Tight primer pockets on Nosler brass?

Alderman

Handloader
Apr 5, 2014
1,267
659
Was loading up some new 308 Nosler brass with Fed 210M primers.
The primers were harder than usual to get seated fully in the primer pockets.

Almost as if a two stage process
where they would go 1/2 way in then take quite a bit of force to get them flush.
I don’t know if it’s smaller primer pockets or larger primer diameter.

Anybody else have any experience with this?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I had the same problem with Fed 210M in new 22-250 Lapua brass. It was so difficult to seat them that they were getting flatten out, some wouldn't go in at all. I thought it was the brass until I tried some CCI LR primers and they went in fine.
 
It pains me to say this, but I quit using Nosler brass some years ago because so many of the cases had tight primer pockets. The first I noticed was on the 260 Rem brass. There were other cases after that, so I just quit buying Nosler brass. I still have boxes of Nosler brass that I'll never use because of that problem.
 
Get yourself one of these. It can be used with a cordless screwdriver, I use it by hand. Makes every primer seat the same, regardless of what case it's being put in. Some cases it takes very little out of, some quite a bit. It's meant to set the depth, but also uniforms a primer pocket if one is out around or tapered.

www.midwayusa.com/product/6249483001?pid=802617

If I have 1 that is really bad, I hit it with this first just so the correction tool can get started, and turn in the pocket. Rarely have had to use this first, but I had some Winchester brass in 22-250 that needed it.

www.midwayusa.com/product/1064643126?pid=682934
 
Used several tools, but the ID of the pockets was extremely undersized, necessitating considerable work to ream them out to accept a Federal or CCI primer (steel cup).
 
Well at least I know it’s not just me. Thanks for the replies.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I've had a few problems with Nosler brass , extremely tight primer pockets was one of them . I used the tools for pocket uniforming , it helped but did not fix the problem .
 
I had that problem with Sellier & Bellot brass.
Their own primers fit well, Federal not at all.
Stopped using that brand of brass.
You might try S&B primers, if they are available.

Gesendet von meinem Pixel 3a XL mit Tapatalk
 
Jim, curious if you have the K&M tool? I've no way to determine as I don't have the Nosler cases to work on, so they might indeed be unfixable.

Just hard to imagine they could be worse off than the bag of Winchester 22-250 brass I went through. They are what made me buy the K&M, as initial use revealed most cases being extremely hard to seat, and others unable to seat.
 
ShadeTree":2ea2jfgg said:
Jim, curious if you have the K&M tool? I've no way to determine as I don't have the Nosler cases to work on, so they might indeed be unfixable.

Just hard to imagine they could be worse off than the bag of Winchester 22-250 brass I went through. They are what made me buy the K&M, as initial use revealed most cases being extremely hard to seat, and others unable to seat.
I have a similar tool made by Sinclair before Fred sold to Brownells. Made of solid carbide with an adjustable collar to set depth. Takes care of the problem as you suggested.
 
I think my cutting tool is from RCBS . I've had it for many years , probably before there was a K&M . my tool seems to cut depth , with a flat bottom . didn't seem to cut diameter much at all .

I remember fighting with the nosler pockets . I'd think I had it solved , but it wasn't . I made a thread about the brass on the forum , showing how consistent it was in capacity . that batch of brass was exceptional , but the primer pocket problem was a headache . then I ran into other issues , so I don't use it any longer .

when seating a primer , the primer should be bottomed in the pocket . it should be slightly below the brass case . it should have .002" crush per CCI recommendations . with the pockets being that tight , the primers were probably damaged to the point of being inconsistent . I had flat primers from installing them . LOL
 
Nosler brass is all I run in my 7mm Rem Mag (got a bunch when I bought rifle) , after a couple of stiff loads they’re not tight now.
 
We shot some this afternoon and no issues. Things looked good after firing. The guy pulling the trigger is a better shot than me so the hand loads worked well.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
my pocket cutter tool looks about the same as the K&M . the only markings on mine is "LG" I'm assuming large .

PA190221.JPG


PA190223.JPG
 
Back
Top