Priming rifle cases…..how do you gauge when a primer pocket is getting too large?

[want2learn]

I currently prime cases on a Forster Co-Ax reloading press. It seems to work very nicely.

Every once in a while i can feel when seating a primer that the force required is less than many of the other cases. The case still holds the primer and it looks well seated.

I understand that at some point the primer pocket can expand and that case should be discarded but i’m not sure how best to identify this threshold. Is there a commonly employed method to measure the dimensions of the primer pocket prior to seating a new primer?

Do you discard every primed case that is starting to feel less tight?

thank you

 

[nn8734]

If the primer feels real loose going in, I remove the primer and uniform the pocket. Then I reseat the primer. If it’s tighter (ie more normal) after uniforming, I’ll run with it. If not, the pocket is simply worn out beyond repair.

At that point, I remove the primer again and toss the case.

 

[47guy]

there are pin gauges you use if your REALLY concerned....personally i shoot them until the pocket will not hold the primer but i start getting head seperation most time before the pockets give out.

 

[Mordamer]

When the primer falls out.

 

[Foul Mike]

For me I will know how many reloads I have on a batch of brass and when the reload number gets up there.
When reloading a batch that I know has been done more than a few times and when I prime them with a hand priming tool, old RCBS, not the new ones, I can feel how they are going in and when I start feeling less resistance but still OK I mark that on that box and the next time I reload it I use a little gauge from Ballistics Tools, that I learned of on this Site.
It is a little tool that you can feel around on the primer pocket with and if that gauge slips right in on deprimed brass that piece goes in the brass re-cycle bucket, but if it doesn't I will reload that one again.
It is a bit of tedious but also gives you time to look your brass over for any other faults.

I do not re-load on a high volume basis, 20-50 at a time is all I do and I have all the time I need to make good rounds.

I never hurry as I know, "Hurrying is the Daddy of All Fuckups." FM

 

[straightshooter1]

I currently prime cases on a Forster Co-Ax reloading press. It seems to work very nicely.

Every once in a while i can feel when seating a primer that the force required is less than many of the other cases. The case still holds the primer and it looks well seated.

I understand that at some point the primer pocket can expand and that case should be discarded but i’m not sure how best to identify this threshold. Is there a commonly employed method to measure the dimensions of the primer pocket prior to seating a new primer?

Do you discard every primed case that is starting to feel less tight?

thank you

When I first started reloading, that was the question I had as no one seemed to be able to explicitly define just what "loose" meant. Just saying they're loose when the primer falls out when they felt loose when priming wasn't good enough for me. Then I found just the right tool . . . a Swage Gage. It's essentially a go - no go gage and I use it after every firing to find any cases with a primer pocket that's too large (loose). I have found just a few, but as someone else above mentioned, case head separation signs usually show up before a loose pockets issue for the batch where I'll then throw them all out. So, I feel the gage is the best way to go:

Swage Gage ® Small Primer Pocket Gauge

Swage Gage™ Small Primer Pocket Gauge

ballistictools.com

 

[want2learn]

thank you all...appreciate the information and help.

 

[Rocketmandb]

I use a hand primer (21st Century), so I can tell when a primer goes in too easy. For those cases, I lightly tap the rim at an angle on the bench. If the primer moves out at all, it's done.

 

[Steel head]

I go by depriming and priming resistance.
If it puts up no fight at all It’s done.

 

[918v]

I have a spare decapping rod. If I can move the primer using hand pressure only then the case is junk. If it stays put then it’s gtg.

 

[918v]

If the primer feels real loose going in, I remove the primer and uniform the pocket. Then I reseat the primer. If it’s tighter (ie more normal) after uniforming, I’ll run with it. If not, the pocket is simply worn out beyond repair.

At that point, I remove the primer again and toss the case.

How would uniforming the primer pocket make it tighter?

 

[nn8734]

How would uniforming the primer pocket make it tighter?

I guess it makes the pocket a tad deeper than previously. I began noticing when uniforming 300 win mag mil brass that initially had excessively loose primer pockets, the primer would seat a bit tighter in those pockets after I ran the Sinclair uniformer through them. It doesn’t work all the time, perhaps ~30% of my cases can get another firing out of them with that tool.

 

[918v]

It makes the pocket less than .005” deeper. It has no effect on primer retention. Maybe you were seating the primer against a brass shaving.

 

[918v]

Reshaping the primer with a pair of pliers would make it go in tighter too, lol.

 

[Rocketmandb]

Reshaping the primer with a pair of pliers would make it go in tighter too, lol.

Or maybe tapping with a hammer?

^
Joke - DO NOT ATTEMPT

 

[AN22]

I've got one of these gauges in my reloading tool box, can't say I use it often. But it lets you know if the pocket is out of spec.

Swage Gage Large Primer Pocket Gauge

Stop guessing about your primer pockets. Know for sure with the Swage Gage™ primer pocket gage. Gunsmiths use "go" and "no-go" gages to measure chamber tolerances, and now you can bring this level of precision to your reloads with the Swage Gage primer pocket gage. Have you ever wondered...

www.midsouthshooterssupply.com

 

[Snuby642]

I use a lot of range brass and some don't have a primer in them.

