Primer Pockets

[bob_dobalina]

Is there a good way to tell your primer pockets are getting too expanded? A "maximum pocket diameter"? I've never had one not hold, but sometimes they seat awfully easy, which makes you a little nervous.

 

[BK]

I tell by feel, if the new primer goes in too easily, I junk the brass. I do use an RCBS hand tool for priming, but even when I was using the press to seat primers, I could tell the difference.

 

[Bruce Mc]

Large primer pockets are 0.210 and small are 0.175. You can measure with a vernier micrometer and when the get around +0.005 they will be loose. At some point they are gonna fall out. When you start getting pocket over 0.005 you're probably having some pressure issues.

 

[Mountain Goat]

I also think a lot of it has to do with the brass and the primers to begin with. The last batch of Nosler brass I purchased seemed to have "lose" primer pockets from the get-go. The last batch of Winchester brass was just the opposite, very difficult to seat. Can brass and primer manufactures consitently produce components with .005" tolerance? It sure seems like CCI primers seat easier than, say, Winchester. Is it the finish of the primer or size of the primer or primer pocket? I don't have the answer, obviously.

 

[FOTIS]

I tell by feel, if the new primer goes in too easily, I junk the brass. I do use an RCBS hand tool for priming, but even when I was using the press to seat primers, I could tell the difference.

Bingo!

 

[bob_dobalina]

I can tell by feel and should probably have junked a few. Do you just waste the primer then? What kind of pressure issues will you have?

 

[jmad_81]

I would venture to guess that a loose primer pocket will lower preasure. But high preasure (to hot of a load) is what causes them to expand in the first place. I know it doesn't take to many time of getting hit in the face with some burning powder because the primer blew out before you will want to start junking those cases. If it feels like the primer has very little to no resistance when you are seating them, toss the case. If you are worried about saving the primer you can adjust your decapping pin so that it will pop out the primer without having to resize the case. Just take it very easy when you are depriming live primers.

 

[Elkman]

If I have a loose one I put a dap of fingernail polish on it (my wifes not mine) and then throw it away after I shoot it. I don't have very many of those my biggest problem is case seperation in front of the belt. That seems to happen long before the primers start falling out. !!!

 

[SJB358]

Same here, when they start feeling too loose, I just chuck the case. I really haven't ever had the issue until working with the 264WM. It has taught me a bunch about being nice to the cases. Nosler cases are too expensive to junk for a few extra FPS. Scotty

 

[DrMike]

I like to feel at least a modicum of friction resisting seating the primer. This is one reason I like the hand priming tools from either Lee or RCBS.

 

[cloverleaf]

257 Ackley gave me a Lee hand primer this summer. Couldnt believe the difference in "feel". Some of my older brass went straight in the round file. Sure beats just using the press. CL

 

[bob_dobalina]

all i have ever basically used is the rcbs hand tool. i guess I've done it with my press before, so I can see what you're saying about feel

 

[bullet]

I tell by feel, if the new primer goes in too easily, I junk the brass. I do use an RCBS hand tool for priming, but even when I was using the press to seat primers, I could tell the difference.

Bingo!

Bingo + ONE!!! :mrgreen: