• This Forum is for adults 18 years of age or over. By continuing to use this Forum you are confirming that you are 18 or older. No content shall be viewed by any person under 18 in California.

Uniforming primer pockets????

bobinpa

Gold $$ Contributor
I know I am opening a huge can of worms here but, here goes... For those of you that uniform your primer pockets, which tool do you use? And why?

Thanks in advance!
 
I've used the RCBS uniformer for a long time and use it as a pocket cleaner after each firing as it also keeps the pockets unform. But recently got a 21st Century uniformer because it's much easier to adjust, which helps when dealing with various brass having different pocket depths. . . like when some brand of cases have pockets deeper than what I've been using. That 21st Century tool with adjustment feature with micrometer settings makes it really nice to use so you're not guessing to much about your adjustment.
 
I use the Sinclair in my hand drill. I use it every firing to clean the pockets back out.


Haven't tested it....but I've seen guys test primer depth and it seems to matter. If your pockets have varying depths of crud, you aren't getting the same primer seat. Clean them all with the same tool and it's all back to uniform and consistent.


Doesn't take hardly any time except maybe the first time if the pockets need a bit of brass removed.
 
Another long time Sinclair carbide tool user. After every firing (only need to use it once) but it is a great cleaner as well.

Why do I uniform them? When you start uniforming your pockets, you will see how bad some are. If you only use Lapua brass, then you don't need to. Once I cut them uniform, primer seating is much more consistent.
 
I've used the RCBS uniformer for a long time and use it as a pocket cleaner after each firing as it also keeps the pockets unform. But recently got a 21st Century uniformer because it's much easier to adjust, which helps when dealing with various brass having different pocket depths. . . like when some brand of cases have pockets deeper than what I've been using. That 21st Century tool with adjustment feature with micrometer settings makes it really nice to use so you're not guessing to much about your adjustment.
Some Privi Partisan cases and some Hornady cases have pockets deeper than my Redding tool also. Just purchased the 21st Century tool over Christmas.
 
I used an RCBS non-adjustable carbide unit for years, since around 2004 or so. It got stuck in a piece of Hornady brass back in August. I put the uniformer in a vice and pulled the brass off with vice grips. As it turned out, the cutting blade fractured and came apart, causing it to get stuck in the case. I purchased a new non-adjustable unit from RCBS and it barely touches the primer pockets on the same lot of brass. It really makes me question how consistent the uniformers are from tool to tool. I mostly use Lapua or ADG brass, but tend to uniform Hornady, Winchester, Federal, etc.
 
Using an old "Whitetail". None adjustable carbide. If a pocket is already too deep, it doesn't get cut. If it's already "too" deep, I certainly am not going to cut it deeper. Too deep can lead to ignition problems. And an adjustable uniformer can get loose enough to move when pushing on it while uniforming. After a couple hundred pockets you may find then deeper than when you began!

Frank
 
Tylerw02 if you use the same non-adjustable uniformer, then they will all be uniform. I'm more concerned about uniform than an actual number. And yes, I've seen different brands be slightly different.

Frank
 
Tylerw02 if you use the same non-adjustable uniformer, then they will all be uniform. I'm more concerned about uniform than an actual number. And yes, I've seen different brands be slightly different.

Frank
Problem being half a big lot of brass uniformed using the old tool, the other half of the lot, the new uniforming tool doesn't touch. So I've had to segregate the two since it broke while uniforming the large lot. Same model tool...one was purchased in 2004, the other 2022.
 
Lapua 6 br brass I use has pocket depths of .126 leaving fixed cutters a bit short, after the first firing I set the 21st century cutter to lightly clean and uniform the depths.
I’ll set the hand primer to seat the primers the way the rifle likes them.
 

Attachments

  • 99A963DA-E39F-4DE2-BE20-01B4E9B1DD14.jpeg
    99A963DA-E39F-4DE2-BE20-01B4E9B1DD14.jpeg
    348.2 KB · Views: 19
Sinclair.

Why? Quality and fixed cut.

The only advantage I've experienced in uniforming the pockets is that it's much easier to clean them. While I still do it, I have never noticed any change in accuracy or performance.
 
I have the Sinclair tools also and bought it out of necessity as I had some PMC 38 Special brass that I could not seat the primers. I use them in a battery drill.
The biggest advantage of primer pocket uniforming in my opinion is that the cutter squares off the bottom of the primer pocket, and of course making them the same depth at the same time.

I also have the Lyman prep station and I use it to clean the primer pockets. I use the primer pocket cleaner, then the cutter.
 

Upgrades & Donations

This Forum's expenses are primarily paid by member contributions. You can upgrade your Forum membership in seconds. Gold and Silver members get unlimited FREE classifieds for one year. Gold members can upload custom avatars.


Click Upgrade Membership Button ABOVE to get Gold or Silver Status.

You can also donate any amount, large or small, with the button below. Include your Forum Name in the PayPal Notes field.


To DONATE by CHECK, or make a recurring donation, CLICK HERE to learn how.

Forum statistics

Threads
165,753
Messages
2,201,844
Members
79,079
Latest member
mark.urban
Back
Top