Tight Primer Pockets

[Nitroman]

Bought Nosler .300 RUM brass and was going to uniform (or try to), the brass. I cannot get the uniformer even a quarter of the way into the pocket.

I am wondering if I should invest in a Wilson reamer to ream the pockets out to the correct size? If I cannot get a uniformer into the pocket, I have no way of knowing if they are all the same depth.

Advice appreciated.

 

[MTBULLET]

welcome to nosler brass! not worth the money if you have to do this much work to 'em, that's what I found.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

how is the primer seating?/ are they uniform already??

 

[boomtube]

A pocket uniformer is an end cutting mill/reamer, don't understand why you can't easily cut to the bottom of the pockets. ??

 

[Nitroman]

I haven't seated any primers yet.

The uniformer is an extremely tight fit. I checked the pockets with a pin gage, they are tight on the 0.251" gage; an interference fit. I was able to work the uniformer in and it just touches the bottom removing almost no brass, but a tiny bit. I will try maybe ten cases total to see if they are all at a uniform depth. If they are then I won't worry about it.

Yeah, maybe I should have waited for the Norma, but at least all my tools are now set to work .300 RUM brass!

I might also seat a few primers to see if they are too tight. I just got off work and am pooped.

 

[royinidaho]

If I were in your situation, knowing what I now know regarding Nosler brass, I'd shove the primer in there not worrying about variations in seating depth. As long as the primer doesn't extend above the case head there is nothing to be concerned about.

Work up your load heading towards maximum velocity. Long before you attain significant pressure the primer pockets will be opened sufficiently that your tool will fit with plenty of room. If you then do the ream thing you will be frustrated as way sooner than you would like the case won't hold a primer at all.

this has been my experience loading Nosler 300 RUM brass in a 270 Allen Mag. With Rem brass loads the Nosler stuff lasted on three shots compared to the Remmy's 5 or 6.

Sorry to be so rude but I think very little of Nosler brass when attempting to attain maximum reasonable performance.

Nosler's advertising/marketing sucks everyone in for a little while.

 

[Nitroman]

I don't think you are being rude, just calling it like you see it.

 

[H T]

OK, so having spend $$ for Nosler brass for my 338 Win Mag, I found the primer seating with Federal 215 gold medal match to be a real challenge. Found this thread and thanks for validating my problem.

I mic'd three kinds of large rifle primers, W-W, CCI and Federal 215 GM. Measuring several of each kind, I found size-wise, the Federals were in the middle. So probably not the issue.

Next I used a primer pocket reamer and the pockets were big enough in diameter, but shallow. Reamed the remainder of the box of 50, and the primers seated much easier and more reliably at the bottom of the pocket.

Sharing.... :>

 

[Wyo7200]

Ya'll might find this info sheet I made useful for comparing primers. Sourced from various places around the interwebz.

PDF version here - may have to download and open in adobe- chrome isnt displaying the content of the document.

By the way, I've read many problems occurring with large caliber Nosler brass... I know my Nosler 25/06 brass is funky...

 

[MagnumManiac]

I have the same problem with newly manufactured Norma brass, my 20 year old Norma brass in 416 Rigby has always had firm pockets, they still do, but new brass is so tight in the pocket I've had them distort the primer trying to seat them.
Also, nearly every new lot of Norma brass has got this weird 45º bevel on the rims, none of my old brass has this, and I don't see why it's been added.
I heard Norma makes Nosler brass for them, but never had it sunstantiated.

Cheers.
gun)