Have you ever restored a primer pocket and tested those cases for precision against unadulterated casings?
Or is your position based on an untested theory?
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TIGHTEN PRIMER POCKETS, here's how.
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Or is your position based on an untested theory?
crkckr
Well-Known Member
The size of the ball is not critical and I used the same 1/4" diameter ball for both large and small primer pockets.
Last sumner I was doing some work ups using new, Starline 10mm brass. The primer pockets started to get loose by the 3rd or 4th loading. I was *not* loading lite loads by any means, but definitely pushing limits.
I also made up a primer pocket checker for both large & small pockets. It's like a go-no go gage, in that if I can insert it into a pocket, the pocket is too large & has to be reduced in size to securely hold a primer. I gage the cases and if necessary, a couple or three whacks with the hammer and pin and that was it! Some of cases failed (neck cracks) at up to 19 loadings (!) and I never had to reduce the primer pockets a second time! I have a small piece of flat steel that I drilled a pocket for the ball bearing to sit in and as long I hit everything square, the ball stays in the pocket drilled in the steel.
You are NOT driving a nail, so hitting the pin with everything you have is not necessary! Just 2 - 3 hits is usually all it takes to resize the primer pocket. And I use a small framing hammer, not a roofing hammer! Just like when using an inertia tool to pull bullets, you do not need to bash the living crap out of it! The more consistent your hammer strokes are, the better to judge how many hits are necessary to reform the primer pocket!
Cheers,
crkckr
Last sumner I was doing some work ups using new, Starline 10mm brass. The primer pockets started to get loose by the 3rd or 4th loading. I was *not* loading lite loads by any means, but definitely pushing limits.
I also made up a primer pocket checker for both large & small pockets. It's like a go-no go gage, in that if I can insert it into a pocket, the pocket is too large & has to be reduced in size to securely hold a primer. I gage the cases and if necessary, a couple or three whacks with the hammer and pin and that was it! Some of cases failed (neck cracks) at up to 19 loadings (!) and I never had to reduce the primer pockets a second time! I have a small piece of flat steel that I drilled a pocket for the ball bearing to sit in and as long I hit everything square, the ball stays in the pocket drilled in the steel.
You are NOT driving a nail, so hitting the pin with everything you have is not necessary! Just 2 - 3 hits is usually all it takes to resize the primer pocket. And I use a small framing hammer, not a roofing hammer! Just like when using an inertia tool to pull bullets, you do not need to bash the living crap out of it! The more consistent your hammer strokes are, the better to judge how many hits are necessary to reform the primer pocket!
Cheers,
crkckr
Your not resizing the pocket your just pushing material into the pocket mouth. It does tighten the hole at the mouth but the remaining is still o/s . Trust me I'm a machinist and we do this all the time for o/s holes . It will get you a good check with a gage pin but if checking under the lip it will show . It may hold for another shot or two but not worth the risk.
Idaho Trecker
Well-Known Member
@Fenix Outdoors I'd like to compare some notes with you but you haven't had enough messages on the forum to send you a pm.
I don't want to muddy this thread up.
Hopefully you get privileges soon to talk. In the mean time I'll tell you I have two 300ss and that is a hot load.
Never a single blown primer.
People that make this sound scary and risky, have typically never tightened up a single primer pocket in their lives. They hypothesize about all the reasons it shouldn't be done. The great fear of the unknown.
Doesn't skeer me in the least.
What crazymonky says is true. Except for his opinion that it's not worth the risk. Opinions aren't true or false. They're not a statement of established fact. My question is, not worth the risk of what? Nobody has tried to claim this restores the primer pocket to original factory dimensions the entire depth of the primer pocket. It doesn't have to, to return a primer pocket to safe and functional use.
How many people who have actually tightened up a primer pocket using this method have experienced a blown primer caused by the tightened primer pocket, after the fact? The answer is accompanied by deafening silence. No one. Not yet.
I wouldn't suggest this for folk that have 5 thumbs on each hand. But it's not terribly difficult. Pretty hard to screw this process up. Not much to lose other than your time. If you overdo it swinging a 10-pound sledge, or underdo it swinging a McDonald's straw, the primer pocket will remain unusable. The same as it was before attempting this process.
