Loose primer pockets

[dantiff2]

I have 6br Lapua cases with about 20 reloads. The primers are still tight. What am I doing wrong? Pressure is the only thing that can ruin primer pockets.

The BR brass doesn’t suffer from this phenomenon as bad as most other cases do. I had similar results as you but my 223,243, 6.5 creed and 30-06 in various brass brands definitely suffer from loose pockets at a much earlier load count. I’ve had 223 get loose in 10 loads.

Edit to add: Nothing against Hornady, I like them but their brass seems to “go to hell” so to speak the quickest for me, regarding the primer pockets. Tends to be really soft at the base compared to others.

 

[williepete]

get this tool cheap measure the pockets again you might be surprised
of how many loose feeling pockets pass the go no go test. I have pockets feel loose when seating
especially the federal ar match primers even in new brass the cci41 always feel tight
as long as I don't see any carbon on the base of the case around the pockets I keep shooting them

Ballistic Tools Primer Pocket Ga Small

Stop guessing about your primer pockets. Know for sure with the Ballistic Tools Swage Gauge primer pocket gauge. Gunsmiths use "go" and...

www.midwayusa.com

 

[rijndael]

get this tool cheap measure the pockets again

I have that exact tool and don't find it helpful. It tells me pockets are fine with the primers going too loosely.

 

[Straightshooter1]

I have that exact tool and don't find it helpful. It tells me pockets are fine with the primers going too loosely.

Hmmm??? So, what is "too loose" for you?

 

[rijndael]

Almost no resistance on the tool when seating.

 

[cowboybart]

Hmmm??? So, what is "too loose" for you?

Falling out under force of gravity

 

[SSL]

I'm of the school of getting rid of the brass when pockets get loose. I hand prime all my rifle cases. It soon becomes easy to feel even minor differences in seating effort. Like others on this thread, once I feel a noticeable difference in seating effort, I mark the head of the case with a marker, continue to load it as usual one last time and then discard it once fired. Naturally if it is 'sloppy' loose, I discard it immediately...even though I hate losing a primer!

 

[bozo699]

I'm of the school of getting rid of the brass when pockets get loose. I hand prime all my rifle cases. It soon becomes easy to feel even minor differences in seating effort. Like others on this thread, once I feel a noticeable difference in seating effort, I mark the head of the case with a marker, continue to load it as usual one last time and then discard it once fired. Naturally if it is 'sloppy' loose, I discard it immediately...even though I hate losing a primer!

How would you lose a primer?……
Wayne

 

[Stormin Norman]

Any way of tightening them up? Posts from 8-14 years ago suggested Hart's tool. Can't find it for sale anywhere, but it didn't seem to be built very durable.

I think rcbs makes a swedgeing tool

 

[Mastershot]

I have used dollar store finger nail polish to secure the primers in my brass when I had a match to go to and did not have enough good brass left.

 

[JohnW...ski]

Shoot them until they are really loose and then move up to large rifle primers.

 

[michaelb]

Answers are simple and historically founded.

- Continue shooting hot and throw away brass when they expand.
- Purchase a primer pocket swage tool and discover like many others that they have little effect.
- Back off the charge
- Change to slower powder
Many of the Readers are looking at my statements and thinking, well Duhhhh....

There is no "Free Lunch"!!!

When running real hot, you automatically have to take the position that brass gets thrown away after an Agg or stage or daily match. That is much better than "gas etched" bolt faces or a complete blown primer pocket. Any Shooter who experiences smoke and debris coming out of the rifle backward through the action can attest to the value of throwing brass in the garbage.

Keep in mind that the hot load that you developed in mild temperatures in March or April might give some wild surprise in July or August.

Ya'll know the signs of pressure, load development needs a safety cushion for human stupidity like leaving your ammo boxes baking in the sun for your 2:00 afternoon relay.....

I watched a video on Youtube where a hunter had really hot loads and pierced a primer, that little disk of primer cup fell into the front of the action upon ejecting. This situation turned to shit when the hunter was unable to chamber another round to finish a very pissed off Brown Bear in Alaska.
Check out "StuckintheRut" video episode 168 on Youtube.

 

[SSL]

How would you lose a primer?……
Wayne

By discarding it unfired in a case with issues. If it seats with a sloppy fit, I toss case and primer. I would call that losing a primer.

 

[davidjoe]

What about a series of thick, hardened steel dies, very slightly cone shaped to straight wall, so the working surface doesn’t fish mouth, with two flats that you’d secure in a table vice, and punch sets slightly smaller than the case head, that would allow cases that are not rebated to be tapped through two or three stages of dies in slightly descending diameter?

The punches could be guided for straightness. You’d ideally be able to set these beside each other in the vice, or perhaps put three sizing holes in the same steel stock. They’d only make brass contact fairly near the head of course.

By not trying to reduce the size all at once, you could get precisely the correct resizing.

 

[Richard308]

Any way of tightening them up? Posts from 8-14 years ago suggested Hart's tool. Can't find it for sale anywhere, but it didn't seem to be built very durable.

I have a Hart primer pocket tool, but never had much luck with it.
It seems to make the pocket too tight, a primer won't go in.
Maybe striking it too hard ?

 

[bozo699]

By discarding it unfired in a case with issues. If it seats with a sloppy fit, I toss case and primer. I would call that losing a primer.

I would use a tool called a decapping die and reuse primer in a tight case and toss bad case
Wayne

 

[Elwood]

I have a Hart primer pocket tool, but never had much luck with it.
It seems to make the pocket too tight, a primer won't go in.
Maybe striking it too hard ?

Yes, you’re hitting it to hard, which is why the Rempel Nud works so well, it’s done on a reloading press where the force is consistent.

 

[Richard308]

What the heck is a Rempel Nud ?

 

[46and2]

What the heck is a Rempel Nud ?

I just googled it...please dont do this.
Lots of "adult" results occured!!

 

[madmixerman]

Tired of loose pockets? I WAS but not no more!

After a little over 3 years and $6,600 worth of materials, counting the powder, bullets, primers, barrels, chamber jobs, brass to fire a little under 4400 rounds, my original 284 WIN brass primer pockets were so loose, it was time to do something. Over 100 cases would not keep a primer in. Ok, I...

forum.accurateshooter.com

Henry.Rempel@hotmail.com