Federal 308GM2 brass - primer pockets very tight

[cali_tz]

on some of my once fired (my Rem 700) GM308M2 ammo, the pockets are very tight to insert my primer pocket cleaner tool. On those, loading the primer is impossible... the metal on the side of the primer is getting shaved off and it just won't get in. On the brass for which the primer pocket cleaner tool does fit in easy, the primer goes in, albeit still a bit tricky (I am using a Redding T7 press).

Is this normal... I haven't reloaded in like 20 years and I don't recall it being so hard to seat and press in the primers. Is this Fed brass something different? I tried some Winchester ball ammo brass and they are easier to get primers into.

The tech support gent at Redding says that he has heard Federal was crimping their primer pockets for some reason of supporting military orders and might be using the same machine for consumer ammo.

Anyway, if any of you are reloading Fed match brass... pls let me know if you have seen the same thing.

thanks,
tz

update: i took a 15/64" drill bit, and chamfered out what may or may not be the military crimp that i see others attributing to Federal brass. Also it's reported that Federal primers are larger than others on the OD, which could also exacerbate the tight pocket hassle. Anyway, with this small chamfer and some non trivial effort on a Redding press I was able to seat all brass below flush. Though I still wrecked about 2-3 primers in the process. Good thing one can slowly but safely decap half inserted primers via the decapping pin/die!

 

[Country]

Re: Federal 308GM2 brass - primer pockets very tight

Two tools you need.
1/ A primer pocket uniformer.
http://www.sinclairintl.com/.aspx/sid=63...rs__Large_Rifle

2/ A military crimp remover " Large "
http://www.sinclairintl.com/.aspx/pid=37922/Product/RCBS_Trim_Mate_Case_Prep_Center

Remove the crimp a bit at a time so you don't go in more than you need then uniform the pocket depth by chucking the uniformer in an electric screw driver . After that the primers should slip in perfect and you should feel them stop at the bottom of the pocket..

 

[cali_tz]

Re: Federal 308GM2 brass - primer pockets very tight

Thanks Country. BTW, should this military crimp be visible under magnifying lens... ? I just don't see where this crimp is... I thought I would see some change in the brass shape near the edge of the primer pocket, but I don't readily detect it, even with under some magnification.

 

[cali_tz]

Re: Federal 308GM2 brass - primer pockets very tight

to close the loop, I did use the RCBS military primer pocket crimp remover tool (it's actually the motorized case prep tool) to address this issue. Basically the tool chamfers in a cut much like i was doing with a drill bit tip, but perhaps easier and more accurate since the cutting tool isn't in a hand drill but stationery on the reloading bench.

Anyway, after prepping the primer pocket in this manner, the Fed 210 primers went in like they should, with an appropriate seating force.

 

[Grump]

Re: Federal 308GM2 brass - primer pockets very tight

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: cali_tz</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thanks Country. BTW, should this military crimp be visible under magnifying lens... ? I just don't see where this crimp is... I thought I would see some change in the brass shape near the edge of the primer pocket, but I don't readily detect it, even with under some magnification.
</div></div>
Yeah, that's the new USGI "stealth" primer pocket crimp. It's a holdover from runs of "sanitary" ammo without any US military headstamp. They don't want it to "look military" at all now, it's supposed to resemble commercial ammo.

This happens on occasion because once the machine is set up, they don't change it back to regular crimps until there's some other reason to adjust or maintain that part of the loading process. The brass gets the headstamp at a different stage in manufacturing.

.

.

.

.
I just made that up. Doesn't it sound good? Someone want to post it over on barf.com?