.  Enlarging the hole would give (with normal charges) MUCH higher pressures and a modest increase in velocity.  That is to say, don't mix normal-sized primer holes with enlarged-size primer holes.

  
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dogman
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Re: About enlarged flash holes?
Reply #4 - Feb 6th, 2012 at 8:30pm
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Well,first off I would not mix the csaes if I did decide to drill the flash holes...I realize his testing was for the trapdoor rifle..I figured some who may have read the same thing,may have tried it as well...I have read all about the paper wad over the flash hole as well as the swageing down of the flash holes...
Like I said I spend to damn much time reading and NOT enough range time..So I have decided to put the books away for awhile and try my own testing and see where it gets me..
I suppose I was looking for all the answers so I could make up a load and go to the range and hit everything I was shooting at...But I have that figured out...IT AINT GONNA HAPPEN..LOL....So I want to say thanks to all who have tried to steer me in the right direction...
I think one big mistake I made when casting years ago,I was making my bullets too hard. So now I am going with 1 in 20 alloy....If anyone has any more to offer me please do.....John  Alpine,NY
  
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Re: About enlarged flash holes?
Reply #5 - Feb 6th, 2012 at 9:15pm
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dogman,

I have drilled out and swagged down flash holes and I would not waste my time ding it again.  In fact I happened to mix some drilled out and some standard
flash holes then chronographed the lots with no improvement in accuracy or SD's.  Now all of my cartridge rifles are standard flash holes.  I think it was Paul Mathews that inspired me to swag the holes smaller 1/16", but that was no improvement and the added problem of depriming pins are normally 1/16" or larger.  Shocked   

Alloy that will work best is not cast in stone either.  I shoot 20:1 PP bullets in my 45-70, but 30-35:1 PP bullets in my 40 caliber rifles.  My LR shooting pard uses 25:1 in his 45-90.  There is another area to experiment with bullets shapes versus alloy because if your bullet has a long unsupported nose, then harder alloy is almost mandatory.

Keep on hav'n fun!
MikeT
  
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westerner
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Re: About enlarged flash holes?
Reply #6 - Feb 6th, 2012 at 11:29pm
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I find the largest flash hole in a lot of cases. Then I drill all the other flash hole to match. I use a pin to clean the flash holes when they start to get irregular from powder and primer fouling.

I think it's more important to keep them all the same size.

As for the 32MS, I prefer the smaller flash hole.  My thinking is that the smaller flash hole alleviates pressure into the primer pocket which causes leakage and gas cutting damage to the breech block.

I think flash hole size is like the question about powder compression. Ten people will give you twelve different answers.  Or, it makes little difference?   


                Joe.
  
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zrifleman
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Re: About enlarged flash holes?
Reply #7 - Feb 6th, 2012 at 11:33pm
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A waste of time and brass unless you have low expectations for accuracy. Instead try Fed 150 pistol primers with an over primer wad. That is something that works!
  
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Re: About enlarged flash holes?
Reply #8 - Feb 6th, 2012 at 11:44pm
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Sizing up flash holes isnt much of a waste of brass Zman!

Roll Eyes Roll Eyes Roll Eyes Roll Eyes Roll Eyes


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westerner
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Re: About enlarged flash holes?
Reply #9 - Feb 6th, 2012 at 11:46pm
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Quote:
A waste of time and brass unless you have low expectations for accuracy. Instead try Fed 150 pistol primers with an over primer wad. That is something that works!


I cant tell any difference! I've tried it and I just aint good enough to tell any difference.   Angry


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Re: About enlarged flash holes?
Reply #10 - Feb 7th, 2012 at 1:30pm
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Enlarged flash holes were the hot item when Wolf's book came out 15 or so years ago. I enlarged a lot of 45/70's and used the popular primer at the time, Federal 215 Mag. Never saw any advantage.

Now few enlarge and many if not most match shooters  use Large Pistol primers.  I took all my enlarged cases and smashed them on the Anvil. I am pretty sure they would have caused high pressure if allowed to get into my Smokeless case supply in error.

Boats
  
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harry_eales
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Re: About enlarged flash holes?
Reply #11 - Feb 7th, 2012 at 2:50pm
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I have to agree with Joe (Westerner). Make all your flash holes the same size and you will get consistancy of primer flash into the powder charge, provided you use the same make of case, batch and lot number of primer.

Harry
  
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zrifleman
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Re: About enlarged flash holes?
Reply #12 - Feb 9th, 2012 at 12:56am
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Joe-- This thread was about enlarging flash holes--right? I stand by what I said! I once read that Harry Pope reloaded the same piece of 32-40 brass over 500 times. I have reloaded some of my 45-70 brass for at least 10 yrs---more than 50 times with no deterioration in accuracy an can't see the need to swage the pockets. A waste of effort in my opinion. Pistol primers with OPW will give better results.
  
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Re: About enlarged flash holes?
Reply #13 - Feb 9th, 2012 at 6:48pm
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If you're saying that enlarging flash holes ruins the brass for future use and if it did indeed ruin it, I could agree with you. Enlarging the flash hole does not ruin the brass. It makes the flash hole larger.  A very minor amount of brass is removed or displaced

If one enjoys experimenting with larger flash holes I dont think it's a waste of time. 
 
I do agree that larger flash holes do not increase accuracy of all cartridges. 

I still have the same two 32/40 shells that came with my first schuetzen rifle. The cases have had bazzilions of firings. They still work fine. That has nothing to do with flash hole size.  

          Joe. 

 

« Last Edit: Feb 9th, 2012 at 10:01pm by westerner »  
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John Boy
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Re: About enlarged flash holes?
Reply #14 - Feb 9th, 2012 at 9:54pm
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I am now using CCI BR2's and Fed Large Pistol primers in my loads. My only modification at that end of the case is the use of a primer pocket uniforming tool.
Use the same primers and do the same as OBL except for new cases ream the flash hole to remove any burrs from the manufacturing process.  Am going to load some for comparison using Federal LP and Remington 9 1/2 primers

  If I could buy new brass with no flash holes, then I would start testing incremetal size increases  with LP primers to determine the best SD and velocity respective to the brisance on the BP powder column.  And believe the flash holes would be smaller that those manufactured today which are really for nitro based loads

  If I could buy new BPCR brass with SP primer pockets - would be very happy!
  
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