Priming Problem

[Totosdad]

Sorry to be a PITA, I have been priming some 223, using Federal once fired brass, Federal #205 primers.
I ran them through a RCBS primer pocket uniformer, and used Lee Auto Bench Prime, and also tried my RCBS hand primer tool.My problem is, some load very easy and some I end up ruining the case. Not sure what the problem is, other than the primer pockets aren't big enough. Not sure where to begin, any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[mac86951]

Sorry to be a PITA, I have been priming some 223, using Federal once fired brass, Federal #205 primers.
I ran them through a RCBS primer pocket uniformer, and used Lee Auto Bench Prime, and also tried my RCBS hand primer tool.My problem is, some load very easy and some I end up ruining the case. Not sure what the problem is, other than the primer pockets aren't big enough. Not sure where to begin, any help would be greatly appreciated.

One-time fired; I'm betting some of the cases were crimped primers. Was the RCBS primer pocket uniformer actually a pocket swaging die? If you have a "difficult" case try a few spins by hand on a 45 degree case mouth chamfer tool. Or better yet, post a pic or two of the primer pockets.

Out of curiosity, what are the case heads stamped?

-Mac

 

[Totosdad]

these are the shells I am reloading and the cases after cleanup

 

[mac86951]

Yup, there's your answer. See the "ring" around the primer pocket. Primers were crimped in.
Options
#1. Swage primer pockets
#2. Cut crimps out (my preferred for plinking)

I swage with RCBS primer pocket swager
I cut with Forster 45 degree case mouth deburring tool.
Two or three turns should do it, but if resistance is felt on seating cut more.

-Mac

PS some primers swaged the crimp out when you knocked out the primer. Some did not.

 

[rsmithsr50]

me thinks I see a crimp ring on the pocket mouth.
a lot of 223/556 commercial ammo is primer pocket crimped incase it is shot in an ar( way over kill)

 

[Totosdad]

Thanks to you guys. I have a lot to learn.

 

[mac86951]

Thanks to you guys. I have a lot to learn.

We all do. Don't be distraught, something new around every corner!

Don't load 222 into a 223 chamber. Don't ask how I know.

 

[bozo699]

Totosdad,
not trying to be negative but nickel plated brass is hard on your dies in conjunction with crimped primer pockets and I know your not me and others may disagree but...... if it were me I would except the loss and toss or trade it off and buy some good brass and start over but..........it’s not me and if you want to keep it the others have given you sound advice but!..... I would definitely Not... run that through one of my custom or even a Redding or Wilson die I would buy a Lee or rcbs something cheap. I bought 2500 pieces of 22-250 nickel brass a number of years ago and it scratched my dies something terrible.. lesson learned for me.
Good luck buddy.
Wayne

 

[mac86951]

Totosdad,
not trying to be negative but nickel plated brass is hard on your dies in conjunction with crimped primer pockets and I know your not me and others may disagree but...... if it were me I would except the loss and toss or trade it off and buy some good brass and start over but..........it’s not me and if you want to keep it the others have given you sound advice but!..... I would definitely Not... run that through one of my custom or even a Redding or Wilson die I would buy a Lee or rcbs something cheap. I bought 2500 pieces of 22-250 nickel brass a number of years ago and it scratched my dies something terrible.. lesson learned for me.
Good luck buddy.
Wayne

Good point, but are those cases nickel plated? Looks brass to me, but great advice.

-Mac

 

[bozo699]

Good point, but are those cases nickel plated? Looks brass to me, but great advice.

-Mac

well Mac,
It’s been a long day at the sawmill and my eyes are tired but they sure look nickel on my stupid iPhone but your probably on a computer thanks for noticing. Totosdad.... sorry about that if it’s not nickel disregard my last transmission hahaha!....
Wayne.

 

[Zero333]

I'm with @mac86951

A case mouth chamfer tool works great for getting rid of the primer crimp.

If you in have a inside case mouth chamfer tool you can chuck in a cordless drill, you could do 100 cases in a few minutes.

You don't want to chamfer the primer crimp more than necessary.

 

[J F Johannes]

Just an observation guys, not trying to be snarky. Why would Federal crimp 223 REM. This could be a contract overrun for some LEO organization that had rifles in service that can’t handle the 5.56 NATO round. Could those be steel rounds IDK. A lot of galling from the uniformer? Put a magnet on them. I probably wouldn’t mess with them, there are better choices out there, especially if this is for a bolt gun.

Jim

 

[Totosdad]

Just looked at them, camera angle made it look like nickel plated, they are brass

 

[mac86951]

Just an observation guys, not trying to be snarky. Why would Federal crimp 223 REM. This could be a contract overrun for some LEO organization that had rifles in service that can’t handle the 5.56 NATO round. Could those be steel rounds IDK. A lot of galling from the uniformer? Put a magnet on them. I probably wouldn’t mess with them, there are better choices out there, especially if this is for a bolt gun.

Jim

Yes and yes. Federal crimped my 77gr gmm too.


BTW, it took me 10,000 223 cases thru a swager before I learned of the cut it out with an inside neck deburring tool. Serious time savings, but to each their own. I offer it as an option.

I still swage my LC match brass for the AR. I cut the plinking rounds.

-Mac

 

[Kracken McGraw]

View attachment 1157613 these are the shells I am reloading and the cases after cleanupView attachment 1157613 View attachment 1157613 View attachment 1157614 View attachment 1157615

This is a pic of a .223 case not crimped.

 

[rsmithsr50]

because a lot of 223 is shot in ars...makers crimp most of it...not all but most.

Just an observation guys, not trying to be snarky. Why would Federal crimp 223 REM. This could be a contract overrun for some LEO organization that had rifles in service that can’t handle the 5.56 NATO round. Could those be steel rounds IDK. A lot of galling from the uniformer? Put a magnet on them. I probably wouldn’t mess with them, there are better choices out there, especially if this is for a bolt gun.

Jim

 

[jonbearman]

All you have to do for now is cut a small chamfer on the primer pocket with a deburring tool powered by a drill to speed things up. That is what blackhills does. I have never blown a primer yet, You can swage the pockets with a primer pocket swager but chamfering works way better. Maybe someone could post a picture of one done right to illustrate what to do.

 

[Rustytigwire]

Dillon swager will push that circle crimp into the primer hole as a tiny sliver of a ring you can pick out with a piece of wire if you can actually see it. Or try to figure what you did wrong to make just some of your primers stick out. Is that why those few felt different? You did check that before doing all 50 right?
I didnt. Arrrggghhh

 

[rsmithsr50]

hmmm
a "swager" will push material out of the way, into the case head, out and away from the pocket. it is not designed to push material in to the pocket hole to be removed. that is why it is a SWAGER, not a cutter.
yes I have a super swager.

Dillon swager will push that circle crimp into the primer hole as a tiny sliver of a ring you can pick out with a piece of wire if you can actually see it. Or try to figure what you did wrong to make just some of your primers stick out. Is that why those few felt different? You did check that before doing all 50 right?
I didnt. Arrrggghhh

 

[Rustytigwire]

hmmm
a "swager" will push material out of the way, into the case head, out and away from the pocket. it is not designed to push material in to the pocket hole to be removed. that is why it is a SWAGER, not a cutter.
yes I have a super swager.

I agree in full with you.
Murphys law?
Operator training, alignment, sufficently talented fool?
It is possible to produce results outside the design envelope.
Swager is a great tool. I continue to use mine.