Primers not seating fully in old 357 brass

[Para Cassatt]

I have quite a bit of these old Win. nickeled cases that I just can't get the primers down below the surface of the head. Some stick up enough to cause the case to lean a noticable amount while standing and are easily felt. Can these pockets be reamed out with a uniformer safely?

[5shotbfr]

ream away it wont hurt a thing

[Silver Jack Hammer]

I had the same problem with Winchester .38 Special brass that wasn't that old.

[Matthew 25]

I've thrown all my nickel .357 brass away. It is some cracking, neck splitting stuff right there. That's where I'd start if I were you.

[farmallcrew]

ream the pockets, lots of burnt powder and primer there. I use reamer on new brass, and when reloading i clean the pockets. makes it look nicer.

[PS Paul]

I've thrown all my nickel .357 brass away. It is some cracking, neck splitting stuff right there. That's where I'd start if I were you.

Yup. Same deal here. I had well over 600 once-fired .357 cases that I have collected over the years. I just started reloading those cases (I got a lot of stuff) this summer and I started getting case mouth splits immediately. One lot of 50 had 8 case-neck splits from my first reloading. I have given most all of it away. I do have some .38 spl. nickel-plated stuff, but I would expect the same thing at this point, so they are just sittin' there collecting dust. Maybe somebody wants 'em?

I wonder if the plating itself is causing the tight primer pockets? I did not experience tight primer seating with my nickeled brass. Reaming would be fine, of course.

And here I thought for years I was keeping something of some value. had I known, I woulda stopped carting that brass around years ago instead of moving from city to city with it in boxes......

[km101]

I have been reloading for .357 for more than 30 years, and I have never gotten as good case life with nichel cases as with brass. The nickel always seems to split ealier, sometimes on the first or second reload.

As to your question about uneven primer pockets: reaming will not hurt anything. Just dont go too deep! Just even them out.

[Para Cassatt]

Thanks folks. I may just use these for swaged lead loads for now.