.223 primer pocket size problem

[grumpygunguy]

I have just started reloading .223/5.56. I have found that some - a noticeable number but far less than half - of the brass that I'm using has a primer pocket that is too small to accept small rifle primers from both Federal and CCI. There does not appear to be any particular brand correlation. All of my brass is saved from factory loads that have been shot from my rifle. Does anyone know why some of the primer pockets are smaller?

[sixonetonoffun]

I use a swagger mounted in a drill to uniform them. It works. Not a lot of fun.

[earl39]

Are you sure the brass doesn't have crimped in primers?

[Steelhead]

are you sure the brass doesn't have crimped in primers?

this!

[grumpygunguy]

Now you guys are forcing me to show my ignorance. Why are the primer pockets crimped and what is a swagger? Neither is an issue on .308.

[earl39]

What brand/headstamp is the brass the primers will not fit? Military brass of almost all makes has a crimped in or a staked primer.
It can also be issue on military 308 brass.

[scope eye]

If they made prisoners prep 223 brass, there would be no more crime.LOLhttp://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b536/jazzygirl44/SuperSwage-3_zps6a26c5d0.jpg (http://s1290.photobucket.com/user/jazzygirl44/media/SuperSwage-3_zps6a26c5d0.jpg.html)

[scope eye]

http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b536/jazzygirl44/unnamed1_zps59a31730.jpg (http://s1290.photobucket.com/user/jazzygirl44/media/unnamed1_zps59a31730.jpg.html)
http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b536/jazzygirl44/unnamed_zpsb1bdaeb8.jpg (http://s1290.photobucket.com/user/jazzygirl44/media/unnamed_zpsb1bdaeb8.jpg.html)
http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b536/jazzygirl44/unnamed2_zps322b28a7.jpg (http://s1290.photobucket.com/user/jazzygirl44/media/unnamed2_zps322b28a7.jpg.html)

[Jeremy B]

http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b536/jazzygirl44/unnamed1_zps59a31730.jpg (http://s1290.photobucket.com/user/jazzygirl44/media/unnamed1_zps59a31730.jpg.html)
http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b536/jazzygirl44/unnamed_zpsb1bdaeb8.jpg (http://s1290.photobucket.com/user/jazzygirl44/media/unnamed_zpsb1bdaeb8.jpg.html)
http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b536/jazzygirl44/unnamed2_zps322b28a7.jpg (http://s1290.photobucket.com/user/jazzygirl44/media/unnamed2_zps322b28a7.jpg.html)


I am one that would never use such a tool. There are plenty of proper primer pocket swagers available. That thing would be nice for chamfering the mouth of a case with

[scope eye]

Hey It has always worked for me, and that's all I care about, actually it has worked for a lot of shooters, I must have prepped like that over 100 K of them over the years, you can't go to deep because the cutter bottoms out in the primer pocket, and it take literally one second to do one piece of brass, and primer pockets are not they issue whenever I chuck a piece of 223, it is more due to the fact that I am trying to get 220 swift speeds out of a 223AI, which I really don't care about expense or longevity, due to military crimped 223 brass is cheap and abundant.

Dean

[jonbearman]

I use a vld tool and all you need to do is turn the drill on very slow and when it makes 3 revolutions,stop and you don't have to remove that much. Commercial reloaders have been doing the same thing for many years ti get rid of the crimp.

[scope eye]

If you look closely you can see the primer is still making almost full contact with the primer pocket, when primers come loose it is the primer pocket bore that opens up, not because there isn't enough surface wall contact.
http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b536/jazzygirl44/unnamed223_zpsa21f1458.jpg (http://s1290.photobucket.com/user/jazzygirl44/media/unnamed223_zpsa21f1458.jpg.html)

[BillPa]

If you look closely you can see the primer is still making almost full contact with the primer pocket

..and if it wasn't for the radius between the top of cup and wall creating a gap for the brass they couldn't be crimped in to start with. Reaming only removes the brass that was pushed into that gap when crimped.

Bill

[Jeremy B]

..and if it wasn't for the radius between the top of cup and wall creating a gap for the brass they couldn't be crimped in to start with. Reaming only removes the brass that was pushed into that gap when crimped.

Bill

But the only ammo I find that is crimped is 5.56 mil-spec as they don't want a loose primer causing major problems on the battlefield and the SAW chamber has been reported to have looser tolerances than the M16. Dryflash3 on the ar15.com reloading forum has a nice drill mounted reamer for removing the crimp but I still use my press mounted RCBS tool http://www.midwayusa.com/product/235832/rcbs-primer-pocket-swager-combo-2

[GaCop]

Another fast tool is the Dillon swager........a fast way to remove the crimp and not remove any metal.