Tight Pockets

[WineMan]

I have several boxes of Winchester White box 7.62x54R that have very tight primer pockets. With my Lee hand primer device I have to use both hands and may not get all below the base and some even deformed.

The question is will one of the pocket swagers (RCBS or CH4D) do or do I need a reamer/cutting tool like Midway sells? I tried a LEE chamfer tool but no luck.

Thanks in advance

Wineman

[Ricochet]

I expect a pocket swager would work.

I've got one of these around here somewhere that I've just used to open up crimped military pockets. Good reminder though, I run into new brass that's really hard to push primers into sometimes.

[MT Gianni]

You might try another brand of primer to make sure that you don't ream for only one brand and leave the pockets too loose for the future. Gianni

[runfiverun]

i would try some different primers like rem's.

[NVcurmudgeon]

It's a lot easier to get a good uniform pocket with swaging than with a reamer, and I've done it both ways. I still have my old C-H just in case.

[NVcurmudgeon]

The only primers I have used lately are CCI and Winchester. Of those two Winchester is smaller. you didn't say which brand you are using.

[Frank46]

I'm sure that most folks have seen the cheaper than dirt ads featuring sellier&bellot
czech made ammunition. They state that some U.S. manufacturers have some of their
ammuntion made by them. Winchester comes to mind. S&B cartridge cases at least in 303 british have tight primer pockets. Maybe your 7.62x54R is made by S&B for winchester. I've shot bunches of their 45 acp cases and almost all need to have the primer pocket relieved slightly using a case neck chamfereing tool. Then primers (win lp) seat normally. Frank

[Ricochet]

I've read that Prvi Partizan makes some of Winchester's cases. I've had tight pockets with Prvi-made cases from Graf's. Gets a lot easier to seat the primers after a loading or two. (Not that I'm shooting hot loads.)

[WineMan]

These have had two reloadings with 16 gr A2400/170 cast. I got a deal on some CCI Benchrest LR primers and have been using them. Are they "harder" than others? In the 7.62x54R "Hotshot" brand they seat fine as do most brands of 30-30 but recycled surplus KA-72 30-06 with the pockets opened with a LEE tool are also tight. I know LEE does not recommend Winchester Primers for their hand primer so I may look for some Remington.

Wineman

[mike in co]

i would try some different primers like rem's...

not sure about this idea....remington does not make this brass..its out of S&B i'm pretty sure.

i'd go with a swager, and a deburr to ease the start.

mike

[chuebner]

[QUOTE I know LEE does not recommend Winchester Primers for their hand primer so I may look for some Remington.

[/QUOTE]

What is the reason behind Lee not recommending Winchester primers? I have either heard of this before or read about it somewhere but did not understand the reasoning.

Charlie

[Ricochet]

Lee said in his book that he'd tested various primers by detonating them (I think with heat) and measuring their velocity. CCIs were the only ones he recommended because they flew out at a lesser velocity and weren't likely to penetrate safety glasses. That's the way I remember it, anyway.

[EMC45]

Shoot a pile of Max loads and the pockets ought to open up real nice![smilie=1:

[nicholst55]

The WW 7.62X54R brass is notorious for undersize primer pockets. Most folks recommend 'uniforming' them with something like Sinclair's carbide tool, and say that they work just fine afterwards.

[runfiverun]

i thought it was lee and federal
that had the problem.
the only reason i said try rems is cause i had/have some that are a tad smaller then
some of my other primers
reasoning that a smaller primer might just fit the smaller pocket better.

[WineMan]

My mistake. I went from my ever decreasing memory. Win and CCI are good, Federal and Remington are the not recommended ones.

See:

http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/faq/index.cgi

I am getting short on supply so I may try to find some Winchesters.

Dave.