What are most reliable, precise and reasonably cost conscious tools to measure primer pocket depth and uniform them?

[6BRA]

Personally I would just buy a fixed tool and go to work. If it cuts great, if not then you are good to go. Easy peasy and you didn't have to buy a depth gauge that will probably never be used again.
Paul

Even with the best uniformer without measuring...you will leave something on the table. Ive gone through the process too many times.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Old habits hard to break.

If the type of primer matters, and primer seating depth matters, and ignition is affected by firing pin fall, how can a primer pocket full of residue not make a difference?

I think in Bart’s interview he said that the brass grows in the pocket after each firing and that he hit the pockets each time because of that.

 

[novice]

I use a carbide primer pocket uniforming tool (not sure whose) to clean the soot from rifle primer pockets, and I don't use this tool to make them deeper: the brass is too hard to tun by hand. I don't clean pistol pockets.
When I want to make a batch deeper for my M1A, out of caution, I turn the bottoms of the pockets on my lather with a very small small boring bar. I cut the bottom without touching the walls. A bit tedious.

 

[Webster]

Thinking about starting to measure primer pocket depths then uniform my 30BR primer pockets; at least to test if this will improve precision on target. What are the most reliable, precise and reasonably cost conscious tools to measure primer pocket depth then uniform the depth?

If you uniform them they are all the same. You don't have to measure them.

 

[Martin52]

I bought this recently, works well for checking primer pocket depth and also how deep the primer is seated below flush.

Primer Gauges – Derraco Engineering, the maker of Ugly annealers

 

[Timon]

I use the PMA Tool uniformer to clean up and uniform my pockets. It’s a fixed tool and keeps them at 0.123”. To measure them, I just use my calipers. It’s kind of a pain, but once you get the hang of it, it’s not that hard to get consistent results.

 

[Kevin1990]

If you uniform them they are all the same. You don't have to measure them.

Except if you've got a primer pocket that is deeper that the .122 or .123 that a set cutter is set for. Then you're not doing anything to the deeper ones, and cutting some to a uniform depth. So you still have variation. That's just my thought process anyway.

 

[M-61]

then uniform my 30BR primer pockets

How are your groups right now?
I clean the pockets. That’s it. Two 30BR’s.
Same results. Superb.
100 yard br shooter. Be very interested in seeing what you’re getting now. Can you post a pic?

 

[NF1E]

K&M Uniformer here too.

 

[ELR LVR]

Micrometer Head

 

[SeabeeKen]

Thinking about starting to measure primer pocket depths then uniform my 30BR primer pockets; at least to test if this will improve precision on target. What are the most reliable, precise and reasonably cost conscious tools to measure primer pocket depth then uniform the depth?

I use the accuracy one tool. It does an excellent job

 

[SeabeeKen]

I think in Bart’s interview he said that the brass grows in the pocket after each firing and that he hit the pockets each time because of that.

I use my uniforming tool to clean my pockets on my norma ppc cases and it barely gets to the bottom of the residue and seldom touches the brass case. Not saying Bart isnt right, just saying im not seeing that in mine

 

[neckturner]

What are the most reliable, precise and reasonably cost conscious tools to measure primer pocket depth then uniform the depth?

Measure: the depth gauge on calipers.
Uniform: Sinclair. Nothing to mis-adjust, just chuck it in your drill and turn.

One can spend a lot more, but you did say cost conscious.

 

[Webster]

Except if you've got a primer pocket that is deeper that the .122 or .123 that a set cutter is set for. Then you're not doing anything to the deeper ones, and cutting some to a uniform depth. So you still have variation. That's just my thought process anyway.

Do you really think it matters? If you can shoot 1's in a temperature controlled tunnel you might see a difference. The difference may just be normal variation. I uniform and seat to the bottom of the pocket. Real simple. No tools or gauges needed. If you don't have a full race rifle why would you worry about it. What do the guys do that set records and don't sell tools.

Tony Boyers book "The Book of Rifle Accuracy". Tony RIP had about 172 HOF points.
p. 153
Make sure the primers are fully seated without squashing. This is a matter of feel that developes with experience.

 

[Kevin1990]

Do you really think it matters? If you can shoot 1's in a temperature controlled tunnel you might see a difference. The difference may just be normal variation. I uniform and seat to the bottom of the pocket. Real simple. No tools or gauges needed. If you don't have a full race rifle why would you worry about it. What do the guys do that set records and don't sell tools.

Tony Boyers book "The Book of Rifle Accuracy". Tony RIP had about 172 HOF points.
p. 153
Make sure the primers are fully seated without squashing. This is a matter of feel that developes with experience.

I see what your saying now, my apologies. As far as what I think on it? I don't know. All I was saying is, if the uniformer is set to a certain depth, say .122 and you have primer pockets that are deeper- then they aren't all "uniform." You have some at .122 and others that are deeper. I was making an argument that may not have been there on uniformed depth, rather than the overall uniformness of the pocket.

I seat by feel as well, so I guess I'm doing something right. I just finished turning 200 pieces of 30br brass, and I have a K&M uniformer gathering dust. Think after I fireform, I'll dust it off and give it a go.

 

[gdbleb]

I have a pair of Sinclair's which as you know by now are fixed depth.
Sometimes they just clear out the carbon, sometimes some brass is removed.
Once in a while they don't fit due to the diameter of the brass pocket being too small. This usually corresponds to very hard or impossible primer seating. I try these pieces with the Dillon swager but if that doesn't fix the issue, I trash the brass as I have no way to fix and I'm running out of time in my life.

 

[209jones]

I have the Sinclair uniformers, bought a Mitutoyu micrometer depth gauge to measure with, have a micrometer to check the primers with, a Derraco tool to seat them with. Seems to have helped a little, hard to quantify yet, but over time will tell.

 

[neckturner]

Once in a while they don't fit due to the diameter of the brass pocket being too small.

This applies to all the 6mm GT and .308 Win SRP I've tried from Alpha.

This usually corresponds to very hard or impossible primer seating.

Yes, it really does.

 

[rlporter507]

2 X

3x

 

[Steve Donlon]

I just clean them out also then check them with my finger as I go and if they are high, I just push them down to where they need to be. If that don't work, a RCBS uniformer.