9mm FC cases and federal primers

[Andrew Quigley]

I went to hand prime 500 rds of 9mm yesterday and found that the FC cases I had didn't like my Federal primers. They were very hard to get in and didn't fit very well. Looked like they were flattened when seated instead of round.
Needless to say all of my FC's went into the scrap bucket as Federal primers is all I have and several 1000 of them to boot.
A curious thing to this was that the FC nickel cases didn't have any problem with the Frderal primers. Anybody else have issues with this combo?

[Roger Ronas]

would you offer up the FC cases to someone interested?

[Rusty W]

I've ran into a few that had crimped primer pockets.

[Andrew Quigley]

I thought they might be crimped. I have the RCBS tool to fix them just didn't take the time to try them out.
Roger, let me see how many there are and I'll get back with you on them.

[Bwana]

Probably crimped. Adapt and overcome. Waste not, want not. That is all.

[30yrcaster]

In my experience, I've found Federal primers are a bit larger than the others. I mic'd them awhile back. I also had some old large rifle primers that I couldn't get into any rifle cases because they had tarnished.

I've used this oversize property of the Federal primers to my advantage. I have a thousand FC 223 rifle cases I picked up at the range. Cops were doing training and left them all out there. It's common knowledge the FC rifle cases (don't know about the pistol cases) primer pockets are soft and after couple reloadings won't hold primers. WW, Rem & CCI go in way too easily and some even fall out. I found that using Federal std small rifle primers or bench rest primers go in these same cases with some tension. Shells I would have discarded for loose primer pockets I got 6 more loadings out of so far.

I found the same problem with 2000 WCC cases I bought from Bushmaster years ago. 2 reloadings and primers were falling out. I use Fed small rifle primers on them as well while any others fall out.

Just my experience.

[Lizard333]

I too have found that the federals are a little tighter when loading. Especially when you load some S&B brass! It is tight!!