Primers not seating properly

[Bunnypunter]

Hey Y'all,

I am reloading some surplus 5.56 cases and the primer will not seat into the pocket. Is there a process to fix this? I'm wondering if they are crimped in from the factory and how would one de-crimp them?

Thanks.

 

[Goldbeachman]

Re: Primers not seating properly

They are probably crimped and you need to swage them or ream them. Search under 5.56 swager.

 

[Bunnypunter]

Re: Primers not seating properly

Thanks. I didnt know these existed. I appreciate your time answering this thread. Do you know of anyone except RCBS that makes these? <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: GOLDBEACHMAN</div><div class="ubbcode-body">They are probably crimped and you need to swage them or ream them. Search under 5.56 swager. </div></div>

 

[thespecialist]

Re: Primers not seating properly

Dillon makes the best pocket swager on the market IMHO. The RCBS unit works, but it's nowhere near as fast or as nice as the stand alone Dillon unit. They're not cheap, around $100 new, but worth every penny if you load a lot of cases with crimped primers.

 

[223voodoo]

Re: Primers not seating properly

I concur with the Dillon's reputation, and if you are going to be cranking out rounds its the only way to go. Since I do not load but maybe 25-30 at a time, Lyman's primer pocket reamer works great for me. Price is only around $15.

 

[Beef82]

Re: Primers not seating properly

I use the RCBS swaging die, I'm cheap, I don't find it terribly slow or troublesome but your press better be solidly mounted occasionally a piece of brass takes a good bump to get free. RCBS also makes a bench mounted swager now, looks allot like the Dillion. Haven't tried either, but I've heard allot of raving about the dillion, on here and from the guy that mentored me on reloading. Also if you're in a big hurry some deburring tools will cut the crimp out, doesn't hurt anything so far as I can tell, but I hate removing brass, and it is slow.

 

[The Mechanic]

Re: Primers not seating properly

Go with the dillon and look up the rubber band trick that makes them even faster with a properly installed rubber band

 

[JoeBUtah]

Re: Primers not seating properly

I have a dillon and like it alot. However, in my experience not all cases need to be swaged. As I deprime, I use a Lyman primer pocket uniformer as a go-no go gauge. If it fits, I give it a spin and toss it into the to-be-primed bowl, If it doesn't fit I toss it into the to-be-swaged bowl. After I swage those that need it, I spin the uniformer in the pocket.

As I prime I keep my reamer, uniformer and chamfer tool handy. If I encounter a stubbourn primer I try a little reamer etc. if it still dosen't go, the swager gets the call.

 

[223voodoo]

Re: Primers not seating properly

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: The Mechanic</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Go with the dillon and look up the rubber band trick that makes them even faster with a properly installed rubber band </div></div>

Wow, That is pretty neat. Just looked it up on youtube. Now I want to go hypocrite and buy a dillon.

 

[JoeBUtah]

Re: Primers not seating properly

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 223voodoo</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: The Mechanic</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Go with the dillon and look up the rubber band trick that makes them even faster with a properly installed rubber band </div></div>

Wow, That is pretty neat. Just looked it up on youtube. Now I want to go hypocrite and buy a dillon. </div></div>

That's a cool video alright; I haven't rigged it up for mine. Yet.

voodoo; the dillon swager is a benjamin well spent! For the price of a night out on the town, you'll have an additional cool tool for your man cave that'll last a lifetime.

 

[Bunnypunter]

Re: Primers not seating properly

Thanks y'all, this gives me a couple of options to try.

 

[adam3999]

Re: Primers not seating properly

+1 on the Dillon swage tool and rubber band trick. Has served me well for 223, 308 and 30-06.

 

[chooter]

Re: Primers not seating properly

Try using your deburring tool. I'm sure you already have one. I done this on .223 and .308 brass and it has worked for me. Better yet, put the tool in your drill and it will save your wrists!

 

[zuke]

Re: Primers not seating properly

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-In-1-Titanium-...=item4ce4f6b38e

mount in a hand drill or a drill press.Take's a split second to remove the crimp.

 

[BuzzBoss915]

Re: Primers not seating properly

Devil's Advocate for a minute. Seems to me that you would have to have a whole lot of surplus military brass, (all different head stamps, perhaps) for free, and then you still would not have the quality of a consistent lot number in commercial 223 and especially the Lapua brand. And, if it would be for precision shooting, (me personally) I wouldn't bother. And, as a matter of fact, a friend gave me a five gallon bucket of military once fired 5.56 probably ten years ago and they are still sitting in the corner of my garage.

I did select a few hundred at the time, and that's why I bought the Lyman crimp remover tool and it worked great; did the job anyway. It also is still hanging on a nail, not used since. BB