Primer pocket tightness question

[bigedp51]

The longevity of your primer pockets depends on the hardness of the brass and how thick the flash hole web is.

Below military Lake City 5.56 brass is harder than comertial .223 cases and has a thicker flash hole web that adds radial strength to the base of the case. And keeps the primer pockets from stretching out and makes LC brass last longer.

How Hard is Your Brass? 5.56 and .223 Rem Base Hardness Tests
http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com...r-brass-5-56-and-223-rem-base-hardness-tests/

 

[smokin502]

The longevity of your primer pockets depends on the hardness of the brass and how thick the flash hole web is.

Below military Lake City 5.56 brass is harder than comertial .223 cases and has a thicker flash hole web that adds radial strength to the base of the case. And keeps the primer pockets from stretching out and makes LC brass last longer.

How Hard is Your Brass? 5.56 and .223 Rem Base Hardness Tests
http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com...r-brass-5-56-and-223-rem-base-hardness-tests/

 

[smokin502]

But does LC make 300wm brass? Doesnt seem like it. So what would be the hardest or best for that round?

 

[Lonewolf74]

But does LC make 300wm brass? Doesnt seem like it. So what would be the hardest or best for that round?

You couldn't go wrong with Sig brass I can attest that it's good stuff especially for the money.

Next brand I want to try is Peterson brass. People have posted that it's better than Lapua in other cartridges but I don't think the 300wm is available quite yet.

 

[Pdvdh]

So what would be the hardest or best for that round?

RWS, available through Huntington Die Specialties.

As mentioned above, Peterson is reportedly good, tough brass.

 

[TracySes23]

I have a 300wm and loaded primers onto new Hornady brass and seemed very tight. I didn't do any prep to the pockets. Just loaded primers. After shooting and was checking them, found all were more loose than when new. Showed no signs of pressure issues. They are not loose to were I can push them without the hand loader tool, just not as hard as new. Any thoughts? It this normal?

I load for 22-250 & you can't go wrong with Lapua brass. I've loaded mine 14 times & still going strong.
If you can find them, Fiocchi primers are 1/2 thousandths .0005" larger in diameter. My lock dealer no longer stocks them, but will order them if need be. I normally use Winchester primers & for me, the Fiocchi primers don't seem to make any significant difference in my group sizes. When I bought mine they were also significantly less expensive (2¢ per primer) at the time, and they have 1500 of them in a carton. I'm saving mine for the day my primer pockets get loose.

 

[Lonewolf74]

Lapua doesn't make 300wm brass.
RWS is very tough but it's thick and has less case capacity.
I have heard that ADG is another good option.

I don't think you would go wrong with ADG, SIG, Peterson or RWS. They will all be far better than the Hornady brass

 

[smokin502]

Well, I'm going to try Norma brass this weekend and compare it. Maybe I'll get some Sig brass and try it also.

 

[Lonewolf74]

Just a heads up Norma is good brass as far as being uniform and consistent but it's soft, I get about 4 firings from the lot I have before it won't hold primers.

 

[Gregg C]

I'm with some of the above fellas on Hornady brass. . .not very durable. I shoot several brands of brass depending on caliber and I would say Norma and Lapua is about 50% of what I use, then there is good o'le LC brass which I shoot in a few rifles and handguns. The LC brass takes a little more prepping, but I don't mind tinkering, and the stuff is **** near indestructible! Next would be RWS, but that stuff IS PRICEY!!!

On another note; I have a rifle that loves to be run hard and primer pockets only stay snug for 4 firings (on Lapua brass mind you). I learned a little secrete on how to tighten my prime pockets up to last a few more loadings. It involves a 1/2" hard-chrome ball bearing (Amazon Prime), long hardened steel shank/dowel a little smaller in diameter than case mouth and a 32 oz. ball peen hammer along with your calipers. For my shank I used an old Craftsman screwdriver and cut both ends off to have about a 10" section to work with. Next I used a piece of hardwood (Ipe) 2"x8" about a foot long and drilled a shallow snug hole (1/3 but not more than 1/2 the ball bearing diameter both depth/width) to place the bearing in. First, mic the loose primer pocket so you know your starting point. With the loose primer pocket case, de-primed, place over the bearing, slide the shank in the case mouth and center over inside primer flash hole. Hold shank/cartridge firmly in one hand applying downward pressure on the bearing and with other hit the shank a few good licks. Now check your primer pocket with caliper or primer, repeat if it is not just right. If you get it too tight the RCBS swagging tool for military brass makes it perfect. There was a Youtube video of this process floating around a few years ago that shows you just how simple this process is. Hope this helps you guys and saves you some cash for more powder and bullets!

I read this on a thread here at LRH not too log ago. Works slicker than any thing. I'm thinking it might work harden the brass around the pocket, too. If my brass wasn't so darned expensive, ...maybe I will dedicate 10 rounds to an experiment , take new, unfired brass, shrink the pocket, then uniform it back and see how long it takes, compared to the other pieces, to open up again. At almost $5 per case, tho, thats kind of nerve wracking. Actually, tho, since if I ruin them I would have to buy a whole box anyway, might as well do all 20. Maybe the next box.

 

[smokin502]

Just a heads up Norma is good brass as far as being uniform and consistent but it's soft, I get about 4 firings from the lot I have before it won't hold primers.

Oh great...

 

[STEEL SLINGER]

I read this on a thread here at LRH not too log ago. Works slicker than any thing. I'm thinking it might work harden the brass around the pocket, too. If my brass wasn't so darned expensive, ...maybe I will dedicate 10 rounds to an experiment , take new, unfired brass, shrink the pocket, then uniform it back and see how long it takes, compared to the other pieces, to open up again. At almost $5 per case, tho, thats kind of nerve wracking. Actually, tho, since if I ruin them I would have to buy a whole box anyway, might as well do all 20. Maybe the next box.

Gregg,

I have almost a hundred pieces of brass that I'm needing to prep. . .I'll send the tools and my brass to you should you feel the need to experiment - LOL! What are you shooting that runs almost $5 a case? ? ?

 

[Lonewolf74]

Oh great...

Yes it's unfortunate. I would start with any that I listed, anything else is going to be soft or of poor quality that you need to sort and cull cases out.

 

[Gregg C]

Gregg,

I have almost a hundred pieces of brass that I'm needing to prep. . .I'll send the tools and my brass to you should you feel the need to experiment - LOL! What are you shooting that runs almost $5 a case? ? ?

Steel Slinger, it is a 338-378Weatherby . At Sportsmans, a box of 20 is$90....funny how , rite next to it, on the same shelf, sits 30-378Weatherby, for 20.00 less. Same case. Maddening.
My first 40 rounds lasted a lot longer than I expected, tho the pockets did get petty tired. Not knowing any better, I kept going, and out of that original 40, there are 8 left. I tightened the pockets up on them 2 loadings ago. The necks finally started splitting. Got two more boxes, on the 4th go round. May try that pimer pocket thingy on them, BEFORE they open up. What are you prepping brass for? I might take you up on that . Love to tinker, and learning at the same time is an added bonus.