The swage guage lets me check and wierd that some are still tight and no deformity in the case can be seen.

 

[Foul Mike]

And there you have it. The Swage Gauge, sizes for all primers. Came from me and others above. All the same tool.

 

[918v]

I use a lot of range brass and some don't have a primer in them.

The swage guage lets me check and wierd that some are still tight and no deformity in the case can be seen.

If a primer pocket drops a primer but your gauge tells you it’s still tight, then it’s measuring the primer crimp and once that’s removed what’s going to hold the primer?

 

[FLIGHT762]

I have a spare decapping rod. If I can move the primer using hand pressure only then the case is junk. If it stays put then it’s gtg.

I do this also with and old Lee hand depriming tool. If it's the last loading, I take a red marker while the case is in the loading block and spin the case, putting a red band just above the case web. Marks the case for scrap after firing.

 

[Snuby642]

Not all primers are crimped in place to start with.
How a primer comes out of a pocket that is conformal is a mystery to me.

I will keep an eye out for the headstamp.

Maybe possible some nonconforming primers?

I used to just toss all those but decided to check some.

I welcome any explanations of how in hell that works.

 

[lightman]

I prime with a hand tool that gives me a pretty good feel for seating the primer. If I have a case where the primer seats too easy I'll tap the case on the table top. If the primer moves I''ll junk that case. If the primer does not move I'll mark that case and go ahead and load it one last time. I'll junk any marked cases after they are fired that time.

 

[krw]

Another trick, when the primer pockets get “loose” switch over to Wolf or Tula primers. Their a lil lil bit larger than CCI’s. You can get a couple more firings. When they get “loose” with them, I seperate them when priming. Their my Trk gun ammo. Brass never gets pikkd up again

 

[MtnCreek]

Just based on feel. Bolt action I'll mark a loose case with a sharpie and use one last time. Autoloader I'll throw it away then. A loose primer can lockup a mag or rifle.

 

[Snuby642]

I had a couple hundred rounds to work the pockets on yesterday.

I had purchased a hornady swaging die for ss press, was unhappy on first use.

I remembered that I had it and with use of the swage guage got it properly set in a couple of minutes.

Note: Found that with a small ammount of wax on every third case it ran just fine.

 

[Deleted member 10043]

I recently got a primer pocket gauge recommended on some other thread here. If the gauge bottoms out in the pocket it's done. Came in handy on my 22-250 and 25-06. I shoot the 22-250 hot and the '06 has a 7 twist for the 131 Blackjack.

 

[tommygun13]

The only problem with all of this is if you reload a bunch where the pocket, usually small, needs depth increase by thousands of an inch. Sure it is in the pocket but is above the base and screws up the cbto. Now you are stuck taking everything apart, dumping the powder and starting all over again. Also it would be nice if they made a swage tool with large on one end and small on the other.

 

[tommygun13]

The only problem with all of this is if you reload a bunch where the pocket, usually small, needs depth increase by thousands of an inch. Sure it is in the pocket but is above the base and screws up the cbto. Now you are stuck taking everything apart, dumping the powder and starting all over again. Also it would be nice if they made a swage tool with large on one end and small on the other.

 

[Snuby642]

I would suggest you get a swage gauge / primer pocket go - nogo gauge.

Pretty much idiot proof as a lot of the folks here as well as myself can attest to.

Wait? Did I just---------- oh well.
Lol

Also a primer pocket uniformer is handy and if nothing else cleans them quickly and takes them to spec.

Ballistic Tools Primer Pocket Ga 50 BMG

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

 

[tommygun13]

Never hurts to check this site. I just ordered the Swage gauges large and small. Thanks for the input.

 

[MarkyMark007]

it's hard to check primer pocket with gage when not all primers are the same size.

some primers are ''bigger'', some are ''smaller''. if primer pocket expands, you can try ''bigger'' primer for more reloadings from this brass. sometimes sellier & bellot SR primers were harder to prime, so they were solution for loose primer pockets with other primers.

what about swaging primer pockets? when swage deform primer pocket, it can correct loose primer pocket to some degree?

 

[demarpaint]

I would suggest you get a swage gauge / primer pocket go - nogo gauge.

Pretty much idiot proof as a lot of the folks here as well as myself can attest to.

Wait? Did I just---------- oh well.
Lol

Also a primer pocket uniformer is handy and if nothing else cleans them quickly and takes them to spec.

Ballistic Tools Primer Pocket Ga 50 BMG

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

I found that to work well. I'll probably order the uniformer.

 

[Robert4]

For bolt rifles, I just mark any loose primer fit brass and use them for plinkers, or discard. For semi autos, I won't use a noticeably loose seating primer due to the slight risk of a primer falling out and stopping the works. Or worse, the very small risk of it going full auto.