K&M primer pocket tool problem

[dtucker]

I am wondering if anyone has had this problem. I was prepping some new Lapua brass last night and finishing it up cutting the primer pockets. I have Sinclairs which i have used for years and recently bought some stuff from K&M and wanted to check out their primer pocket cutters. I use the primer pocket cutters in my motorized case turner i got from pbike which is an excellent piece by the way ;D. With the K&M in their the problem i have is that when you insert the case on the cutter and start nearing the base of the pocket it gets so tight that it gets stuck in their not going all the way to the bottom of the pocket. You then have to turn off the motor and wiggle the case off the cutter. I did this on a couple pieces of brass and then decided to install my cutter that i have been using for years from Sinclair and no problem, works as it should. At first i was thinking that maybe i had a batch with some tight pockets until i used the Sinclair cutter, so i am thinking that the diameter of the cutter is slightly larger than the Sinclair. I wonder if they are all made that way. I also have the K&M small primer pocket cutter and will check it out with a piece of brass. Anyone here had that problem? I am going to see if i can tell a difference in diameter between the 2 if i can with a set of calipers.

 

[artbosco]

I am wondering if anyone has had this problem. I was prepping some new Lapua brass last night and finishing it up cutting the primer pockets. I have Sinclair's which i have used for years and recently bought some stuff from K&M and wanted to check out their primer pocket cutters. I use the primer pocket cutters in my motorized case turner i got from pbike which is an excellent piece by the way ;D. With the K&M in their the problem i have is that when you insert the case on the cutter and start nearing the base of the pocket it gets so tight that it gets stuck in their not going all the way to the bottom of the pocket. You then have to turn off the motor and wiggle the case off the cutter. I did this on a couple pieces of brass and then decided to install my cutter that i have been using for years from Sinclair and no problem, works as it should. At first i was thinking that maybe i had a batch with some tight pockets until i used the Sinclair cutter, so i am thinking that the diameter of the cutter is slightly larger than the Sinclair. I wonder if they are all made that way. I also have the K&M small primer pocket cutter and will check it out with a piece of brass. Anyone here had that problem? I am going to see if i can tell a difference in diameter between the 2 if i can with a set of calipers.

Why switch Uniformers, if Sinclair has always done the job correctly? I have four of their carbide Uniformers and they do an excellent job.

I believe I'd send the K&M back, with an explanation as to why, so Roger Miller [the owner] can look to see if he has a QC problem.

 

[dtucker]

Ya see, I have always had this problem that stems back from my child hood in always wanting to try things out or something different out whether what you have is working fine or not. I had someone recommend them to me who uses them and when i bought some stuff from them i went ahead and bought the small and large cutters. It is a rarity at least for me to have bought something and it not work the way it should but since i have used only Sinclairs cutters i thought maybe i am over looking something. What, i have not a clue.

 

[Dans40X]

Drive the cutter by means for chip clearance.
Gravity Works!!

I haven't had a problem with K&M's primer pocket uniformers,cutting Hornet to BMG pockets in the last couple decades.

 

[dtucker]

Dan, i am not quite understanding what you are saying.

 

[dtucker]

OK, i just got done measuring these and the large primer K&M cutter is 3 thousandths larger than my Sinclair and the small K&M is 1 thousandth larger than my Sinclair. I think the small one i will have no problem but i will have to call Monday and ask about it because i can not use it. I know it may sound petty to some of you but i want to use which ever one i want at the time and they all have the same diameter. Does anyone here have both makes and use them?

 

[dtucker]

I was prepping 22-250 Lapua brass.

 

[amlevin]

I had a similar problem with my primer pocket tool. Found that it was caused by the chips accumulating and jamming the tool. Solved it by pulling the tool out once to clear the chips and then reinserting to finish the job.

 

[jonbearman]

I found that making a drill fixture and using a drill instead of your hand doing the work,and the chips are so minimal that I have never jammed it up or torn out any additional brass making the pocket unusable. Make sure you set the depth on your tools if it allows you too as well. Those motorized units have not got enough power to overcome brass tightening up on the cutter.I have used my makita drill for 20 years doing all my primer pocket work,and deburring etc with absolutely no problems.

 

[dtucker]

Well, i called K&M and found out that their pocket cutters are ground a little larger than the Sinclair and was told that theirs is the correct size. Don't really know what the correct size is supposed to be but its not going to work for my lot of 22-250 Lapua brass. I use Lapua brass for just about all my needs and if all Lapua,s brass is made like this i will not be able to use it. I did happen to find another brand of brass that is a friends and i knocked out the primer and put the K&M in the pocket and it went in like it is supposed to. So i am not sure and maybe Lapua,s pockets are tighter than the others. Any buddy here use the K&M on Lapua here? Regardless on how it gets used it is not going to go all the way in, maybe 2/3,s of the way down and that is it. It is stuck after that. Why is their not a standard size for all pocket cutters? With 1 being larger in diameter than the other and you could get both in the pocket then is the smaller really cutting the comeplete pocket and squaring up the corners like the large 1. Just curios questions i am thinking and i am not going to lose any sleep over it since my results over the years with the Sinclair cutter has been fine. I would really like some feedback and opinions on it if you guys have any.

 

[in2deep]

I have the opposite problem wherein my K&M doesn't even touch the brass or reach the soot on the bottom and seems undersized or maladjusted. This is with Lapua 6BR brass both new and fired 20 times. They said it was made and adjusted to factory spec. and my pockets were bigger than normal.
I think they said not to try and adjust the depth as it may cause a problem but it was a while ago and I can't remember exactly.

 

[dtucker]

Yea, when i inserted the K&M in the 1 time fired Remington brass that was my friends it went in easier than the Sinclair and also would not touch the bottom of the pocket. I am not here to down their products because i use other items that they make and like them very well but as far as the primer pocket cutter goes its not a winner for me and useless as i will never use it at this point. The reason i bought it was that it has larger gaps in the cutting teeth and would clear brass chips better i think and i liked that it has a larger base for the head of your brass to ride on than the Sinclair. I am glad it was only 21 bucks.

 

[kitsap]

Any buddy here use the K&M on Lapua here?

Yes, I use the K&M small rifle primer pocket uniformer on Lapua brass. Most all the brass I have with the small primer is old style (brown box) 6mm BR. I have a few pieces in 223 match. I have not noticed the difference in diameter like you are talking about. I have a couple of old White Tail Engineering cutters that match the K&M very closely in diameter and depth of cut. Three things I have learned is to use tapping fluid (suitable for brass), clean out the chips at least once before the final cut, and to wait and uniform the primer pockets after at least two stout fire forming loads have been fired.

DougF

 

[in2deep]

I am tempted to try and adjust it so that it just takes off most of the soot and try that.... I mean how much damage can you do when it doesn't really remove any brass?
As mentioned their tools are of the highest quality and perform great but I haven't figured this one out totally and was surprised when they warned not to adjust it since there is a set screw.