The risk is yours to take . I simply explained the fact that your not really tightening the pocket just making the mouth tighter .Your not going to harden the brass by the few hammer taps it takes on soft material unless you repeat the process several times . It's just a short term fix to get one or two more firing outa junk brass. If it worked every time I'd sure have way more 300 wm brass I ran hot and o/s the primer pockets . To each there own !
That would be great, I'd appreciate some insight
Rflshootr
Well-Known Member
Yes, I have. What I will tell you is that, it's not a matter of if they'll leak, it's when they'll leak. It's your action and bolt face, your bullets, powder and primers. Do as you wish. Myself, I prefer to spend a few bucks on brass rather then tear up a bolt to a $500-$1200 action, or worse.
Do you even have an inkling how much 50K-60K psi is right in front of your face? Like I said, do as you wish.
crkckr
Well-Known Member
I don't know about "short term" effects. I tightened up the pockets on my Starline brass after 3 or four loads, then never had to do it again and my most used brass didn't crack until #19! I'd consider that a pretty much long term fix!
I've tightened up the pockets of some .223 brass but haven't shot enough of it know the long term effects, so that remains to be seen. I don't do a lot of shooting during the winter, I spend more time at the bench, loading. This summer should provide more data, assuming I live thru the upcoming health problems I have to deal with! Not my idea of fun, that's for sure.
Cheers,
crkckr
I've tightened up the pockets of some .223 brass but haven't shot enough of it know the long term effects, so that remains to be seen. I don't do a lot of shooting during the winter, I spend more time at the bench, loading. This summer should provide more data, assuming I live thru the upcoming health problems I have to deal with! Not my idea of fun, that's for sure.
Cheers,
crkckr
Well, I've already done as I wish. So too late to help me with that advice.
Any primer pocket can leak, if it's experienced abusive pressure. A primer pocket that's been tightened up is no more apt to leak than a virgin primer pocket, IMO, when exposed to equal pressures. Never had one of mine leak. Never had anyone else post in this thread they've had one leak after tightening up the pocket, solely because they tightened up the primer pocket.
I've tightened up many primer pockets in different cartridge casings over the years. Probably more than anyone that's posted in this thread to date. Yes, I have an inkling how much 50K - 60K is in front of my face. Not that it's pertinent...
Are you the first guy over the entire duration of this thread, 249 posts, to say you experienced a serious, dangerous, injurious release of gas from a primer pocket, SOLELY because you tightened up the primer pocket using this method? You never say that. Said they'll all leak, sooner or later. You hinted about scary stuff that could result with 50K-60K psi pressure in front of a face. Never said you had tightened a primer pocket and then had that primer pocket release gas, while shooting that casing within normal, safe operating pressure. I think we all know it's possible. Not unheard of, even with virgin primer pockets. If a casing has experienced pressures sufficient to loosen the virgin primer pocket in the first place, and it continues operating at those pressures after tightening the primer pocket, it's certainly possible to experience gas leakage.
Anyone experienced a negative consequence any worse than the negative consequences associated with firing a casing that hasn't had the primer pocket tightened up?
Reading some of the posts in this thread, you'd think folk that have tightened primer pockets would have lost their fingers, eyesight, and eyebrows long ago. Which begs the question... how they're able to continue posting in this thread without eyesight and fingers?
If a guy wants to be really really really safe; eliminate any and all dangers, hazards, and injuries associated with exposure to 50K - 60K psi pressures? Maybe stop shooting rifles that commonly, safely operate at those pressures.
I can assure you, it is more than one or two firings.
cowboy
Well-Known Member
Started using this method since this thread started 7-8 yrs ago and have not had one failed PP incident. I am up to as much as 10 firings beyond since tightening up pockets. I'll take 3-500 rounds per rifle out on a multi day prairie dog shoot so I ain't talking about just a few brass.
I really appreciate the OP and all the added input from various people. This has been one of the few threads on this forum that has saved me tons of money rather than costing me tons
I really appreciate the OP and all the added input from various people. This has been one of the few threads on this forum that has saved me tons of money rather than costing me tons
