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Tight primer pockets

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RM

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Jan 18, 2003
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Any Manufacturer/caliber of pistol brass that you find the primer pocket consistently too tight when inserting primers? (One that I noticed- 9mm S&B seems frequently to be very tight.) Thank you in advance for your observations.
 
RM: Take a close look at your S&B primer pockets. Do they by any chance have crimped in primers similar to military cases. I have reloaded many brands of 9mm cases both commercial and military, but have had no experience with shooting or reloading S&B cases. It just possible though that they use a slightly smaller primer than our small pistol primers. My first thought would be crimped primers w/o all the crimp being removed. :)
 
I haven't noticed the S&B brass that I have reloaded to have military crimps but they may. Are you breaking primers? If not you really don't have a problem. If so try Winchester primers I find they seat the easiest of all the brands I have messed with. Also I just picked up a little dandy military crimp remover made by RCBS for my 223 brass with military crimps if you don't have a little dandy rotor the attachment will fit in the standard RCBS accessory handle. It works great alot better than my swager with a cordless drill.
 
And yer problem?
Yep.

Sellior and Belliot primer pockets are tighter than some, but that is a good thing as far as I am concerned. None of the S&B primer pockets I have seen are crimped, just snug.
 
Tight primer pockets
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Any Manufacturer/caliber of pistol brass that you find the primer pocket consistently too tight when inserting primers? (One that I noticed- 9mm S&B seems frequently to be very tight.) Thank you in advance for your observations.

A couple of things.

First, S&B pockets are snug but the larger problem is a lack of chamfer leading into the pocket...very sharp "break". On this, you can just use a chamfering tool to put a little bevel on 'em and help out a good bit.

Second thing, *some* 9MM S&B cases are'nt brass as all but rather, brass plated steel. On these, you cannot tell the difference visually, run a magnet over them. If one of the steel versions finds a way into your rotation they are a real bear trying to get a primer in (which, is how I found out they were steel in the first place). Some suppliers such as Natchezes, differentiates the steel case vs. brass case and prices accordingly...some others, do not and I suspect a lot of people are shooting the steel without ever knowing it.

Good news is, S&B is really good brass. I just check mine to weed out any steel and run the rest through a Dillon Super-Swage and give 'em just a little bump to open the pocket a tad and good to go.
 
Please send them to me. :D

Seriously, don't scrap them, folks would love to have them. :)
 
I can prime a bunch of 9mm and I know every S&B case I hit cause the pocket is tight. Nothing at all wrong with it. If anyone culls them out I will pay shipping. :D
 
Thank, Gentlemen, for your replies. Also had trouble seating Amerc brass, but I had previously read that most people discard this brand.
 
"........Also had trouble seating Amerc brass, but I had previously read that most people discard this brand."

Big difference though...

AMERC is just plain bad ju-ju for a lot of reasons and I consider it both unsuitable and unsafe for reloading. S&B (despite the tight pockets) on the other hand, is high quality brass.
 
I just want to give a +1 to D. Manley for using the Dillon Super Swage..I recently purchased one and I love it!!!
 
Big difference though...

AMERC is just plain bad ju-ju for a lot of reasons and I consider it both unsuitable and unsafe for reloading. S&B (despite the tight pockets) on the other hand, is high quality brass.

Agree 100%. Toss, no first crush, then toss AMERC, use S&B.

Best regards.
 
Some may actually be crimped, and not just tight. I recently noticed some Amerc headstamps in my 45 acp pile o brass. Needed to ream them before a primer would go in.
 
They are tight enough in the pistol calibers I've tried them in I don't bother. I just give them to someone willing to deal with chamfering them.......
 
Any Manufacturer/caliber of pistol brass that you find the primer pocket consistently too tight when inserting primers? (One that I noticed- 9mm S&B seems frequently to be very tight.) Thank you in advance for your observations.

As I discovered, your S&B "Brass" might not be brass. Got a magnet handy?
 
I have a bunch of S&B brass in .38 Special, .30 Carbine, and .357 Magnum. Chamfering the pockets doesn't seem to help. Reaming them with a hand reamer doesn't help enough -- at least not with Remington 1.5 primers. I bought a Dillon Super Swage and that did the trick.
 
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