Primer Pocket Restoration

[flur60]

Is anyone aware of a tool that can be used to restore primer pockets after they have become too loose?

A friend of mine assures me that he saw one advertised at one of the retailers (Sinclair?) but he hasn't been able to find it or find out anything more about it. He has a couple hundred Lapua cases (.243) that have blown out primer pockets. I assured him, if there is a method to fix loose pockets someone on LRH would know about it or would have atleast tried it.

Thanks folks,

Flur

 

[flur60]

Sorry folks, I should have looked a little harder before posting. I found what I need in http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f28/tool-close-primer-pockets-102881/

Thank again,
Flur

 

[ar10ar15man]

any news on this front ?? tool available ? from who ?

 

[Black Tail Hunter]

The link didn't work for me, but I use the RW Hart case saver. I have to "tighten" them up after every couple uses. It works pretty well. Others on this forum would tell you that you are loading too hot, and they have a good point. But my round is made for max velocity, and to get it where I want it, it causes a lot of (possibly too much) pressure.
I do have to hit the swage pretty hard and multiple times to get my primer pockets tight again.

 

[tbrice23]

www.longrangehunting.com/threads/tighten-primer-pockets-heres-how.152361/

 

[MudRunner2005]

Unless you can find a way to physically squeeze the entire cartridge base back down, I don't see how that ball bearing trick is going to work properly. All it's going to do is concave the case head so that it doesn't sit flush on the bolt face, as a bandaid for 1 more firing, and even then it's only holding the back-end of the primer in place... So, it's not even a guarantee that it will hold pressure then...

Just an observation...

 

[tbrice23]

My 300win has 4 firings with warm loads after repair. You should try it.

 

[MagnumManiac]

Unless you can find a way to physically squeeze the entire cartridge base back down, I don't see how that ball bearing trick is going to work properly. All it's going to do is concave the case head so that it doesn't sit flush on the bolt face, as a bandaid for 1 more firing, and even then it's only holding the back-end of the primer in place... So, it's not even a guarantee that it will hold pressure then...

Just an observation...

What you say is true, however, it beats using CA glue to keep the primers from falling out!!

Cheers.

 

[tbrice23]

The case head stays true.

 

[MudRunner2005]

The case head stays true.

I have a hard time believing that, having measured MANY case heads right above the groove, watching how pressures expand them. I've also seen lots of brass that wouldn't even hold a primer...Like completely falling out. Something like that is trash to me.

My 300win has 4 firings with warm loads after repair. You should try it.

I think the idea is cool, but the physics of the brass expansion doesn't seem to be in favor of the idea. Also, I'm all about saving money when I can, because I KNOW and have lived the exact definition of BROKE, but I'm not fixing to try that.

More power to those that do, and I'm not knocking it, I'm just saying, I have a very hard time believing that pushing on the top of the flash hole and beating downwards onto a large ball bearing is going to do anything to reduce the primer pocket side dimensions once they've expanded to the point that primers are loose. Short of resizing the entire base of the cartridge, you'll never get solid primer contact again...And even then you'd probably be lucky to get 50% contact. Once a primer pocket stretches, the only way to fix it, is to melt the cases back down and make new brass.

 

[tbrice23]

Just trying to help. That was the only point of my thread.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Just trying to help. That was the only point of my thread.

Like I said, I think its a great idea, I just feel differently about it. If it works for you, keep it up. That's what makes the world go round.

 

[Pdvdh]

Like I said, I think its a great idea, I just feel differently about it. If it works for you, keep it up. That's what makes the world go round.

It either works or it doesn't, without regard to how anyone feels about it.

The tbrice23 method works very well on the larger caliber cases (.284 up to .338) that I've used it on.
Much better than the Hart tool I purchased and used. Of course, that doesn't mean anyone must use this method.

I look forward to trying it on some .223 Rem cases. Unsure whether the smaller diameter bolt that goes into the fired case mouth will resist bending/buckling. The bolt diameter must be smaller than the case neck ID. Or less than ~ .225" diameter.

 

[MagnumManiac]

You could also invest in a mandrel that crimped the primers in place.........oh, the military already does that.

I have used black cement in the past.........bending decapping pins got tedious so I stopped doing it.

Cheers.