Small Primer Pockets

Moderators: gds, bakerjw, renegade, bamachem

User avatar
dellet
Silent But Deadly
Posts: 6967
Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2012 1:25 pm

Re: Small Primer Pockets

Post by dellet »

rlandry6 wrote:And I would not expect Lyman to engineer rocket precision into a $49 digital caliper.
rlandry6 wrote:How would I know what the primer pocket specs are for all of the different brands out there. Aren't they all made to a given tolerance so as to be compatible with as many brands of primers as possible?

Also, I look at every round that comes off my press to look at primer seating and condition and if a primer is crushed or deformed in any way, that case gets discarded.

BTW, I just measured my primer pocket gauges and the go/no-go for the large primer is .2075/.2095 and the small gauge measures .1725"/.1745 measured with digital calipers.
rlandry6 wrote:OK, let me see if I can sort all of this out. The pockets on the cases in question measured .2050 and the go side would not go into them. When I measured them, I spum them while measuring to see if there were burrs or high spots on the rim.
The measurements of the tool are go-.2085 and the no go is .2095. The go side does not go into the pocket.
I checked several of the cases in the good pile and did not write the measurements down, but the go side went into all of them easily and the no go would not. I can go get the measurements of the good pockets if it would be beneficial.
I did not swage these cases as they are new and non-military cases, however, I do put a slight chamfer on new cases just in case there is a burr or slight deformity around the pocket.
Does this help clarify anything?
Edit The good cases measure .2060-.2065"

The gauge is from Ballistic tools. The link you sent me gives the specs for primer pockets and primers ut does not state what they machine their gauges to.. Unless I missed something...
It looks to me like the brass is too soft since it allows you to put a .2075"-.2085" piece of steel into a .2060" hole without effort.

Just how small are the pockets that won't accept the gauge?
300 Blackout, not just for sub-sonics.
User avatar
wildfowler
Silent But Deadly
Posts: 703
Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2008 8:40 am
Location: Mis'sippi

Re: Small Primer Pockets

Post by wildfowler »

I didn’t bother read through every post for making my period I’m lazy like that.

Since it’s just a couple pieces of brass and you mentioned not wanting to change out your tool setting, just lightly chamfer the inside of the primer pocket with your chamfer tool and they should slide right in. That also works well for getting rid of military crimps.

You’ll probably have better luck using a VLD style chamfer tool if you have to that.
driven every kind of rig that's ever been made, driven the backroads so I wouldn't get weighed. - Lowell George
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Amazon [Bot], Bing [Bot] and 78 guests