James, RMC said that he was using compression formed STS empties. No base wad problem. Oh my gosh, where am I on this? Let's see, thin walls, double powder, primer in powder, not neccesarily in that order. Damascus old wive's tale, no way. Obviously, an idiot worked on the bores, or, at least the chamber and forcing cone. That could be it. When our friend measures the wall thickness of the forcing cone and chamber, maybe we'll have a better idea.