[Greenhorn Dave]

Something new for me:
For the first time ever I fired some 44 mag cases primed with Winchester WLP just to deaden the primers and start again with case cleaning, etc. There was no powder or bullets in them.
The primers backed out of all 20 of them when fired, jamming the cylinder every time. Others of the same primed batch were loaded and fired and did not back out any of the primers.
Why did those unpressurized primers move back when fired ?????
Fired in a 7.5' SBH.

 

[Marshal Kane]

With a primed, empty case, the gas generated by the detonated primer did two things, it flowed through the flash hole and also pushed the primer back against your recoil shield. Had you fired a cartridge, the same thing would happen to the primer but the powder charge in the case would have pushed the bullet down the bore while at the same time pushed the case back into the recoil shield thereby reseating the primer.

 

[Greenhorn Dave]

Marshall -

That does make sense (but I am not sure I would have ever figured it out on my own.)

Live long and prosper and many thanks for the info. Dave

 

[CoyoteJoe]

That works as a rough expedient method of measuring headspace.

 

[al_sway]

Something new for me:
For the first time ever I fired some 44 mag cases primed with Winchester WLP just to deaden the primers and start again with case cleaning, etc. There was no powder or bullets in them.
The primers backed out of all 20 of them when fired, jamming the cylinder every time. Others of the same primed batch were loaded and fired and did not back out any of the primers.
Why did those unpressurized primers move back when fired ?????
Fired in a 7.5' SBH.

Out of curiousity, just what were you trying to do? Didn't like the primers and you wanted to get rid of them? Or was there some other purpose (not criticizing, just trying to understand if there is a loading technique I am not aware of)