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

[mshelton]

Might be worth a try, the last 3 batches of Nosler brass I bought the primer pockets loosened up after 1-2 firings, might be able to salvage some worth from them.

 

[Kodiak99317]

From the guy using this system for close to a year now... GT

Mark, I did about 500 last year before Phoenix and loaded enough for the match with either of 2 bullets. I shot a split with both bullets and Mr. Condie used it for the team and all told about 450 rounds. Never lost a single primer. I've been using the test end cases (with the swedged pockets) load tuning for this years effort and have reloaded the same 15 cases 4 times with no noticeable loosening of pockets. These cases, you must understand, have been pushed to find the upper limits many times with no obvious issues. I'm now trying the 4350 load from Raton that loosened them in the begining. I'll keep you posted.
Cheers

 

[tenring]

Hart also make a tool,
it works well.

Someone reported on this site, some time ago, that the Hart tool works well for one firing, then it must repeated with the next loading.

 

[fguffey]

These RCBS tools are designed for the opposite. They "swage" or take out the crimp of military brass.

Agree but when swaging the case head down it is necessary to use something like the RCBS pocket swage to prevent crushing/reducing the diameter of the primer pocket. There is the primer pocket uniformer and the military crimp cutter.

If I was going to suggest a remedy I would suggest someone start with an arbor press, not a small one. It would be slow but effective. I believe it would require matched case heads.

F. Guffey

 

[Jefferson]

does the hart one actually work and if so how

Jefferson

 

[memilanuk]

The Hart one is a base with an anvil on it that fits in the pocket and you stick a rod down in and smack the rod w/ a hammer. It is somewhat difficult to use consistently, and the parts are fairly soft - if you beat on it too hard (trying to close up a particularly loose pocket) you will damage (as in deform) the parts.

In general these work better on primer pockets that are just starting to feel a little 'loose'. If they are so far gone as to where primers don't always stay in... you're better off just pitching the case.

 

[fguffey]

and smack the rod w/ a hammer

There should be no shortage of presses, like some my presses go beyond reloading. Same for hammers, when it comes to upsetting and destroying I know of no better way than to use a hammer, there is a lot to be said about the 'get a bigger hammer'. I had rather get a bigger press for control.

F. Guffey

 

[jcinsa]

NEVER anneal any part of the case other than the neck.

Serious injury WILL result.

 

[amlevin]

[. I had rather get a bigger press for control.

F. Guffey

Don't often need to go all that big to get the job done. Small presses where the ram is operated by an eccentric similar to the Dillon swaging tool can get the job done. Downside is that eccentric presses only have short strokes so they need to be scaled up for each job. One could make a press suitable for "reverse swagin" primer pockets without much trouble.

 

[Timgunner]

Wow thanks for posting! That seems perfect. I have inconsistent primer pocket tension in my 7mm WSM Winchester brass; some are much tighter than others with only fire-forming. I think this is due to factory tolerances rather than hot loads. This tool ought to make the primer pockets more uniform thanks!

 

[Jay Christopherson]

I just made the tool and swaged some cases that were done. Works perfectly. I used just a hair of cam over and they came out great. Thanks for posting this!

 

[Kodiak99317]

That's why I posted it, just to let others know.
I'm not making it, nor will I get rich from it, but famous, ... maybe LOL.

BTW, I have fix some and fired them 4-5 times each now with hot loads and they still do not leak and hold primers just fine, tighter than new cases, so it works.

 

[Ghengisahn175]

Wanted to revive this for a question...

I have around 240 cases all with varying amounts of primer pocket tension with some cases Leaking.

Is it alright to use this tool on all cases to "uniform" them all out?

 

[DennisH]

Hart also make a tool,
it works well.

How many firings can you get after using the Hart tool on your brass before you have to shrink them again?

Dennis

 

[LHSmith]

I don't know how hot the loads are that some of you guys that claim the Hart tool works, but here in the Northeast you won't find any serious Benchrest competitor that uses one and Hart is in our back yard. When brass is overpressured there is more case transformation than just enlarged pockets. Brass is expendable...plain and simple.

 

[scope eye]

I can always get a few more firings out of them when using there primer pocket tool, would I use that brass in a match, no I would not. But they are still perfectly good for load development and trigger time, at least they are for me anyways.

Dean

 

[SheepDog]

If you are willing to swage your case why not swage the entire case head?
The problem is that the head is expanding so the repair would be sizing the head.
It would likely require a hydraulic press and a push through die but it would bring the entire base back to specs.
I have never had a problem with primers getting loose and I would put the brass in the recycle bin if I did.

 

[jerseyjoe]

Hart has been making a product called the Case Saver that is similar in function

http://www.rwhart.com/store/proddetail.asp?prod=dhb-f-swage-lg

 

[Jay Christopherson]

I made this tool and it worked perfectly. I was able to recover the primer pocket on hundreds of cases.

Sadly, as LHSmith pointed out, at those pressures, there is more going on than just enlarged primer pockets. I recovered the primer pockets, but the brass never shot to my satisfaction. I ended up scrapping it all.

On the other hand, this applies to brass that I deem match quality - if I was using it for other purposes, I think it would be fine.

 

[fguffey]

Don't often need to go all that big to get the job done. Small presses where the ram is operated by an eccentric similar to the Dillon swaging tool can get the job done. Downside is that eccentric presses only have short strokes so they need to be scaled up for each job. One could make a press suitable for "reverse swagin" primer pockets without much trouble.

I read on the Internet 'all the time' about reloaders having trouble sizing bullets, some have so much trouble sizing bullets they are down to .0005" a pass. For me it is a matter of choosing a press from a long line of presses.