Flash hole question

pdhunter · #1 02-18-2005, 09:35 PM

Loading 22-250. I'm using virgin Winchester brass. As you know the flash hole is punched. My question:
What is the best way to make a round flash hole .The RCBS
flash hole tool is nice but won't make the flash hole round.
After trimming, neck turning, and uniforming the primer
pocket it does not make good sence to have out of round
flash hole.Thanks for the help

Jim Hundley · #2 02-18-2005, 10:06 PM

Try a K&M or Sinclare flash hole uniformer.I have both and they do a good job.
Jimmy

#3 02-19-2005, 12:13 PM

doesn't make the flash hole round? How can it not...? Maybe I am not understanding what you are saying....

I use the rcbs tool and I shot a BR group from a bi-pod.... and I am a marginal shooter....

Jim Hundley · #4 02-19-2005, 02:24 PM

I don't know if you are measuring the flash hole or are just eyeballing it.At times the flash hole "appears to be" oblong to my old eyes,but it is just an optical illusion.Look at it squarely under a good light.

#5 02-19-2005, 04:10 PM

Honeslty, I bevel the inside and outside of the flash hole... helps with the ES ...

pdhunter · #6 02-21-2005, 08:12 PM

If the hole is not punched square it appears to be oval shaped. Now the rcbs tool does in fact make th flash round IF the outof round hole is not bigger the the point on the
tool . I not talking bench rest shooting but rather tryin to
keep 5 shots all touching.Thank you for your in put.

wapiti13 · #7 02-21-2005, 08:34 PM

pdhunter, The main reason to use a flah hole reamer is to remove the burr left from punching the brass. I'm not aware of any studies of oblong vs round, but the idea is to get the primer flame through the hole uniformly. If your rifle shoots good, I doubt that you will see much difference either way, unless you get the one case where the hole is mostly blocked. Seating depth, concentricity, chamber center, which primer, etc will have a larger impact on accuracy. Also, if you use a flash hole reamer and push the load to the max, you can get a leak past the primer since you will be slightly thinning the flash hole area. That is why you need to use a Sinclair type reamer to not remove too much material. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]